Robert Ould facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Ould
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | January 31, 1820 Georgetown, Washington, D.C. |
| Died | December 15, 1882 (aged 62) Richmond, Virginia |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America |
| Service/ |
 Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1862–1865 (CSA) |
| Rank |  Colonel (CSA) |
| Commands held | Commissioner of Exchange |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Robert Ould (born January 31, 1820 – died December 15, 1882) was a lawyer who worked for the Confederate government during the American Civil War. From 1862 to 1865, he was in charge of exchanging prisoners of war between the North and South. This was done under an agreement called the Dix–Hill Cartel. After the war, he became a member of the Virginia General Assembly, which is Virginia's state legislature. He was later chosen to be the president of a railroad company.
Early Life and Education
Robert Ould was born in Georgetown, which is now part of Washington, D.C., on January 31, 1820. He went to Jefferson College in Pennsylvania. Later, he earned a degree in letters from Columbian College in D.C. in 1837. He then studied law and graduated from William & Mary College in 1842.
Before the Civil War, he worked as a lawyer in Washington, D.C. In 1855, President Franklin Pierce appointed him to a group that worked on organizing the laws of the district. In 1859, President James Buchanan appointed Ould to be the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. In this role, he was a chief prosecutor for the U.S. government in the district. He was involved in a well-known legal case during his time as U.S. Attorney.
Role in the Civil War
Before the war, Ould was also a brigadier general in the local militia in Washington, D.C.. When Virginia decided to leave the United States in 1861, Ould chose to support the Confederacy. He moved with his family to Richmond, which became the Confederate capital. Early in the war, he worked for the War Department as an Assistant Secretary of War.
In July 1862, Ould was given an important job: he became the main agent for prisoner exchanges. He held the rank of colonel. In this position, he was responsible for talking with Union officials about exchanging prisoners and how they should be treated. He kept this job for most of the war. He also worked as a judge advocate in Richmond, which meant he was a legal officer. He also held a high position in the Confederate Secret Service.
After the War
After the war ended in 1865, Robert Ould was briefly held at Libby Prison. He was released soon after. On October 30, 1865, he received a pardon from President Andrew Johnson. As a lawyer, he later defended former Confederate president Jefferson Davis.
After the war, Ould stayed in Richmond and continued his law practice. In 1866, he was elected to serve one term in the Virginia Senate. From 1874 to 1875, he represented Richmond in the House of Delegates. In 1878, he was chosen to be the president of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Company.
Robert Ould passed away on January 15, 1882. He was buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.
