Hostages of War 1776-1865.

In the time of war there will always be hostages it is my intent to name as many as I can. I will not give any personal information on any names. I will give as much information on their capture as I can. I will give names and places and dates, It is my job as a surname researcher to help you find your lost family member. In war there will be hostages on broth sides and the civilians always caught in the middle. If you find a name and would like to know more about him or her I will be happy to help all I can and of course all my research is (Free).

Note. There was a fine line between being a prisoner of war and being a hostage a value was given to prisoners either because of rank or numbers or the status of a civilian. Those that had value were placed either in a county jail or in a different part of the prison or ship to be held as hostages to be exchange for other hostages of the same value.

Important note. Many of these names will have more information so if you see a name let me know and I will see what I can find.

Note. The information on this page comes from Military affairs Vol. I-II, These records are housed at the Library of Congress, and the official records of the Civil War, which are housed at Ohio State University. If you would like to leave a comment or ask for help you may at the following: dsegelquist1@cox.net

1. John Stevens, captain in the army of the United States, he commanded a company raised in Connecticut, he was taken hostage in May of 1776, and held in Canada till February of 1782.
3. Around 1785, Aaron Hill was an Indian hostage while residing at Fort Schuyler.
4. Col. Archibald Campbell, a British Officer was held as a hostage in Massachusetts to guarantee good British treatment of Gen. Charles Lee, a prisoner of war.
5. In 1776, Bryan Lefferty was a hostage, no info.
6. In 1776, Captain Ebenr Green was held as a hostage at Cedars Canada.
7. In 1776, captain Ebenezer Sullivan was a hostage at Cedars in Canada.

These men were captured at Queenstown, in upper Canada on October 13, 1812, and taken to England for trial on the pretext of being British subjects. They were from the 1st., 6th., 13th., regiments of the United States Army.

1. Henry Kelly, 2. John M’Gowan, 3. John Donnrlly, 4. Henry Blaney, 5. James Gill, 6. John Currey, 7. George M’Cammon, 8. John Fulsum, 9. Nathan Shaley, 10. John Dolton, 11. Patrick M’Braharty, 12. Edward M’Garigan, 13. Michael Condin, 14. Matthew Mooney, 15. John Dinnue, 16. Peter Burr, 17. John Fitzgerald, 18. George Johnson, 19. Andrew Doyle, 20. John Wiley, 21. John Clark, 22. Patrick Karns, 23. John Williams.

Thomas King, seaman confined at Bermuda made his escape from the prison ship and reached home again after navigating the ocean for nine days alone in an open boat.

William Nichols was the commander of the Brig Decatur, a privateer armed ship. His ship was captured January 18, 1813, by his Britannic Majesty’s frigate Surprise, in command was captain Cochrane and taken to Bermuda where he and his crew were paroled but was later arrested and took to England as a hostage.

These men are still being held as hostages.

1. Joshua Penny, 2. John Swanton, 3. Thomas Goldsmith, 4. Witmore Knaggs, 5. John Steven.

William Mayton a British subject and prisoner of war was a Master’s mate of the British ship of war Ramilies, to be held as a hostage to answer for the safety and proper treatment of Joshua Penny.

William Lincoln a British subject was the mate of the merchant Brig Fly, to be held as a hostage for the safety of John Swanton, captain of marines of the privateer Globe of Baltimore.

January 27, 1863.

Joseph Stiles.
John Flagg.
Jim Allen.
George Miller.

May 16, 1863.

Col. Zarvona was a Union Officer and was being held as a hostage by the Confederates they were asking for a exchange of seven Confederates being held by the Union they were: Captain Thomas Damron, Lieutenant Wilson Damron, Lieutenant David V. Auxier, Lieutenant Issac Goble and privates Sauel Pack, William S. Dils and J. W. Howe.

These men were taken hostage on August 7, 1864, by the rebels they were:
1. Rev. Dr. John B. Kerfoot, president of the Collage of Saint James.
2. Isaac Nesbitt, Clark of the Circuit Court.
3. Andrew H. Hager, a leading Miller and Merchant.
4. Frederick C. McComas, inspector of whiskey.

Waldo P. Goff of Clarksburg, son of Major Nathan Goff Jr., of West Virginia.

Francis J. Keffer, captain of Co. H., California regiment. Left home July 15, 1861, was taken hostage at the battle of Ball’s Bluff on October 21, 1861.

Robert H. Tyler captain eight Virginia infantry.

These men have been held by the rebles since December 1862.
1. James E. Gaddy, Co. E., sixth Illinois cavalry.
2. Bernard Collins, Co. E., thirty-ninth Ohio infantry.
3. A. M. Shipman, Co. D., forty-third Ohio infantry.
4. Nicholas Hoit, Co. C., seventh Iowa infantry.

These men were held hostage by the Union and were exchanged for the above named.
1. James McFall, Co. A., tenth Kentucky.
2. William Leton, Co. K., twentieth Tennessee.
3. E. W. Brown thirty-seventh Mississippi.
4. W. H. Tomlin sixth Flord.

These men are being held by the Confederates, Major Charles Williams, Fredericksburg; Peter Couse, Spotsylvania County; Squire Ralston, Thomas Morrison, Moses Morrison, Burnham Wardwell, A. M. Pickett.

These men are being held as hostage by the Union at the Old Capitol prison for the release of the above named: Rev. William S. Broaddus, Thomas F. Knox, Charles C. Wellford, James McGuire, Beverly T. Gill, James H. Bradley, John F. Scott, George H. C. Rowe, Benjamin Temple, Dr. James Cooke, John H. Roberts, John Coakley, John J. Berry, Abraham Cox, William H. Norton, Michael Ames, Lewis Wrenn, M. Slaughter, mayor.

The following-named citizens of Fredericksburg have been arrested and placed in confinement at Washington under an order of the Secretary of War of the United States to be held as hostages for the release by the Confederate States of the four prisoners aforenamed, viz, Messrs. Thomas S. Barton, Charles C. Wellford, Beverly T. Gill and Thomas F. Knox, who were arrested on the 22nd of July last; Messrs. James H. Bradley and James McGuire, who were arrested on or about the 26th of July last, and the Rev. William S. Broaddus, who was arrested on or about the 29th of July last. These citizens have been kept in confinement at Washington since the date of their several arrests, except Mr. Barton, who was discharged on parole to remain in Baltimore because of infirm health. On the 13th of the present mouth Messrs. Montgomery Slaughter (mayor of Fredericksburg), John Coakley, Michael Ames, John F. Scott, John J. Berry, John H. Roberts, James Cooke, William H. Norton, Lewis Wrenn, George H. C. Rowe, Benjamin Temple and Abraham Cox, citizens of Fredericksburg, were arrested under a like order from Washington, and have been committed to prison in that city. The latter order declared that they would be held as hostages for the four persons first named herein and for three other persons who were held as prisoners by the Confederate Government, viz, Burnham Wardwell, A. M. Pickett and Squire Ralston. The nineteen persons thus arrested as hostages are among our oldest and most esteemed citizens. Some of them are in advanced age and in very infirm health. We ask leave to submit to the consideration of Your Excellency the following facts and suggestions: Among the seven persons so stated as held in custody by the Confederate States four are well known to the people of Fredericksburg, viz, Thomas and Moses Morrison, Peter Couse and Charles Williams. The Messrs. Morrison emigrated some five or six years past from Delaware and bought lands in Spotsylvania County on which they resided at the time of their arrest.

These women were taken hostage, Mrs. Phoebe Munden, wife of Lieutenant W. J. Munden, and Mrs. Elizabeth Weeks, wife of Private Pender Weeks, of Captain John T. Elliott's company. The first was arrested at her own house in the presence only of her three children, of whom the oldest was ten years of age, on Saturday, the 12th day of December, conveyed a few miles to Elizabeth City, confined in a room without fire, bed, or bedding, with several male prisoners, and tied by the feet and hands. A negro guard was placed in charge of the prisoners.

A last note. There were thousands of hostages and I can’t name them all so if you don’t see a family member here ask and I will see what I can find.