In the summer of 1865, as the nation tried to heal from four years of brutal war, Orderly Sergeant Cornelius V. Moore was fighting a different battle—one for his own freedom. He had survived the deadliest Confederate prison camp, Andersonville, and rejoined his regiment, but his body had paid the price. Now, with the war over, he wanted just one thing: to go home.
Moore’s service to the Union had come at great cost. In May 1864, he was captured and sent to Andersonville, a prison so overcrowded and inhumane that nearly 13,000 men perished within its walls. Designed to hold 10,000 prisoners, it held more than 30,000 at its peak. With no shelter from the elements, little food, and water contaminated by human waste, disease spread like wildfire. The daily struggle was not just against the Confederacy but against starvation, infection, and despair.
Moore endured six months in these conditions before being paroled in November 1864. His younger brother, Edward, was not as fortunate. Captured at the same time, Edward was transferred to Millen prison in Georgia, where he died of starvation and exhaustion in October.
By January 1865, Moore was recovering at Camp Parole in Annapolis. Despite his deteriorating health, he returned to duty in February, marching with his regiment through the final days of the war and witnessing the fall of Richmond. His dedication earned him a promotion, but his body was breaking down. The suffering he endured in captivity had left lasting damage, and staying in the army had become unbearable.
In July 1865, Moore put his plea into words, addressing a letter to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. This was not a complaint or an appeal for pity—it was a respectful request from a soldier who had given everything and asked for only what he had earned: the chance to go home.
The image below is the scan of the original letter along with a transcription.
Camp 100th N.Y. Vols
Near Richmond, Va.
July 1865Hon. Edwin M. Stanton,
Secretary of War,
Washington, D.C.Sir,
I have the honor to ask your consideration of my application for discharge from the Volunteer service of the United States from the State of New York. I entered the service when the government needed the services of its loyal citizens to maintain its integrity, suppress secession, and ensure its permanency.
On the 16th day of May, I was taken prisoner and suffered all the horrors of Andersonville, Ga. prison until Nov. 20th, 1864, when I was paroled at Savannah and transported to Camp Parole, Annapolis, January 1865.
My Brother, Edward C. Moore was also taken prisoner at the same time and died from exhaustion and starvation at Millen, Ga. prison in October, 1864.
Returning to duty in February, I was with my regiment up to the occupation of Richmond, and have won promotion for soldierly behavior in discharge of duty.
Having faithfully discharged my duty, my health being impaired by suffering and fatigues incident to my imprisonment, and the treatment I received, I most respectfully request the honorable Secretary to grant me an honorable discharge from the service, which, owing to its maturity, has become onerous to me.
Your favorable consideration and reply will be gratefully received and remembered by
Your Obedient Servant,
C. V. Moore
Orderly Sergt. C. B. 100th N.Y. Vols,
24th Army Corps, Brig. Gen. Dandy’s Brigade
Ultimately, Moore’s plea did not go unanswered. On August 12th, 1865, just weeks after his appeal, Moore was officially discharged from military service in Richmond, Virginia. The certificate of discharge confirmed that he had served faithfully, bearing witness to the harsh reality faced by countless soldiers whose service to their country extended far beyond the battlefield.
This letter, preserved by the Library of Congress, provides a rare glimpse into the struggles soldiers faced long after the war ended. The battles had ceased, but the suffering endured by prisoners of war lingered in their bodies and minds. For Moore, the war had taken his health, his brother, and his strength. Now, all he asked was to be allowed to leave the battlefield behind.
Cornelius V. Moore’s story is not just about one soldier’s plea—it is about the price of war. The battlefield may have gone quiet, but for men like Moore, the fight for survival continued long after the war was over.
Further Reading: Understanding a Civil War Soldier’s Experience
Moore’s letter is just one voice among thousands of soldiers who endured captivity in Confederate prison camps. To gain a deeper understanding of the horrors of Andersonville, consider:
- MacKinlay Kantor’s Andersonville – A historical novel that vividly portrays the brutality of the prison and the suffering of its inmates. While fictional, it is deeply researched and aligns with firsthand accounts like Moore’s.
- William Marvel’s Andersonville: The Last Depot – A detailed nonfiction study of the prison, its conditions, and its infamous commander, Henry Wirz.
- Lonnie R. Speer’s Portals to Hell: Military Prisons of the Civil War – A broader look at the experiences of prisoners on both sides of the war.
Citations:
(1865) Letter from Cornelius V. Moore to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton asking for discharge. , 1865. July. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2012648286/
Library of Congress. (1865, August 28). [Certificate to discharge Cornelius V. Moore from Company B, 100th New York Volunteers] [Manuscript]. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2012648289/
Unknown. (ca. 1861–1865). [Sergeant Cornelius V. Moore in camp scene poses in front of painted backdrop showing military camp] [Photograph]. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2010650794/
