Biography
Richard H. Stanton of Maysville, Kentucky was arrested on October 2, 1861 by order of General William Nelson, along with six other men described by Nelson as active secessionists. He was subsequently confined at Fort Lafayette. Stanton denied aiding the rebellion and described his position as support for Kentucky neutrality and opposition to invasion by either side. The federal case summary acknowledges that Nelson did not forward proof of his charges, while defending continued detention on political and precautionary grounds. It records Stanton's actual release on December 26, 1861 after an allegiance oath; the preceding release order was dated December 24. The account does not establish a criminal conviction. Sources: Official Records, series II, volume II, section 2, printed pages 913-914 and 929 (PDF pages 115-116 and 131), https://archive.org/details/cu31924079570259/page/n114/mode/2up.
Additional source for this Civil War detention: John A. Marshall, American Bastile (1869), printed pages 236-241, https://archive.org/details/americanbastile00marsgoog/page/n249/mode/2up. This is a partisan retrospective account; its judgments should be read as attributed claims.
The Fort Lafayette return records admission on November 5, 1861; this is a prison admission, not a separately verified physical arrest day. It records actual discharge on December 26, 1861. Source: Official Records, Series II, Volume II, printed page 229, https://archive.org/details/cu31924079570242/page/n244/mode/1up. The institution-specific admission recorded here does not establish the start of all custody in this case; a complete imprisonment total is therefore left unspecified.
Stanton’s November4 appeal reports that habeas writs issued in Kentucky and Ohio had not been allowed execution and that the group spent about a month at Camp Chase before transfer. His December6 and17 letters describe illness and exposure at Camp Chase, request short parole to a sister’s Brooklyn home, and deny assisting rebellion while explaining advocacy of Kentucky neutrality. Those requests are not proof parole occurred. Nelson pressed for continued detention while recommending the others’ release; Wadsworth’s December7 appeal questioned proof against the five lesser-known associates. These competing accounts are attributed rather than treated as criminal findings. Source: Official Records, Series II, Volume II, section 2, printed pages 913–925, https://archive.org/details/cu31924079570259/page/n119/mode/1up.
