Sergeant Major John R. McClelland was a member of Company D of the 53rd Tennessee Infantry. He was captured at Fort Donelson and taken to Camp Chase. He would arrive there in very early March of 1862. On Friday April 5, 1862 before the first day at Shiloh he forged a pass and walked out of the Prison. Passes were given at that time to Confederates who had to sign a promise to report back to the Camp by a specific time by the Post Commander Granville Moody. The majority of passes were given to Confederate Officers and they walked around downtown Columbus, with their sidearms and in Confederate uniform much to the alarm of the local citizens. General Grants terms at Fort Donelson allowed them to keep their sidearms. A few weeks after his escape the Confederate Officers for the most part were taken to Johnson's Island, Ohio. Sgt.Maj McClelland's escape may have put an end to passes period for the Confederates. I can assure you that if not, passes were more carefully looked at. The Sgt.Maj would make his way back to his command. Camp Chase had less than 30 escapes at their prison.