Use Restrictions

Public Domain. There are no known restrictions.

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Fredericksburg Rail Road pass issued by Confederate States of America, War Department, C0433, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Purchased by Lynn Eaton from Buckingham Books in 2022.

Processing Information

Processing completed by Meghan Glasbrenner in June 2024. Finding aid completed by Meghan Glasbrenner in July 2024.

Biographical and Historical Information

Isaac Howell Carrington was born on March 7, 1827 in Richmond, Virginia. Prior to the start of the Civil War, Carrington practiced law in Pittsylvania County before assuming a variety of staff and administrative level positions within the Confederate Army. In 1863, he was appointed to the role of Commissioner of Prisoners in Richmond by the Confederate Congress and in 1864 was named Provost Marshall by the Confederacy's Secretary of War. As Provost Marshall, Carrington was responsible for issuing and approving travel passes for all individuals including Confederate soldiers, leaving the city of Richmond. Following the end of the Civil War, Carrington was a member of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors from 1873-1875, and returned to practicing law, including serving as president of the Richmond Bar Association from 1886-1887. Carrington passed away on January 30, 1887 at the age of 59 and is buried in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery.

Chartered in 1834, the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad Company began train service from Richmond in 1836 and was extended north to Fredericksburg in 1837. By 1861, Virginia had the most extensive rail system in the South and the lines in and around Fredericksburg played an active role in the Civil War, with lines north of the city under Union control and lines south of the city under control of the Confederacy. The extent and efficiency of the railroads allowed for larger and more rapid troop movements across the state and determined the locations of a number of major battles. The collapse and general disrepair of the Southern railroads that developed by 1864, including those in Virginia, contributed to the Confederacy's defeat.

Scope and Content

A Fredericksburg Rail Road pass from the Confederate States of America, War Department, granting a Confederate soldier permission to travel to Ashland, Virginia. The pass is double-sided, with one side containing a printed template for travel information with blanks filled in identifying the month and day of issue (May 22) in 1864, the name of the soldier being granted travel permission, the permitted destination of travel (Ashland, Virginia), and is signed by the Confederate Provost Marshall (Isaac H. Carrington). The other side contains printed text affirming obedience to the Confederacy in the soldier's travels and is signed and dated by the soldier being granted travel permission. The soldier's name is visible, but not entirely legible as written on both sides.

Arrangement

This is a single item collection.

Related Material

The Special Collections Research Center holds other Civil War collections , including Letter from unidentified Confederate soldier to his mother .

The Library of Congress holds the Confederate States of America Records and the Virginia Historical Society holds the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Company Records .

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Carrington, Isaac H. (Isaac Howell), 1827–1887
• Confederate States of America
• Confederate States of America -- History, Military
• Railroad travel -- United States
• Railroads
• Transportation
• United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
• Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865