Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-11
CAPT. JOHN c. BRAIN.
The Last Prisoner of the War on a
visit to Nashville,

One of the arrivals at the Battle House is
Capt. John G. Brain, Of the Confederate
navy, who enjoyed the unpleasant distinc-
ton Of being the "last prisoner of war"
Capt. Brains exploits were at the time very
notorious in the United States, he having
captured the Chesapeake and the Roanoke.
At the end Of the war he was in Liverpool
on duty, and returning to the United States,
was Immediately arrested on charges of
piracy and murder. The United States au-
thOrities maintained that the seiz-
ure of the Chesapeake in Ameri-
can waters, and the death Of one
of her crew from violence, brought the pris-
oner under these capital charges. Though
proof was rendered that these acts were the
legitimate results of orders from superior
officers to him as a subordinate, Capt. Brain
was imprisoned in New York fort for two
years and a half, bis case being postponed
from time to time. Finally, his health was
so impaired that the physicians said he
could not live three months longer in pris-
on, and Horace Greeley demanded in the
Tribune his immediate trial or uncOnditiOn-
al release. Still nothing was done to secure
it. Col. Blanton Duncan being in New
York, was appealed to to go to Washington
and take the necessary steps. Drawing up
the following document
The undersigned Senators and Repre-
sentatives respectfully submit the accompa-
nying article from the New York Tribune,
with an earnest hope that the President
will extend clemency to the subject there;f,
irrespective of the legal aspects of the case,
and that he will order his discharge at an
early day
Col. Duncan procured the signatures Of all
the Democrats and many Of the Radicals,
and, accompanied by Thomas McCreery,
went to the Attorney General and laid regu-
lar siege t. him, while Senator Whyte, of
Maryland, accompanied some Baltimore
ladies to see the President on the subject.
The stumbling-block was in Mr.. Evarts,
who maintained that legally Capt. Brain
was guilty of the charges. He finally gave
way to the pressing and reiterated demands
of the two Kentuckians for clemency,
and to waive all legal views, and the
prisoner was finally discharged, broken in
health and without resources. Henry A.
Parr, formerly of this city, but now living
in NOVA Scotia, was lieutenant under
Capt. B.
On Tuesday night next Capt. Brain will
deliver his highly interesting lecture at Ma
sonic Hall on the captures he made while an
officer of the late Confederate States Navy.
He was commissioned as Master in that
service, at Montgomery, Ala, in April, 1861;
was promoted to Lieutenancy in May, '64,
and again promoted to the rank Of First
Lieutenant commanding, in February, 1865.
He was prisoner in Forts Lafayette and
Warren for over six months, in the years
1861, 1862; and again for two years and
half after the war was over-that is, from
September, 1866, to March, 1869. He was
released from the New York prison March
l, 1869, by the order of President Andrew
johnson, on the ground that "he was reg
ularly commissioned officer of the Navy of |
the Confederate States"
The lecture of Capt. Balm is said to be
very entertaining, and no doubt viii be
largely attended.