Kevin:

(1) He could have been left behind in the hospital, although all records to this effect that I have seen are just the other way around: he is listed as paroled at Fort Delaware and delivered at Aiken's Landing on August 5, 1862 with a special note that he was left behind in the hospital.

(2) The other possibility is that he refused to be returned and took the Oath of Allegiance and was released into northern society with a promise to remian north until the war was over. There were 304 men who refused to be repatriated with this August 5, 1862 delivery from Fort Delaware. They were allowed to take the Oath on August 10, 1862 and released.

(3) Died at Fort Delaware, although you would expect his date of death to appear in his CMSR.

(4) Simple clerical error.

What is the next record in this soldier's file? Did he return to duty with his regiment?

If you give us his name, I will look him up in the Fort Delaware Society database, although our records covering 1861/1862 are rather limited.

Hugh Simmons
Fort Delaware Society
Website: www.fortdelaware.org
E-mail: society@fortdelaware.org