Biography
James B. Loker was a Saint Mary's County, Maryland civilian detained during the Civil War. The federal case summary records his arrest by Major Chapman and commitment to the Old Capitol Prison by General Porter's order on December 21, 1861. Officials alleged Confederate sympathies, assistance in moving a recruit and contraband across the Potomac, and possession of letters intended for Confederate recipients; these are the government's allegations, not a recorded criminal verdict. After his wife's death, the State Department ordered a five-day parole on February 6, 1862 to attend her funeral, then a further thirty-day parole on February 10 conditional on an allegiance oath. He remained on parole on February 15. The summary records a final release order on February 21 and release on February 22. The parole gap means the first commitment and final release cannot be used as continuous imprisonment endpoints. Source: Official Records, series II, volume II, section 1, printed page 331 (PDF page 347), https://archive.org/details/cu31924079570242/page/n346/mode/2up.
