The following letter was written by Capt. Emmet E. DePriest of Co. H, 23rd Virginia Infantry (a.k.a., “The Richmond Sharpshooters”). Emmet began the war as the 3rd Lieutenant of Co. H but “the first three officers listed on the roll were either discharged, resigned, or not reelected. The most junior officer, Emmet E. DePriest, a young, 21 year old, third lieutenant was elected captain in 1862. His service records indicate that he was an able leader but sickly. He was cited for gallantry in 1861 at the action at Carricks Ford (Joslyn 1995:86) but in 1862 he wrote a letter to Confederate Secretary of the Treasury, Christopher Memminger, seeking a job as a clerk due to poor health stating he could not survive another winter campaign (DePriest 1862). He served briefly as a recruiter in 1862, was wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863, and suffered from neuralgia in Richmond hospitals in March, 1864.”
“DePriest’s future took a dramatic turn when he was captured at Spotsylvania Court House in May 1864. He was held as a prisoner-of-war at Point Lookout then transferred to Fort Delaware in June 1864 (Joslyn 1995). During his confinement, DePriest was sent to Charleston, South Carolina to be used as a human shield along with other Confederate officers known today as the “Immortal 600″ (Stokes 2013). This action was ordered by Edwin Stanton, Union Secretary of War, in retaliation for Confederate forces placing 600 Union prisoners in the line of Union artillery firing on Charleston. He was then transferred to Fort Pulaski where fellow prisoners died of dysentery. While he was being transferred back to Fort Delaware in March of 1865, he escaped (Joslyn 1995:86).” [Source: The Richmond Sharpshooters, Co. H, 23rd Virginia Infantry]
DePriest wrote the letter to Jane Eliza (Brown) Bestor (1820-1885), the wife of John Rollin Bestor, Sr. (1813-1867). This Baltimore couple had twin sons who served in the Maryland Guard that became Co. B, 21st Virginia Infantry. Eliza seems to have corresponded with numerous Confederate officers seeking information about her sons. The Bestor brothers’ letters have been transcribed and may be found at 1861-65: The Bestor Brothers of Baltimore.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Fort Delaware, Delaware
July 26th 1864
Mrs. Bestor,
Yours of the 24th came to hand last evening and it affords me much pleasure to give the desired information. Colonel Fitzgerald 1 has been sent to Charleston, South Carolina, with a number of other officers from this place. Capt. Saunders and Adjutant [C. A.] Raine are here. Anything you may desire to send them can be sent by express. Lieut. J. W. Jones who is my 1st Lieutenant is not here. He was killed, I am afraid, on the 10th of May for there has nothing ben heard of him since. Mr. W. C. Tompkins is a prisoner at Point Lookout, Maryland. Mrs. McFarland can give you more information in regard to him than I can. Thanks for the news you gave me from my family. It is all that I have heard since being a prisoner.
How is [your boys] Rollin and John? I suppose you have heard from them lately. Hoping this has given the desired information. I am yours to command, — E. E. DePriest, Capt. 23rd Virginia Infantry
Mrs. J. Eliza Bestor, 166 North High Street, Baltimore
1 Colonel John P. Fitzgerald served in the 23rd Virginia Infantry. The regiment fought primarily under General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley and later as part of the Army of Northern Virginia. He survived a serious wound at Antietam but was captured at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House and taken to Fort Delaware. He was among the 50 field officers (of a larger number of 600 Confederate officers) selected to be sent to Morris Island to be used as human shields. Fitzgerald survived the ordeal and the war.
