Fort Warren Escapees

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Name

Rank

Company

After Battle

 

 

  1.

Parvin, William H.

Private

Washington Grays

Confined at Gov. Island

Escaped from Ft. Warren 2 Nov 1862 aboard the “State of Maine

 

  2.

Willis, William B.

Private

Washington Grays

Confined at Gov. Island

Escaped from Ft. Warren 2 Nov 1862 aboard the “State of Maine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the transport “State of Maine” arrived at Fort Warren from Governors Island on 1 November 1861, William Parvin and William Willis of the Washington Grays hid themselves in a coal bunker instead of exiting the ship with the rest of the Hatteras prisoners. Their absence wasn’t discovered until the following day, after the “State of Maine” had already left on her return trip to Governors Island. They remained aboard two more days before escaping to New York City. The story of their daring escape is recorded in an unpublished manuscript written by Parvin. The manuscript is in the East Carolina University Archives Special Collections.