Please help shed light on a statement in an 1864 newspaper: "1,000 Yankee prisoners in Bonham in May 1864."
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Gary D. Bray's 2004 posting about this topic, below, was never answered, or even addressed. ..Ronnie Atnip of Bonham alerted me to the following June 1864 newspaper article and the "military service" of James Franklin McFarland.
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McFARLAND, James Franklin McFarland (1845 TN-1917 Ladonia TX) m-Mary Jane Harper; Moseley's 7th Light Artillery
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On Ancestry.com I found the following quote: "Did guard duty at Federal prison in Bonham when 16 yrs. old in Confederate army. No description has been added."
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James McFarland, Pvt, W.G. Moseley's 7th Light Artillery in American Civil War Research Database
.....W.G. Moseley was in J. Bates' 13th Inf; R.R. Brown's 35th Cav; 7th Co. A TX Light Artillery Batty
.....O.G. Jones was in TX 7th Co A Light Battery
http://www.civilwardata.com/active/index.html
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James McFarland, Pvt, O.G. Jones' Company, Texas Light Artillery in Civil War Soldier & Sailors Database
......W.G. Moseley was in J. Bates 13th TX Volunteers; R.R. Brown's 35th Cav; Jones' Company, Texas Light Artillery
......O.G. Jones was in 7th Co. A TX Light Artillery Batty
http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.cfm
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James McFarland. I cannot find this James McFarland on >footnote.com<.
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I found Capt O.G. Jones in the First Heavy Artillery (Oct 1861- Aug 1863). ..No info abour O.G. Jones but info about Jones' Company, Texas Light Artillery of M323-244 and M323-245 can be found with "Capt Hughes Light Artillery & Jones Co Light" plus "Capt Jones Light Artillery & Lt H. Van Buren's." ..In the Capt Hughes-Jones Co. section, see "Unit Information" cards 15 thru 29. ..Cards 26 thu 29 state: Apr 1864 Cedar Lake (Matagorda Co TX); May 1864 Camp Cook near Columbus (Colorado Co TX; June 1864 Spanish Camp; August 1864 San Antonio. ... I think Footnote.com has not completed their transcription of the M323-245 data.
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http://www.footnote.com
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The M323 Texas Civil War microfilm reels are listed on:
http://www.footnote.com/image/#9443389
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[Austin] STATE GAZETTE, June 1, 1864, p2c3.
”Special Correspondence of Gazette” Tyler, May 16th -—
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Twelve hundred and fifty three prisoners arrived here from Camden, Ark. yesterday — 380 more are expected tomorrow. ..They were taken at the fight at Marks’ Mill. ..These, together with those already here, will make 4500 free boarders, who are rather unwelcome visitors to the planters hereabouts, but certainly much more welcome as prisoners than as onquerors. ..These planters, though willing to divide to the last with our own brave defenders, dislike to stint themselves to feed these despoilers of our country. ..Some of the prisoners were left at Shreveport — about 1,000 have been sent to Bonham.
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[Union Gen. Frederick] STEELE lost upwards of 5,000 men in Arkansas. He went from Little Rock with about 15,000 men to overrun South Arkansas and invade Texas. ..He got back to Little Rock with from 3 to 5,000 armed men and a rabble of 2 or 3,000 unarmed ones, (who in their hasty fight had thrown away their arms to increase their speed,) without wagons, artillery, or provisions.
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The railroad from Little Rock to White River was torn up by [CSA Lt-Col. Dandridge] McRAE, who organized a Brigade from men who had gone the Yankees to keep out of the army and deserters from various brigades. ..The Yankees required them to take the oath, which they consented to, but when they were ordered into the ranks of their army it was more than they bargained for, so they left, bushwhacking their Yankee friends ever since. ..He has about 1500 with him now, who are redeeming themselves right well. ..Many are returning, who have been shirking duty under various pretences. ..Such are the fruits of the victory in Arkansas. ..I saw an officer who came to guard the prisoners — some of whom stood guard over him, when he was taken prisoner of Arkansas Post. ..He says that our soldiers are confident, and enthusiastic, and that the Yankees were “better whipped in Arkansas, than they were in Louisiana.”
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STEELE is at Duvall's Bluff on White River, trying to get to the Mississippi River with the demoralized remnant of his army, harassed by our cavalry, who daily send to Camden squads of from 20 to 50 prisoners. Little Rock and Pine Bluff Not having taken down at the time the number of wagons, pieces of artillery, arms, etc., which have taken by our troops I fear to trust my memory, but they were all his army had, except the few they carried them back to Little Rock.
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I understand from a gentleman just from Bonham that the crops of wheat in that region are not very good. The corn is late, and only tolerably good. per Claude de Mogyns, Jr., Austin State Gazette, Jun 1, 1864, p2c3.
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Posted By: Gary D. Bray
Date: Sunday, 28 March 2004, at 12:10 p.m.

I ran across a newspaper story from the Austin State Gazette, June 1st 1864, p. 2 c. 3, that said that about 1000 of Steele's men taken prisoner in Arkansas were sent to Bonham Texas due too many prisoners at Tyler's Camp Ford.

Can anyone tell me anything more about this? I have never seen anything else that said that Bonham was used as a prison for Yankee P.O.W.'s.

I know that some Confederate soldiers died at Bonham while guarding prisoners, I am looking for the lost graves of these men now. I knew that they had ( Brushmen ) etc.under guard at Bonham but not 1000 Yankee P.O.W.' S

Thanks,
Gary D. Bray
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Editor's note: Wm. Griffin Moseley is mentioned in three events in my book: he was in command of the Tonkawa troops. And yes, I feel that the James McFarland in Moseley's 7th Light Artillery was the James Franklin McFarland (1845-1917). Any help in finding this James McFarland on >footnote.com< would be greatly appreciated.
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These 1,000 prisoners may have been housed at Camp Benjamin in Fannin County.
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Thank you.
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Patti, prochette@Juno.com
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