Monday, June 08, 2009

George G. Junkin, Of The Civil War.

CHRISTIANSBURG, VA., May 14, 1863.
Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON.

DEAR SIR: At the commencement of the war there was a young man in this place who volunteered in Captain Trigg's company, called the Wise Fencibles, afterwards the Montgomery Fencibles. He remained in service until the battle of Kernstown when he was taken prisoner. He was confined in Fort Delaware for a considerable time. He was on General Jackson's staff at the time of his capture. His father lives in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, who visited him in his confinement and urged him to take the oath of allegiance to the Northern Government and be released.

He refused most peremptorily and the old man finding that no argument would induce his son thus to take the oath returned home and after some time returned and represented to his son that his mother was deranged and obtained certificates from physicians to prove the fact, and represented that it was on his account that this derangement existed and urged him to take the oath and obtain his release in order that he might visit his mother and thereby be the means of restoring her mind.

Making such an issue as this with his son and having previously arranged the matter with Lincoln not to have him exchanged he consented on his mother's account for whim he entertained the most tender regard to take the oath, but which was done at the time under a protest. When he arrived at his father's he found that his father had deceived him and that his mother was to deranged, and was dissatisfied with the course pursued by his father. From these considerations and the bad treatment he received from his father he determined to make his escape and return to Virginia, which he effected. He is now a captain of a company in Colonel Henry A. Edmundson's battalion, and was very near being again captured at the fight on Blackwater under General Pryor.

He is now on his march to Kentucky where he took a trip some weeks ago and returned. It has occurred to me that if he should again be taken prisoner he might be dealt with very severely, and I have therefore felt it a duty to bring his case to your attention and see if he could not be exchanged or something done to relieve him of his presence devoted to the South and is willing to sacrifice even his life in her cause. His name is George G. Junkin. I should be much pleased to hear form you on this subject. I have stated his case precisely as I understand it, having received the information from him.
Very respectfully, your humble servant,

R. D. MONTAGUE.
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WAR DEPARTMENT, May 18, 1863.

The gentleman referred to herein was a brother-in-law of General T. J. Jackson. On his return from the North he sent through General Jackson a resignation of his command with a very touching narration of the circumstances by which he had been induced to take the oath and his deep humiliation and contrition for having done so. The resignation was accepted.

R. G. H. K[EAN],

Chief of Bureau of War.

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