At the end of March 1864, Douglas, through the intervention of General Benjamin Butler, was sent home, although not formally exchanged. On the southbound steamer were not only a number of properly exchanged officers and soldiers, but also one of President Lincoln's sisters-in-law, who returned to Alabama with a special pass from the president. On parole, Douglas could go back to the army before being formally exchanged. It was not until the first day of the battle of the Wilderness that Douglas returned to the service, as assistant adjutant general (AAG) of General Edward Johnson's division, fighting at the Wilderness and at Spotsylvania, where he managed to escape when the general and 3,000 of his men were captured. During the rest of the battle, Douglas served on General Gordon's staff, later being transferred to General Early's division as AAG. Early took command of the Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia at Cold Harbor, taking his staff officers with him to the new command, Douglas becoming the AAG of that corps.