"There now follows a curious note. Federal reports of the engagement at Egypt Station, Mississippi, on December 28, 1864, state that among the prisoners taken in that fight, there were 253 men, former Federal soldiers, prisoners of war at Andersonville, Georgia, who had enlisted in the 10th Tennessee Infantry Regiment in order to get out of prison. The question was raised as to whether they should be treated as prisoners of war, or traitors to the Union. There is no mention in Confederate records of any men from the 10th Tennessee being engaged in that fight, and in any event, 253 men would have been nearly four times the total from the six Tennessee Regiments whom General Bate reported escaped from the Battle of Nashville."
See: http://www.tngenweb.org/civilwar/csainf/csa10.html
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HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,
Saint Louis, Mo., March 5, 1865.
Capt. JOSEPH McC. BELL,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Mil. Div. of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo.:
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to inform the major-general commanding the Military Division of the Missouri that there are some 250 men in confinement at Alton. Ill., known as the "galvanized Yankees," i.e., men who were taken prisoners by the enemy during the last year, and who, to avoid starvation and death, enlisted in Burke's battalion, of the Confederate Army, and who in the recent raid deserted on the approach of our forces to us. These men have already applied to be sent back to their regiments, but it is not considered safe to send them where they will be in danger of capture by the enemy. There are also 1,000 prisoners of war and conscripts who refuse to be exchanged--claim to be deserters, unwilling conscripts, &c. These men have applied to enlist in our army. I respectfully submit if we had not better organize a regiment of these men and put them on the plains, where they can be made of use to our Government, relieve our prisons, and I have no doubt in most cases make better men and good soldiers. They are now a burden and expense to us. We cannot exchange them, and if I am authorized I am confident I can form an effective regiment from them by placing old reliable officers over them. I have 3,000 miles of overland mail and telegraph route to guard, and every regiment of infantry that I can put along it will relieve that number of cavalry to use in offensive operations against the Indians, who, I am satisfied, are determined to make aggressive war upon all our overland routes this spring and summer. Many of the "galvanized Yankees" I know were captured in the battle of July 22 before Atlanta, Ga., and have been good, earnest soldiers.
I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. M. DODGE,
Major-general.
[OR Ser. II, V8, pp. 358/9]
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WAR DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF MILITARY JUSTICE,
May 13, 1865.
The SECRETARY OF WAR:
Corpl. M. J. Adams, Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers and 253 others, belonging to various regiments, were captured by the First Brigade of General Grierson's cavalry, at Egypt Station, Miss., December 28, 1864. They were at the time serving in the Tenth Tennessee rebel regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel Yorke, Second New Jersey Cavalry, reports that the greater part of these men were on the rebel skirmish line, and when our forces came within range they opened a heavy fire, killing 3 officers and 20 men and wounding 74 others; that he then made a charge, when they threw down their arms and surrendered. Immediately after their capture they alleged that they had been prisoners of war at Andersonville and joined the rebel service to escape death from starvation and disease. They generally claimed to have done so with the intention of making their way to our lines as soon as possible, and state that they had been kept under strict guard and were not furnished arms and ammunition until the night before the engagement, and that they surrendered as soon as an opportunity occurred. Even if this were true, it would not justify their conduct, and it is believed that the Government cannot consistently recognize the propriety of prisoners escaping from the enemy by such means, and cannot place confidence in men who, even for the purpose of escaping the horrors of Southern prisons, were willing to enter the ranks of the rebel army. But the circumstances of the action in which they were captured do not justify the belief that any considerable portion of these men had any desire or intention to rejoin our forces. Being placed upon the skirmish line, they could readily have made an opportunity to pass over without suspicion on the part of the enemy; and, if prevented from so doing by their position in the line, could have fired so as to do no damage to our troops. The deadly precision of their fire shows that they intended to repel our forces, if possible. The opinion of General Hoffman is concurred in, that they are not entitled to any clemency. As to their present status, it may be remarked that they should no longer be regarded as prisoners of war, but should be held and tried as deserters. It appears by the remarks upon the rolls that six of these men came into our lines during the night preceding the engagement and gave valuable information. It is submitted whether or not they may not properly be restored to their regiments, with forfeiture of all pay due at the time of their capture, in consideration of the valuable services rendered.
A. A. HOSMER,
Major and Judge-Advocate (in absence of Judge-Advocate. General)
[OR Ser. II, V8, p. 554]