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Re: Wirt Adams' Cavalry command, March-April 1865

This is a greatly misunderstood topic.

Other than Taylor, one staff officer and two servants, no Confederates were present during the surrender agreement at Citronelle. Troops were informed of the surrender after Taylor returned to his headquarters at Meridian MS.

Here's an old post on the topic [I used to go one and on...] --
http://history-sites.com/alcwmb/old-archive/archivefiles/3859.html

Federal officers didn't make a tour of Confederate camps, going instead to certain sites agreed upon by Gens. Taylor and Canby. Paroles were issued there.

Camp sites for the different Confederate commands often differed from the actual site of parole. Bear in mind that parole process was a joint effort by Confederate and Federal officers. The last orders received by these soldiers concerned the order of march to the parole site. For most of Forrest's command, this was Gainesville AL.

Some of us have debated the actual presence of Confederates at parole sites. It seems to me that issuing a parole to someone who wasn't there and didn't actually sign the document would have been unacceptable for all parties concerned. These were considered legally binding documents that were supposed to be in possession of each paroled soldier. If a soldier wasn't present to sign his name or make his mark (1) the document was invalid, and (2) he wouldn't have had a copy in his possession.

For soldiers paroled great distances from home, the parole also provided a dual purpose -- safe passage through Federal checkpoints, and a free ride home via ship or rail line. It was also his "Get Out of Jail Free" card should a Federal provost marshall ever come calling.

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Wirt Adams' Cavalry command, March-April 1865
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Re: Wirt Adams' Cavalry command, March-April 1865
Re: Wirt Adams' Cavalry command, March-April 1865
Re: Wirt Adams' Cavalry command, March-April 1865