Papers (1861-1907) including memoir, copy, rations.
William Augustus Parvin (1840-1924), a sailor who joined a volunteer unit of the Confederate Army in Washington, N.C., was sent to Fort Hatteras and then taken as a prisoner of war when the fort surrendered to Union forces. Parvin was held at Governor's Island, N.Y., for two months and was then sent to Fort Warren, Boston Harbor, where he and W. B. Willis escaped. They then traveled through New York and Baltimore back to Washington, N.C.
The memoir contains descriptions of the cargo on the ships which Parvin sailed to the West Indies and to Baltimore, Md., just prior to the Civil War. Parvin discusses the beginning of volunteer Confederate units and a soldier's life, drilling and spare time activities, in Washington, N.C. He describes building sand batteries to protect Ocracoke Inlet and confiscating cargo from a captured Union schooner. Fort Hatteras's surrender under General Martin and Commodore Barron to Union forces under General Butler on August 29, 1861, is described, as is Parvin's treatment, including rations he received, as a prisoner of war in New York. The account of Parvin's escape describes borrowing money to travel from New York through Philadelphia, Pa., to Baltimore, Md., and then home to Washington, N.C. Also included in the collection is some information on Parvin's career as a steamboat captain from 1877-1907.
Gift of Mr. Dick Parvin
Processed by M. Cherry, March 1988
Encoded by Apex Data Services
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.