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APPOMATTOX PAROLE OF GRANVILLE BRUCE, 1st BATTALION VA. RESERVES, PRIOR SERVICE IN THE 50th VA, CAPTURED IN LEE’S RETREAT FROM GETTYSBURG

This is a very good condition Appomattox parole, partly printed and partly filled out by hand, dated April 10, 1865, at Appomattox Court House, Va., “The bearer Private Granville Bruce of Co. E 1^st Batt of Va. Reserves a Paroled Prisoner of the Army of Northern Virginia has permission has permission to go to his home and there remain undisturbed.” Signed at bottom by “Lieut. T.L. Robinson / Comdg Co. ‘E’ 1^st Batt. VA Reserves.” The handwritten portions are slightly light, but legible. In form, this shows one of three different designs used on these on the left edge. It is in very good condition, showing folds indicating the soldier had folded it into a small square to carry in a pocket, but no tears, and just minor light foxing on the face and somewhat darker foxing on the fold lines on the reverse.

This comes from the collection of scholar and author Greg Coco, and we refer those interested to his article on Appomattox paroles in the March-April 2006 issue of Civil War Times. He has an interesting account of the circumstances of the printing of these paroles, their role in reconciliation, and their importance to paroled Confederates not only as passes to return home and remain there undisturbed, but in later years as proof they were faithful to the end.

Bruce was born about 1845 or 1846 and died in 1930, passing his entire life in Bedford County, Va, where he is picked up in census listings as a laborer and a farmer. He had served first in Co. F of the 50^th Virginia. The regiment had organized in 1861 and had early service at Carnifex Ferry, Fort Donelson, and elsewhere, but Bruce’s records are fragmentary and pick up only in the Gettysburg Campaign, where the regiment served in Ewell’s Corps and took significant losses, 99 out of 252, mainly in the July 2 attacks on Culp’s Hill. Bruce is listed as captured at Greencastle on July 4, which would put him in Imboden’s wagon train transporting the wounded, which along with Hill’s and Longstreet’s supply train, was attacked at Greencastle on July 4 by elements of Merritt’s cavalry. Whether Bruce was among the wounded, acting as an escort tending the sick and wounded, or a straggler is unclear, but he is recorded as taken to Harrisburg and then transferred to Fort Delaware on July 22/23.

How long he remained a POW is unclear. The 1^st Battalion Virginia Reserves was organized May 31, 1864. A single muster roll summary card for “G. Bruce,” a private of Co. F, of the unit (mixed in with cards for a “Reuben Bruce” of Company D,”) has him admitted to Chimborozo Hospital at Richmond on July 1, 1864, for Rubeola and transferred to Lynchburg on July 9. This would seem to be our man, allowing for a transfer or consolidation of companies, showing he was back in Confederate service by that date. (We also note a “R. Bruce” of Co. F, in the same file, noted at hospitalized in Richmond on Feb. 3, 1865- possibly our man as well- the transcriber in of this file seems to have been distracted.) In any case, the 1^st Battalion is credited with service at Petersburg, Fort Harrison, Saylor’s Creek and Appomattox Court House, where they were part of Barton’s brigade and Granville Bruce’s name appears in the list of Appomattox paroles as a member of Co. E of the battalion.

Bruce returned to home and farm after the war. Census records are confused by a younger Granville Bruce and, remarkably, a Granvile Bruce of Maryland, who seems to have had some service in Maryland US forces during the war, but a 1930 obituary for our Granville Bruce says he was a farmer in Bedford County, Va, his entire life and gives his age as 85 at his death in late 1930. He seems to have carefully preserved this parole. As Greg Coco indicates, these paroles were not only valued as passes home and certificates of safety, but as indicators of devotion to the cause- that the recipient had stuck it out to the end, with scattered soldiers even returning to the ranks at Appomatox to receive them as word spread of the terms granted and Lee’s approval of them. We note in that connection that the Bedford Bulletin of June 30, 1910, includes a letter from the Secretary of the William R. Terry Chapter of the UDC includes Bruce among local Confederate veterans whose Crosses of Honor are ready to be picked up and that his tombstone includes that symbol and his service in the 50^th Virginia.   [sr][ph:L]

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