Hard question
- FortBrooke1824
- Mugwump53
- FortBrooke1824
- FortBrooke1824
- FortBrooke1824
- ossining
- Mugwump53
- FortBrooke1824
- FortBrooke1824
- Mugwump53
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» FortBrooke1824 - POW's and the Presidents
I know of at least one President who had a son as a POW (Prisoner of War). By President of the US I will say that the correct answer may be before he became President, or during his Presidency or after his Presidency. Name the President and his son.-- posted by FortBrooke1824
» Mugwump53 - Re: POW's and the Presidents
In response to message posted by FortBrooke1824:This should be interesting, because I can not think of any presidential son who was a prisoner of war (unless you are thinking of Richard Taylor or Quentin Roosevelt, neither of whom was ever an actual prisoner of war). I am anxiously awaiting the answer to this one.
-- posted by Mugwump53
» FortBrooke1824 - I am ready to give you the answer in two days
There may be someone else who wants to give it a shot. You are right about Richard Taylor though I had not thought that when he surrended his outfit he may have been considered a POW for a short time but that is not what I was looking for.This Presidential son was exchanged for another prisoner. So he was a true POW.
-- posted by FortBrooke1824
» FortBrooke1824 - I am having trouble confirming
I am having trouble confirming this story so I shall revel the answer and keep looking to verify it.The President was Andrew Johnson
His son (And I am assuming that it was Charles) was exchanged in October of 1863 for Mr. Chandler who would later become an inspector for the Confederate government at Andersonville.
This information was obtained from the author William Marvel from his book "Andersonville the Last Depot". The information can be found on page 165. of said book. The Civil War author James McPherson amoung others have endorsed this book.
Marvel uses OR's (Offical Records of the War of the Rebellion) for his sources but when I tried to verify it through the OR's I could not. He uses Volume's etc to site.
However I will quote from Mr. Marvels book. "He (Chandler) sat in a jail cell at Washington's Old Capitol Prison until late October, 1863, when Union authorities permitted him to cross the lines under a flag of truce to arrange his exchange for the son of Governor Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, whom the Confederates held. But for the influence of Johnson's esteemed father, Chandler might have spent the rest of the war in prison,"
The Chandler Mr. Marvel is referring to is Daniel T. Chandler. It is interesting to note that Chandler gave Wirz bad reviews upon his visit to Andersonville.
At any rate I cannot verify this story anywhere on the net. It is by pure chance that I am in the middle of writing Mr. Marvel about some information I had found about Andersonville. During our brief phone conversation he expressed an interest in seeing a letter written by a civilian about Andersonville so I will ask him about Johnson's son and ask him where he got his source.
-- posted by FortBrooke1824
» FortBrooke1824 - I assumed wrong LOL
Andrew Johnson had three sons. Charles was killed by a horse in April of 1863 so it could not have been him. Andrew was born in 1854 so that rules him out. The only one left is Robert Johnson which was a Colonel in the 1st Tennessee Cavalry (Union) That seems to make sense because Chandler was also a Colonel. However I still cannot verify that Robert Johnson was a POW.-- posted by FortBrooke1824
» ossining - Re: I assumed wrong LOL
In response to message posted by FortBrooke1824:
Dr. Benjamin Harrison (1806-1840), one of the sons of our 9th president, William Henry Harrison
(1773-1841). A native of Vincennes, Indiana, he was wounded and taken as prisoner of war by Mexican forces during the Texas War for Independence in 1836. He died the year of his father's successful campaign for the presidency (1840).
-- posted by ossining
» Mugwump53 - Re: Re: I assumed wrong LOL
In response to message posted by ossining:My source says that Charles Johnson was "the object of an intense Confederate manhunt" while he was in Tennessee recruiting for the Union army. It does not say that he was ever caught.
On Dr. Benjamin Harrison, I think I have the same source as Ossining. It takes pains to say he was held, but not that he was a prisoner of war. I believe that he was a civilian and held as the Mexican army marched through, not an uncommon occurrence for leading citizens.
I will keep looking when I have time. Thanks Ossining for an interesting piece of information. Dennis, when you get a reply from your author friend, please let us know.
-- posted by Mugwump53
» FortBrooke1824 - Letter was sent yesterday Mug
The letter to Mr. Marvel was sent yesterday so I have no idea how long it will be until I hear from him.Yes Mug, Charles was also in the military and probably was made a target by the Confederates. However, my sources tell me that he was killed by a horse falling over on him in April of 1863. According to Marvel the exchange between Johnson's son and Chandler took place in October of 1863. It sort of makes a little sense in the respect that if Andrew Johnson had just lost a son a few months before that he might pull some strings to have his last son in the military released. I'll keep you posted, Mug
-- posted by FortBrooke1824
» FortBrooke1824 - I don't think we have to wait for Mr. Marvel's response
I found what I had been hunting for in the OR's Official Records of the War of the Rebellion.While I could not confirm what Mr. Marvel had cited I started doing some research upon my own.
I can't think of a more creditable source than the OR's. While I did find Colonel Robert Johnson in the OR's I could not find where he had been captured, or exchanged.
However looking under D.T. Chandler a lot of things come up including his exchange. I found it in "Volume 6 page 352. And I shall quote.
"TO: Brigadier General S.A. Meredith, Commanding for Exchange of Prisoners, Fort Monroe, Va.:
General: D.T. Chandler, a political prisoner at the Old Capitol, has applied for permission to visit Richmond on parole with a view to effect the exchange of himself for Andrew Johnson, the nephew of Governor Johnsons, of Tennessee, now a prisoner at Richmond. A parole for this purpose will be granted to Colonel Chandler with the condition that if he fail to effect the proposed exchange within thirty days he will return to this city and surrender himself to the Federal authorities, provided permission is granted by Mr. Ould or other authorized agent of the authorities in Richmond, with the assurance that the terms of the parole which Colonel Chandler shall give shall be respected by said authorities." While it continues it is signed W. Hoffman.
It clearly states that it is the nephew of Andrew Johnson not the son of.
It might be interesing to note that Chandler was picked up in June of 1863 for violating the blockade. There may be some truth to it as Chandler was born in DC.
As for Colonel Robert Johnson, Andrew Johnson's middle son, I find him with the 1st Tennessee Cavalry and also the 4th Tennessee Infantry. I dislike Tennessee from the start because each side had units and it can get out of hand. The 4th Tennessee Infantry became the 1st Tennessee Cavalry in 1862. However another 4th Tennessee Infantry was started. It was commanded by Andrew Johnson's son-in-law Daniel Stover. In early October of 1863 however Colonel Stover will become sick and his second in command will take over. Within a day or two later the entire 4th Tennessee Infantry now commanded by a Major Patterson will surrender to General Wheeler CSA. In other words the whole regiment gave up. And maybe rightfully so as they were outnumbered. While the 1st Tennessee Cavalry was in the neighborhood I thought for sure that Robert Johnson would be captured. But for whatever reason I do not show him on the roster after June of 1863. I did see mention that in action Colonel Johnson did not command the 1st Tennessee Cavalry only in non-action. He like his brother Charles who was killed by the throw of a horse on April 3 or 4th of 1863 both liked to drink heavy.
So anyway Mug that is what I found from the OR's and I shall confront Mr. Marvel with that in future converstation. When I hear back I will post his comments. Fort Brooke
-- posted by FortBrooke1824
» Mugwump53 - Re: I don't think we have to wait for Mr. Marvel's response
In response to message posted by FortBrooke1824:I agree that you findings eliminate the need to wait. It is clearly Johnson's nephew and not son. I also find it interesting that Chandler is specifically listed as a political prisoner (although he is referred to as Colonel later in the letter) and not a military prisoner of war.
Thanks for the additional information.
-- posted by Mugwump53
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