Governor Bradford complains to Lincoln that Black Marylanders have been unjustly freed from jail by Black soldiers
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Title
Governor Bradford complains to Lincoln that Black Marylanders have been unjustly freed from jail by Black soldiers
Description
A.W. Bradford to Lincoln complains that a troop of colored soldiers committed an outrage in Prince Georges County by freeing prisoners from the county jail. Bradford asks Lincoln to have those guilty of this outraged punished and orders issued to prevent a recurrence. Ensclosed letter (published) relates that Black troops under the command of Lt. Perkins released the prisoners from the county jail. BiIt concludes his letter by stating: ’’Your excellency will not fail to observe that the practical working of this affair is to invite the Negroes to the perpetration of any crime and to offer practical protection and indemnity to them.”
Date
3/16/1864
Coverage
Prince George's County, MD
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Governor of Maryland to President Lincoln
State of Maryland
Executive Department
Annapolis March 16, 1864
His Excellency Abraham Lincoln
President of the U. States
Dear Sir I feel it to be my duty to enclose to you a copy of a letter just received from the States Attorney of Prince Georges County in this state: and to invite your serious attention to its contents,
It sets forth the particulars of an outrage committed by a detachment of Colored troops passing through that County, about a week ago, who forceably entered the County Jail, and set at liberty twenty one persons therein confined: the greater part of them on criminal charges, some already indicted and waiting trial, and one under conviction for a Capital crime and awaiting sentence,
I am not disposed to trouble your
Excellency with any comments upon such a proceeding, nor can I believe it to be necessary,
I cannot for a moment suppose that such conduct will be tolerated by you, nor doubt that you will cause immediate inquiry to be made into the transaction and promptly punish those engaged in it,
At a time like this, when the proximity of our armies brings into the State, large numbers of Camp followers; and when many hundreds of our Slave population have left their homes, and are straggling through the State, dependant in a great degree for support upon what they can pilfer, our citizens are subject in more than an ordinary degree to depredations, and if a squad of Soldiers is permitted to pass through our County Towns, and forcibly deliver the Jails of their inmates, your Excellency can well imagine the result to be apprehended,
I would therefore most respectfully suggest, that it is due to the safety of our citizens, as well as to the credit of the Government that such an outrage as is detailed in the enclosed letter should not only be promptly punished, but that some such order should be immediately passed as will prevent its recurrence, and hold the officers in command of such troops to a strict accountability,
I submit the subject for your Excellencys consideration, in confidence that you will apply the proper remedy I have the honor to be with great respect Your Obdt Servant
signed A. W. Bradford
(Copy)
[Enclosure] Upper Marlboro [Md.]: 15" March 1864
To,
His Excellency
Governor Bradford
Sir. My having been confined to a sick bed for the past week will be my apology for not having before called your attention, officially, to the following circumstance:—
On the afternoon of the 8th inst. a large number of negro troops, from Birney's Camp at Benedict, arrived at this place, under the command of one Lt. Col Perkins and other white officers and took possession of the Court House for quarters. The next morning a squad of the negroes was sent into the County Jail, of which they had previously demanded the keys, and set at liberty 21 of the prisoners—leaving only one person behind, a white man charged with Larceny— of those released, one was a white man brought here recently from Washington under a
Requisition from your Excellency. Eleven were confined on various criminal charges, some being already under indictment and awaiting trial. The charges varied from Arson to Larceny, abducting slaves &c. one of the negroes released was actually under conviction of Arson—his sentence having been respited by the Court until April Term
As soon as our Sheriff reached the village, he hastened after the military who had started for Annapolis. The Lt. Col. had stated that his orders were only to take out the able bodied negroes &c. and that the Jailer was responsible for the escape of the others. yet all of them were released by a large armed squad, and at the very point of the bayonet. Still the sheriff followed on to Queene Anne, hoping to have restored at least the women & boys &c.
But he met with no success, was roughly treated, and even threatened with personal violence.
The occurrence of so unprecedented an outrage
within 18 miles of the National Capital, ought not probably to pass unnoticed I had thought of communicating the facts to Mr. Johnson of the Senate, and to our member in the House of Representatives— But upon reflection, I supposed I should best discharge myself of my duty in the premises by placing you in possession of the facts, and leaving the whole matter to your superior experience and discretion
Your Excellency will not fail to observe that the practical working of this affair is to invite the negroes to the perpetration of any crime and to offer practical protection and indemnity to them. It seems imposible that this man could have acted under orders Very Respectfully Yr Obt Servt
(Signed) Edward W Belt
One of the negro women released and taken along by them was under indictment for attempting to poisen a white family
The troops and prisoners went from here to Annapolis
A. W. Bradford to Abraham Lincoln, 16 March 1864, enclosing Edward W Belt to Governor Bradford, 15 Mar. 1864, M-94 1864, Letters Received, ser. 2343, Middle Dept. and 8th Army Corps, RG 393 Pt. 1 [C-4140]. A published version of the letter from Belt to Bradford may be found in Freedom, ser. 2, pp. 216-217.
State of Maryland
Executive Department
Annapolis March 16, 1864
His Excellency Abraham Lincoln
President of the U. States
Dear Sir I feel it to be my duty to enclose to you a copy of a letter just received from the States Attorney of Prince Georges County in this state: and to invite your serious attention to its contents,
It sets forth the particulars of an outrage committed by a detachment of Colored troops passing through that County, about a week ago, who forceably entered the County Jail, and set at liberty twenty one persons therein confined: the greater part of them on criminal charges, some already indicted and waiting trial, and one under conviction for a Capital crime and awaiting sentence,
I am not disposed to trouble your
Excellency with any comments upon such a proceeding, nor can I believe it to be necessary,
I cannot for a moment suppose that such conduct will be tolerated by you, nor doubt that you will cause immediate inquiry to be made into the transaction and promptly punish those engaged in it,
At a time like this, when the proximity of our armies brings into the State, large numbers of Camp followers; and when many hundreds of our Slave population have left their homes, and are straggling through the State, dependant in a great degree for support upon what they can pilfer, our citizens are subject in more than an ordinary degree to depredations, and if a squad of Soldiers is permitted to pass through our County Towns, and forcibly deliver the Jails of their inmates, your Excellency can well imagine the result to be apprehended,
I would therefore most respectfully suggest, that it is due to the safety of our citizens, as well as to the credit of the Government that such an outrage as is detailed in the enclosed letter should not only be promptly punished, but that some such order should be immediately passed as will prevent its recurrence, and hold the officers in command of such troops to a strict accountability,
I submit the subject for your Excellencys consideration, in confidence that you will apply the proper remedy I have the honor to be with great respect Your Obdt Servant
signed A. W. Bradford
(Copy)
[Enclosure] Upper Marlboro [Md.]: 15" March 1864
To,
His Excellency
Governor Bradford
Sir. My having been confined to a sick bed for the past week will be my apology for not having before called your attention, officially, to the following circumstance:—
On the afternoon of the 8th inst. a large number of negro troops, from Birney's Camp at Benedict, arrived at this place, under the command of one Lt. Col Perkins and other white officers and took possession of the Court House for quarters. The next morning a squad of the negroes was sent into the County Jail, of which they had previously demanded the keys, and set at liberty 21 of the prisoners—leaving only one person behind, a white man charged with Larceny— of those released, one was a white man brought here recently from Washington under a
Requisition from your Excellency. Eleven were confined on various criminal charges, some being already under indictment and awaiting trial. The charges varied from Arson to Larceny, abducting slaves &c. one of the negroes released was actually under conviction of Arson—his sentence having been respited by the Court until April Term
As soon as our Sheriff reached the village, he hastened after the military who had started for Annapolis. The Lt. Col. had stated that his orders were only to take out the able bodied negroes &c. and that the Jailer was responsible for the escape of the others. yet all of them were released by a large armed squad, and at the very point of the bayonet. Still the sheriff followed on to Queene Anne, hoping to have restored at least the women & boys &c.
But he met with no success, was roughly treated, and even threatened with personal violence.
The occurrence of so unprecedented an outrage
within 18 miles of the National Capital, ought not probably to pass unnoticed I had thought of communicating the facts to Mr. Johnson of the Senate, and to our member in the House of Representatives— But upon reflection, I supposed I should best discharge myself of my duty in the premises by placing you in possession of the facts, and leaving the whole matter to your superior experience and discretion
Your Excellency will not fail to observe that the practical working of this affair is to invite the negroes to the perpetration of any crime and to offer practical protection and indemnity to them. It seems imposible that this man could have acted under orders Very Respectfully Yr Obt Servt
(Signed) Edward W Belt
One of the negro women released and taken along by them was under indictment for attempting to poisen a white family
The troops and prisoners went from here to Annapolis
A. W. Bradford to Abraham Lincoln, 16 March 1864, enclosing Edward W Belt to Governor Bradford, 15 Mar. 1864, M-94 1864, Letters Received, ser. 2343, Middle Dept. and 8th Army Corps, RG 393 Pt. 1 [C-4140]. A published version of the letter from Belt to Bradford may be found in Freedom, ser. 2, pp. 216-217.
Collection
Citation
“Governor Bradford complains to Lincoln that Black Marylanders have been unjustly freed from jail by Black soldiers,” Black Maryland in the Civil War—A Microedition of the Freedmen and Southern Society Project, accessed June 8, 2026, https://www.fssp.artinterp2.org/items/show/53.