JOHN F RUCKER

CSR’s and Official Records Vol 34, Part III & Series II Vol 7& 8
1/6/63 captured in Camden Co, Mo
6/4/64 other records show captured this date St Louis
Gratiot prison roles show Major John T Rucker 1 Mo inf, captured 1/6/63, escaped 3/12/63-also captured 6/4/64 St Louis
There is an uncarded roll filed with duplicates showing transfer 7/1/65 from Alton to Gratiot Street Prison, and on it appears
J F Rucker, Major 1st Mo Inf, captured St Louis June 4, 1864.
Pencil remarks shows: On parole in St Louis

Paroled to distribute supplies to Confederate prisoners & permitted to return to his home in compliance with circular Comsy Gen, prisoners June 16,65

John T Rucker-Maj 1 Mo Inf rec’d 1/17/65 captd Jan 6/65 Camden Co

Month of July 1865 shows Rucker on parole in Boone County

"In trying to track down John H Winston while working on Joe Darby's relative Cpl John H Baker Co A 10th Missouri Inf. CSA I stumble across an interesting mess of papers that seemed to confuse the daylights out of the Provost Marshal in St. Louis as well as the index and card copiers in 1908. The file got "red jacketed" and placed in the heap of Miscellaneous Papers of CSA Citizens.
Seems that Col. John H Winston, Pvt. Samuel L Winston, and Major John F Rucker were captured in Platte Co Missouri in June 1864. They end up at Gratiot and a Military tribunal is held and they are all sentenced to 10 years hard labor and transfered in "Ball and Chain" to Alton where they are to remain until transfered to Missouri State Peniteniary in June 1865.
What struck me is that there appears to be a concerted effort to deny Col Winston the protections of a commissioned CSA officer and finally he is reported at end of war as a "citizen". All 3 appear to have headed to the Mo State Pen at Jeff City and the military document trail goes cold there. All three reported themselves as members of the 1st Regt Missouri Rifles, which I don't think actually ever was, when captured. Rucker is reported as being from Boone County, previously captured at Camden, paroled, captured St. Louis, escaped 1863 which fits what we know of his Jackman time. So did Rucker actually survive the wounds he reportedly received Sept 8 1863 when he was left for dead with a local doctor???
What happened to Rucker and the 2 Winstons at Jeff City? Did they survive the trip? What generated such angst against them that they were in essence thrown in a cell and the key thrown away? It strikes me that these guys got more than the normal punishment for commissioned officers recruiting in the woods of Missouri during the war. I can understand Rucker wanting to be buried because he must have appeared as a ghost to the PM in St. Louis and Union Command, but the other 2? "

JOHN H WINSTON

Official Records
Series 1 - Volume 34 (Part III)
Series 2 - Volume 7 & 8

FORT LEAVENWORTH, March 22, 1864. Major General W. S. ROSECRANS, Commanding Department of the Missouri:
Captain Fitzgerald, aided by your officers, has captured the rebel recruiting colonel, Winston, who I informed you was concealed in Platte City. My first information of this rebel's presence in that place was about the 9th, and many persons there must have known of his being in the vicinity. The militia company located there seems to have been oblivious to all this.
S. R. CURTIS, Major-General.
HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, City Point, Va., January 13, 1865. Col. JOHN E. MULFORD, Assistant Agent of Exchange: COLONEL: The letter of Judge Robert Ould, agent of exchange of Confederate States, of date Richmond, September 12, 1864, in answer to yours of 10th of same month, accepting the proposition made by him, under date of August 22, 1864, that all prisoners of war on each side released from confinement (close) or irons, as the case may be, and either placed in the condition of other prisoners of war or sent to their respective homes for their equivalents has been duly referred to inc for my consideration and action, and I am of the opinion that the proposition, as made by Judge Ould amid accepted by the Government, through you, is just and equally fair and beneficial to both sides. You will therefore communicate to Judge Ould, without delay, that our Government stands by its acceptance of his proposition, heretofore referred to, without excepting from its operations any of the cases proposed by Gen Butler and referred to in his (Judge Ould) letter of September 112; that the parties for whose release said agreement was made shall all be mutually delivered, the party having the excess to receive proper equivalents, amid that you are authorized to carry the agreement into immediate effect on our side. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant- General.
RICHMOND, January 18, 1865.
Lieutenant Colonel JOHN E. MULFORD, Assistant Agent of Exchange: SIR: As we have agreed to relieve from close confinement or irons, as the case may be, and deliver all prisoners heretofore or now so held on either side, I beg leave to call your attention to the cases which have been brought to the notice of the Confederate authorities.
Your letter of the 10th of September last gave only a very partial list of the Confederate soldiers who were so held. In addition to those named therein are the following, viz:
… Colonel John H. Winston, and Captain Joseph Melton, Alton penitentiary…
All of the above-named parties are either in close confinement or in irons. It may be that some of them are not now at the place indicated. You may, however, rest assured that they have been there at some time, and if transferred you can readily find out where they are. I am quite confident you will find quite a number in irons or close confinement at Alton, at Saint Louis, and in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Let me again earnestly commend this whole subject to your attention. If we can succeed in relieving all prisoners of war, on both sides, from a cruel confinement, we will have accomplished a good deal in the cause of humanity. I am ready to deliver all whom we have in close confine ment or in irons at any moment.
Respectfully, your obedient servant, RO. OULD, Agent of Exchange.
RICHMOND, March 9, 1865.
Lieutenant Colonel JOHN E. MULFORD, Assistant Agent of Exchange:
SIR: Colonel John H. Winston, Surg. W. [S.] Wright, Captain Samuel [L.] Winston, Captain Griffin Frost, and Captain William Perry are at Alton Prison, wearing ball and chain. All of these are Confederate officers and were acting under orders when captured. I have several times called your special attention to the cases of Colonel Winston and Doctor Wright without obtaining any response. Why are these officers thus kept in irons in violation of an agreement which has been so faithfully carried out on our part? Why are they not delivered to us in pursuance of that agreement? I hope at least I shall have an answer.
I have now before me a letter written by one of the prisoners at Alton, bearing date February 20, 1865, which states that-
there are confined and held under sentence of military commission and courts-martial at this place 250 soldiers and citizens of the Confederate States.
Respectfully, your obedient servant, RO. OULD, Agent of Exchange
RICHMOND, March 28, 1865.
Brigadier General JOHN E. MULFORD, Assistant Agent of Exchange:
SIR: I again call your attention to the case of Colonel John H. Winston, a Confederate officer, who has been sentenced to ten years' imprisonment at Alton with hard labor and ball and chain. No response has been made to the three letter which I have heretofore written in relation to his case. I hope I am not unreasonable in requesting a reply. He has already served out fifteen months of the sentence. If any officer comes within the escape of our agreement he certainly does. Why is he excepted?
Respectfully, your obedient servant, RO. OULD, Agent of Exchange.
GENERAL WAR DEPARTMENT, COURT- MARTIAL ORDERS, ADJUTANT- GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Numbers 601. Washington, November 3, 1865.
I. In the case of John H. Winston, citizen, sentenced by a military commission "that he be imprisoned for the period of five years at hard labor, with ball and chain, at such place as the commanding general may direct," as promulgated in General Orders, Numbers 70, headquarters Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo., May 12, 1864, and now undergoing execution of sentence in the penitentiary at Jefferson City, Mo., in view of the circumstances connected with the case, and upon the recommendation of the Judge- Advocate- General, the prisoner will be released from confinement upon taking the oath of allegiance.
II. In the case of Samuel L. Winston, citizen, sentenced by a military commission "to be confined at hard labor for the period of ten years in such prison as the commanding general may direct,' as promulgated in General Orders, No. 127, headquarters Department of the Missouri, Saint Louis, Mo., July 21, 1864, and now undergoing execution of sentence in the penitentiary at Jefferson City, Mo., in view of the circumstances connected with the case, and upon the recommendation of the Judge- Advocate- General, the prisoner will be released from confinement upon taking the oath of allegiance.
By order of the Secretary of War: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.

WINSTON-
compiled service records
John Winston Col, 1st regt Mo CSA, Col 1st Mo Rifles, CSA
3/21/64 Captured in Platte Co, Mo-later sent to penitentiary as a citizen by the military court
Alton, Ill uncarded roll of citizens sentenced at Alton Military Prison and transferred [to St Louis] during the month of June, 1865 shows:
John H Winston & Samuel L Winston, citizens captured Platt Co, Mo, March 24 & 21, 1864…received Alton March 24, 64 & transferred 6/21/65 [7/1/65 on another card] to Mo state penitentiary
Carded [Aux Reg] No 6, Alton Ill shows…transferred from Alton as a witness: Remarks in red ink: Col John H Winston CSA will be sent under guard to the military prison at Alton, his presence no longer required before the general court martial
Samuel L Winston… Remarks in red ink: sentenced to hard labor at A.M.P. for 10 years…Gen Order#127 July 21, 1864
“For further information on Col Winston of 1st Mo Rifles see correspondence with Mr Whitcomb filed in the case of Major John F Rucker”