Libby Prison Escapees - Surnames A Through B
(1) Captain Wesley Rowe Adams (89th Ohio Infantry, Company K) - Wesley Rowe Adams was born on a farm near Clarksburg, Ross county, Ohio, on August 12, 1838 to parents Peter and Mary Adams.
He attended the Ohio Wesleyan University until the start of the Civil War, when he enlisted as a private in Company A of the 27th Ohio Infantry. The regiment was ordered to western Missouri and later went to Springfield, Missouri. During his service with the regiment, Adams was in the siege of New Madrid Island No. 10 and the capture of Corinth. He became sergeant of his company, but was discharged on September 26, 1862, to accept the captaincy of Company F, 89th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The 89th took part in the Battle of Chickamauga, where he was captured with his regiment on September 20, 1863. He successfully escaped at the age of 26, reaching Union lines at Williamsburg on February 19. He escaped with Lt. Edgar Higby and Lt. Edward Scott. He is listed as Capt. R.R. Adams in Major Hamilton's account. He suffered from nervous debility, diseases of the stomach and liver and jaundice as a result of his prison confinement. A farmer as a civilian, he also served in the 27th Ohio Infantry and the 175th Ohio Infantry. He was promoted to Colonel November 9, 1864 and resigned on November 16, 1864. He was one of the founders of Larned, Kansas. He was engaged in the real estate business in Larned for forty-five years. He married Jennie Sturdevant at Independence, Mo., December 20, 1866. They had nine children together. Adams was appointed first clerk of the district court of the county. Later he was appointed probate judge and he was the first elected school director. He died on September 7, 1923 in Larned, Kansas and was buried in Larned Cemetery. His obituary was published on the front page of the Tiller and Toiler newspaper in Larned, Kansas. Obituary: first part, second part (2) 1st Lieutenant Mark M. Bassett (53rd Illinois Infantry, Company E) - He was captured at Jackson, Mississippi, July 12 or 13, 1863. He was recaptured on his fourth night after the Libby escape. He was transferred to Macon, Georgian May 7, 1864, and from there to Columbia, South Carolina, from where he eventually escaped. He was promoted to captain but not mustered. He was discharged on April 12, 1865. (He is referred to as M.M. Bassett in Major Hamilton's account.)
He died June 16, 1910. He was buried in Springdale Cemetery and Mausoleum in Peoria, Illinois. (3) 1st Lieutenant Marcus Beadle (123rd New York Infantry, Company I) - He was born June 3, 1834.
He was captured at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863 while on a night reconnaissance of the enemy's works. He was recaptured (named as Bedell) after his Libby escape attempt. He was 29 years old at the time of the escape. He was hospitalized on February 20, 1864 for rheumatism. He was transferred to Macon, Georgia on May 7, 1864 and from there to Columbia, South Carolina. He escaped February 14, 1865 at Winnsboro, South Carolina. He mustered out June 8, 1865, near Washington, D.C. He had been wounded previously at Chancellorsville in May 1863. Beadle also had prior service in the First United States Infantry as provost from January 10, 1861 to June 29, 1862. In Major Hamilton's account. he is listed as Lt. M. Bedell. He worked as a bricklayer in civilian life. He died March 15, 1913 and was buried in Woodlands Cemetery in Cambridge, New York. (4) 2nd Lieutenant Frank T. Bennett (18th Regulars, Company F) - He was captured at Chickamauga on September 19, 1863. He was a 2nd lieutenant at the time of the escape but was recaptured. Bennett transferred to Macon, Georgia on May 7, 1864. He was released on December 10, 1864, suffering from Bright's disease and rheumatism. He was 24 years old at the time of the escape. In Major Hamilton's account he is listed as Lt. F.F. Bennett and was a member of the original tunneling party. He was brevetted 1st Lieutenant on June 26, 1863 for gallantry and meritorious service at Hoover's Gap, Tennessee, and captain September 20, 1863 for gallantry and meritorious service at Chickamauga. He also served in the 2nd US Cavalry , 9th US Cavalry, 36th US Infantry and 39th US Infantry, retiring from military service as a Major. He was active in the Libby Prison minstrel troupe. He later required surgery for what was described at the time as a large tumor, and died June 21, 1894 in San Francisco, of cerebral apoplexy at the age of 54. He was buried in San Francisco National Cemetery. |
(5) Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Fulton Boyd (20th Army Corps) - He was born on October 4, 1832 in Pleasant Township, Ohio. When he was 14 years old, he entered a bank and at age 21 he began his railroad career.
He was captured at Dunlap, Tennessee on October 2, 1863. Boyd, a Lt. Colonel at the time, successfully escaped from Libby Prison with Lt. Colonel Harrison Hobart and Lt. Colonel Theodore West. He reached the Federal lines at Williamsburg, Virginia a few days later. He is noted as Lt. Col. J.F. Boyd in Major Hamilton's account. From Ohio, he also served as quartermaster of volunteers for the 20th Army Corps, chief quartermaster of the 23rd Army Corps, chief quartermaster of the Army in the Field, and chief quartermaster of the Department and Army of the Ohio. He was at one time superintendent of the United States Military Department of North Carolina. He was promoted Colonel on June 21, 1865. He was brevetted Brigadier General, USV (War Service) on March 13, 1865. Boyd was given special mention in official reports of the Battles of Stones River and Chickamauga for his devotion to duty, gallantry in action, and intelligence on the field. He mustered out on March 13, 1866. In civilian life, he was superintendent of Cumberland Valley railroad. He died at his home in Chambersburg in Hagerstown, Maryland on March 23, 1907, following an illness of more than a year from paralysis. He died on his wedding anniversary to his wife, Kate Gordon of Cincinnati, Ohio. They had five children together. He was buried in Falling Spring Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. (6) Captain Matthew Boyd (73rd Indiana Infantry, Company B) - He was captured in Rome, Georgia on May 3, 1863. He successfully escaped from Libby (in Major Hamilton's account), at age 26, and rejoined his company on April 21, 1864. His resignation was requested and received on July 25, 1864 for alleged incompetency. Boyd chose not to dispute the charge. He died on August 8, 1893. He was buried in Wood National Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (7) 1st Lieutenant Robert Young Bradford (2nd West Tennessee Cavalry, Company B) - He was captured on December 20, 1862 at Trenton, Tennessee, being paroled the next day. He was captured a second time at Jackson, Tennessee on June 29, 1863. He took part in the building of the tunnel, along with several other officers, although he is not noted as being part of the original tunnel party in Major Hamilton's account. He successfully escaped from Libby Prison. He was able to reach Union lines on February 27, 1864 and returned to duty at Cairo, Illinois on April 7, 1864. He was captured a third time just six weeks after escaping from Libby, at Union City, Tennessee on March 24, 1864. He escaped three days later at Trenton. He died of pneumonia while still in service on February 3, 1865 at Paducah, Kentucky. He was buried at Mound City National Cemetery in Mound City, Illinois. (8) 2nd Lieutenant James P. Brown (15th U.S. Infantry, Company F) - He was captured at Chickamauga on September 20, 1863. He was 19 years old when he escaped from Libby Prison. He was recaptured 2 days later. He was transferred to Macon, Georgia on May 7, 1864 and from there went to either Charleston or Columbia, South Carolina. And from there he was paroled. He was brevetted 1st lieutenant for gallantry and meritorious service at Chickamauga . He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on August 15, 1864 and to Company A on August 15, 1867. From Ohio, he had also served in the 8th Ohio Infantry from April to August 1861. He had suffered a wound to his throat, date and place unknown. He was listed as 2nd Lt. J. P. Brown, 15 U. S. Regulars. He is noted as Lt. S.P. Brown in Major Hamilton's account. He died June 9, 1875 of consumption in Dayton, Ohio and was buried in Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum in Dayton, Ohio. |