To do this detective work, I re- Georgia and was elected second viewed four modern books; read lieutenant in Co. C. In Nov. 1864 parts of even more books writ- James was detailed as Inspecten by imprisoned Union soldiers tor of Military Prisons. But who (published as long ago as 1867); first made the mistake and figure reviewed records of the State As- that the Barrett in question was sembly of New York; looked up Thomas?
some entries in Lillian Hender- Was it the Federal authorities son’s Roster of Confederate Sol- who were looking for the wrong diers of Georgia; read a letter Barrett? Probably not. James fled written in 1865 by the Judge Ad- the country immediately after the vocate General to the Secretary of war, so if the authorities were War; examined numerous docu- looking for Thomas they learned ments related to Barrett’s service quickly that he was not their man
in the war; found the obituary of It is most likely that the mis Thomas’s brother, who died in take was made by the editors of 1910; and delved into the Official the OR, Series II, Volume VIII, Records, Series II, Volume VIII. was published in 1902. The reThe accusation didn’t make cords included in the volume sense. Thomas was the ordnance don’t contain Barrett’s first nam officer in the brigade command- but the index does. Clear as it c ed by John King Jackson. Why be: “Barrett, Thomas G.” Every would Thomas be at Florence page number following this name or any other prison? He wasn’t. refers the reader to documents re It was a case of mistaken iden- ferring to Barrett, first name no tity. The prison officer was not given, accused of mistreating Thomas, but his brother James. prisoners. So any modern writThe modern books are wrong. er looking at the volume would The old books written by the identify the accused officer as prisoners never mention the ac- Thomas. Natural enough. cused officer’s first name. Nor do However, I was not the first any of the documents in the OR. person to catch this mistake. It Nor do any of the reports made was first noticed 115 years ago, to the State Assembly of New by the OR editors themselves, York. Nor does the letter written and corrected before the volume to the Secretary of War. So why was published. Page 2 of Volume the mistake? Why do three histo- VIII is entitled “ADDITIONS rians, in four books, citing the OR AND CORRECTIONS.” About and prisoners’ accounts, state so 40 of the corrections apply to GEORGIA’S CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS In Honor of a Fallen Nation Gould B. Hagler, Jr. This unique work contains a complete photographic record of Georgia’s memorials to the Confederacy, a full transcription of the words engraved upon them, and carefully-researched information about the monuments and the organizations which built them. These works of art and their eloquent inscriptions express a nation’s profound grief, praise the soldiers’ bravery and patriotism, and pay homage to the cause for which they fought.
y the index. The reader is instruc ed to “Insert all words and figures in italics and strike out a [brackets].” The second entry reads “Barrett, James [Thomas G.]” So strike Thomas, insert James, and history is corrected. Would I have paid any attention to this if I were not desce ed from Thomas? Certainly not. Grandfather Thomas and Uncle James were not important leaders. Neither man rates anything
more than a footnote in the history books. But facts are facts, and to l them we must check and check again; read the footnotes, and then go to the sources cited; ex amine the primary sources, com-
pare them to each other, and see if the secondary works interpret them correctly. And look at everything with a critical eye and skeptical attitude. As Daniel Pa rick Moynihan said, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but
not his own facts.” (Or did he? You can check it out. In any cas this is true, and equally true t are little facts, or facts about
The War of the Rebellion: A Comp Armies; Series II - Volume VIII,
people.) As a postscript, the reader ma be interested to learn that Uncl James skedaddled across the Atlantic in 1865. He returned home in 1870 with a German bride, Aunt Sophia. His obituary states (inaccurately) that he “was in command of the Confederate prison in Florence.” The obit al says he “fled to Europe to avoid federal authorities.” It seems, therefore, that he was open abou his service and did not conceal
the fact that accusations were made against him. James was never tried. Did the authorities determine there was not sufficient evidence? Or did they simply lose interest after five yea Did he do things he should not
have done, or were the charges false? I don’t know. Maybe one of my fourth cousins could look into it.
Gould Hagler is the author of Georgia’s Confederate Monu-
ments: In Honor of a Fallen Nation (Mercer University Press, 2014), available from Mercer University Press, retail outlets
the Official Records of the Uni See the name Barrett as mentione
line selle e author ( m). Any re e specific is article email.