BTW, have you replied to rustbucket?
Good brio! You should consider entering that one for the Wormwood Award.
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To: WhiskeyPapa
It's interesting how all the southron contingent can cite chapter and verse of what they see as the abuse of poor Clement Vallandigham and are totally silent on the subject of John Minor Bott. Who is he, they might ask? Why he is a former United States Congressman who dared to speak in opposition to Jefferson Davis and was held, without trial or charges, in a Richmond jail for the majority of the war. No criticism allowed concerning him, is there?
54 posted on 02/12/2003 12:58 PM CST by Non-Sequitur [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
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To: Non-Sequitur
So you're saying that former Congressman Botts was a political prisoner on more than one occasion. Was he ever tried for any of his alleged 'crimes'?
Botts was arrested in March 1862 and released in April 1862. In your earlier notes you left out the fact that Botts was released in April 1862. This made it seem as though he was in prison for years.
Shortly after his arrest in March 1862, Botts requested and got an audience with Confederate General Winder. General Winder told Botts what he had been arrested for -- another who had been arrested named Botts as the head of an organization that was trying to destroy the Confederacy. Botts denied it, and a Court of Inquiry was convened. Botts handled his own defense at this court. The recommendation of the Court of Inquiry was that he be released on parole. He was released in April 1862 on that parole by order of General Winder.
Do you still claim he had no trial and didn't know the charge against him? He did know the charge against him on his first arrest, and he did have a trial resulting from this arrest, after which he was released. I don't know all the details of the second arrest and subsequent release. Perhaps this is the occasion of which you speak.
197 posted on 02/13/2003 9:06 PM CST by rustbucket [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 192 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
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To: Non-Sequitur; GOPcapitalist
Concerning the arrests of Congressman Botts by the Confederates. I now have tracked down the details of his second arrest. I relayed the particulars of his first arrest, trial, and release in post 197.
A warrant was issued for the arrest of Botts on Monday, October 12, 1863, by order of Major General Jeb Stuart. Botts was arrested about 10:30 AM that morning and discharged at 5 PM the same day. That is the extent of his second arrest and release. Officially he was released because there was no charge against him. Botts was not interred in prison for the duration of the war. Botts made a loud squeak about this second arrest. Botts' letter that was published in the Richmond Examiner in December 1863 apparently had been written on October 18, 1863, some days after he had been released.
Although there was no charge contained in the warrant, Botts claimed that he had been told semi-officially that he was arrested because he had entertained General Meade and other Union generals. However, he also admitted to having been seen carrying a gun in the vicinity of the Union and Confederate lines. Botts said he was carrying the gun for someone else.
If this is the extent of the charge you have against Southern justice, non-seq, then it is back to the drawing boards for you. Your example was full of holes.
198 posted on 02/13/2003 10:39 PM CST by rustbucket [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 197 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]