Dorothy: My grandfather, James W. Chapman, of Company B, 75th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was also captured at the Battle of Gainesville, Fl and incarcerated at Andersonville. However, there are no records, family or military, that indicate that he might have escaped. As this battle was 8/17/1864, and the prison was shut down not long after that, an escape attempt might have been unlikely. I found your letter written by your ancestor very interesting. My grandfather's pension file (100 pages long) was fascinating; wish, though, that he had written something about his experiences as your ancestor did. He received his pension only after numerous applications, some of which listed his unit's service records; did you know the 75th fought at Chancellorsville, Bull Run and Gettysburg? Would love to keep in touch with another 75th OVI descendant. Good luck in your research. Patty Chapman Pulasky > Thomas Erskine, 75th Ohio Vol. Inf. Co I - was captured at the battle of > Gainesville, FL and taken to Andersonville. Family tradition states he > escaped from there, but there is no proof. He does not show up on the > list of prisoners paroled. He later shows up on the rolls of Company B > of the 75th OVI. Anyone out there who has ancestors captured at the > same battle who may have escaped with him?