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Webb Garrison Research Paper

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In Webb Garrison’s book he wrote about how during the late 1800’s many people were taken as hostages. Some of these hostages were held for safety. “15 members of the confederate navy were being charged of piracy instead of putting them as prisoners.” Many of public functionaries and prominent citizens were taken as hostages. Some of these hostages were part of the 250 union men. In addition, many families were also taken as hostages. 150 facilities, North and South, had prisoners during the war. With the possibility that many privateers would be executed, the Confederates made a decision of using union prisoners of war as hostages in many prisons. There were many things that happened during this time. For example, Lincoln had a big position during this …show more content…

As a result of this, they were put in prisons. One of the events that took place during this time was the evacuation of Fort Sumter by the federal Major Robert Anderson. This happened on Sunday, April 15, 1861. In addition, it was also stated that due to the United States refusing to sign the Treaty of Paris, which out-lawed the practice of privateering on the high seas, now becomes something big because privateers men are now being executed. Moreover, during an extensive struggle on the Morris island, a lot of numbers of torpedoes were being used by the rebels in defense of Fort Wagner. In one of the huge explosions, a corporal of the 3rd colored troops was thrown about 25 yards. “the dead soldier landed entirely naked, with arm resting on the plunger of another torpedo.” The thesis Webb Garrison is trying to display is that about a century before the privateers had been involved in trying to win the American Independence. On April 1861 the confederacy was free under international law to license privateers. The possibility that privateers could be captured and executed , the confederate government made a choice to use Union prisoners of war as

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