© Kathy Duncan, 2025
The letter that James S. Piper wrote on September 26, 1863, detailed what happened after he wrote his last letter at Harper's Ferry on September 14, 1863.
"Washington Sept 26, 1863
Captain Todd
Provost Marshal
Sir
I am sorry to inform you that I am compelled to avail myself of your kind offer that in case my wife was no better to report to you in writing. She is scarcely alive and cannot remain in her present condition many days, I will report in person on Wednesday next, or sooner if possible.
With your permission I will state my case all of which I am willing to qualify to, I went south before the war. I had never held a commission or served in the ranks of rebel army.
I have made four attempts prior to this to get home but was always stopped by the rebel pickets, I came into the lines on the 23 Aug. 1863 at Charlestown Va reported immediately to the Provost Marshal he sent me the next day to Genl Lockwood at Harpers ferry at the ferry I was not confined in the Guard House from there I was sent to Baltimore to Col Fish and was released by Capt French Sept 15th
Respectfully
Jas S Piper"
I am not sure why James S. Piper states that he was not confined to the Guard House at Harper's Ferry when he wrote two letters from there, and in the first, he complained about being confined there in filthy, crowded conditions, unless he simply misspoke in this letter. If he was deliberately misspeaking, then he may have been trying to build a case that he could be trusted to remain at large.
From the newspaper clippings, we know that he was arrested three days before this letter was written and taken before Capt. Todd. He was released because of Elizabeth Piper's failing health, with the understanding that he was to report back in a couple of days. On September 26, he would have been due back before the Provost Marshal. Clearly, he did not intend to report at that time. The newspaper clippings tell us that he was incarcerated in the Old Capital Prison by October 1, 1863. It is clear that Piper's letter of Sept 24 to Capt. Todd was used in the first paragraph of the Evening Star's article of October 1. That is the article that contained Piper's letters to his wife. This reinforces my opinion that Capt. Todd made Piper's letters available to someone at the Evening Star. Those letters are probably the reason Piper was confined to the Old Capital Prison, even though Elizabeth's health condition was continuing to deteriorate.
Elizabeth Piper died on 5 October 1863. Her funeral was held at her residence on the corner of 7th Street and E Street on October 6. It is likely that James S. Piper was still incarcerated in the Old Capital Building at this time and was not present for her funeral.
James S. Piper remained incarcerated through the end of the year. At some point, he was transferred to Carroll Prison.
What became of William H. Piper at this point? As a fifteen-year-old, it is doubtful that he remained by himself in the Piper home. Did he go to live with his uncle, Dr. John R. Piper, who was living nearby? Did he go to live with his mother's relatives? Who were they? Did some other extended family come to live with him?
This also makes me wonder who had been caring for Elizabeth during the time that she was ill. James S. Piper was only there briefly. She would have been seriously ill for some time before he received word that she was ill, and it would have taken him some time to travel to Charlestown, where he was initially confined for two weeks.
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