Biography
James G. Berrett was the mayor of Washington, D.C., arrested in August 1861 after he refused to take a federal loyalty oath. He was imprisoned without charge at Fort Lafayette and resigned the mayoralty as a condition of his release. The State Department case summary and Burke’s September 14, 1861 letter confirm actual release September 14. September 12 was the order date. Sources: Official Records II:II, printed pages 596 and 598, https://archive.org/details/cu31924079570242/page/n611/mode/2up.
The Fort Lafayette return records admission on August 25, 1861; this is a prison admission, not a separately verified physical arrest day. It records actual discharge on September 14, 1861. Source: Official Records, Series II, Volume II, printed page 229, https://archive.org/details/cu31924079570242/page/n244/mode/1up.
