Allen was simply an available ranking officer that was sent to Tyler in early November 1863. He had been seriously wounded at Millikin's Bend in June 1863, and was apparently still recuperating.

The 40 odd prisoners that had been at Tyler since July had it pretty cushy, with no stockade, and had been allowed to roam the area under guard, with both prisoners and guards mooching off citizens.

The arrival of over 700 prisoners from Stirling Plantation on October 30 created a panic. The prisoners were plotting with three local unionists to stage a mass breakout. There had been only 38 militia guards available, and the Independent Cavalry company, The Walter P. Lane Rangers were dispatched to Tyler. Workers from the Ordnance Works were sent out to guard prisoners, and the stockade was erected in the first two weeks of November. The building of the stockade and the arrest of the unionists calmed things down, and Allen remained until May '64. The 17th was not there, only Allen.