Alfred Ely (February 15, 1815 – May 18, 1892) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from New York. He was elected as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

to the Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863), serving

New York's 29th congressional district New York's 29th congressional district is an obsolete congressional district for the United States House of Representatives which most recently included a portion of the Appalachian mountains in New York known as the " Southern Tier." It was m ...

. Ely was captured by Confederate forces while spectating the

First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas

Early life and political career

Born in

Lyme, Connecticut Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States, situated on the eastern side of the Connecticut River. The population was 2,352 at the 2020 census. Lyme is the eponym of Lyme disease. History In February 1665, the portion of th ...

, Ely attended the common schools and Bacon Academy at

Colchester, Connecticut Colchester is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 15,555 at the 2020 census. In 2010 Colchester became the first town in Connecticut, and the 36th in the country, to be certified with the National Wildli ...

. He moved to

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 United States census. Located in W ...

, in 1835. He studied law and was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1841. Ely commenced practice in Rochester. Ely was elected as a

to the Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh Congresses (March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863). He served as chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions (Thirty-seventh Congress). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1862.

Civil war

While witnessing the

First Battle of Bull Run The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas

, Congressman Ely was taken a prisoner by the Confederates and imprisoned in

Libby Prison Libby Prison was a Confederate prison at Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. In 1862 it was designated to hold officer prisoners from the Union Army. It gained an infamous reputation for the overcrowded and harsh conditions. Priso ...

of Richmond, Virginia; he was there for nearly six months along with many others. Among those captured was William H. Upham the future 18th Governor of Wisconsin who was a private in the Belle City Rifles of the

2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 2nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It spent most of the war as a member of the famous Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac. It suffered the largest number ...

. In December 1861, Ely was exchanged for Charles J. Faulkner, by the latter's own negotiations. At 5:00 AM on Christmas Day Ely was set free from

. After Ely's release, D. Appleton & Company of New York published a journal of his experience in Libby Prison in 1862. Thereafter, he resumed the practice of law. He died in

, May 18, 1892. He was interred in the Ely vault in Mount Hope Cemetery.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ely, Alfred 1815 births 1892 deaths American Civil War prisoners of war Union Army officers People of New York (state) in the American Civil War New York (state) lawyers People from Lyme, Connecticut Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers Bacon Academy alumni

Early life and political career

Civil war

See also

References

External links