Biography
Riddock Brooks was a free Black civilian servant of a Confederate officer, captured at Hatteras Inlet on August 29, 1861. The federal case summary states that he and the other named servant had never been in government employment, but were confined with the captured officers at Fort Warren as prisoners of war. Captain Clements requested their release on November 6. After a November 29 order conditioned release on an oath of allegiance, the commandant reported on December 2 that they were concerned that taking the oath would prevent their return to their families in North Carolina. A January 6, 1862 order instead authorized release on a parole promising no hostile act against the United States; the record says they were accordingly released, without specifying the physical departure day. This entry documents civilian detention and the political condition placed on release, rather than military enlistment or a criminal conviction. Source: Official Records, series II, volume II, section 1, printed pages 296-297 (PDF pages 312-313), https://archive.org/details/cu31924079570242/page/n311/mode/2up.
