Curious Crockers of Barnstable: Thomas F. Crocker - A Civil War “Casualty”

By Jeffrey D. Crocker

Wartime often produces great stories of courage and heroism. This is not one of them. The year was 1864, the third year of the American Civil War. The previous year, Congress had passed — and President Abraham Lincoln had signed — the unpopular Enrollment Act, requiring men between the ages of 20 and 45 to register for military service.

Thomas F. Crocker of West Barnstable became notorious for his wild attempts to evade the draft during these events. As a result, his official military record lists him as a deserter from the Twelfth Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The following account is drawn from reports in the Yarmouth Register and the Barnstable Patriot.

First, we learn from the Barnstable Patriot that in the winter of 1864 he was a draft dodger:

Deputy Sheriff Thomas Harris of this village arrested and delivered to Provost Marshal Hatch last week, James Stephens, a deserter from the Massachusetts regiment, and Thomas F. Crocker, a deserter from the draft, both of this town. (The Barnstable Patriot, February 16, 1864)

Later, in the Spring of 1864, we learn how he deserted and attempted suicide:

Thomas Crocker of West Barnstable, a drafted man who recently deserted and shipped on board a vessel, deserted from her at Falmouth, where he hired a team to go to Cotuit. Not returning per agreement an officer was put on his track and he was finally arrested in Braintree, where he had disposed of the team. He was brought to this place and lodged in jail, where on Friday last, he attempted suicide ... He says he did not know what he was about. (The Yarmouth Register, June 10, 1864)

Then we learn how he escaped from the Barnstable jail:

Those three precious scamps, Handy, Eldredge, and Cahoon, who broke jail some months since and were but recently re-arrested, again made their escape in company with two other prisoners, Thomas Crocker and ____ Fuller, yesterday morning. It appears that on entering the cell of the former prisoners in the morning, Mr. Easterbrooks, the keeper, was asked to fix the stove pipe which was out of place. He proceeded to do so when they all rushed out of the cell, simultaneously closing and bolting the door, thus making Mr. E. a prisoner within the cell. They then unlocked the cell containing Fuller and Crocker, thus liberating them, when they all left the jail, locking the door behind them. No trace of them has yet been found. (The Barnstable Patriot, March 6, 1864)

Given the year 1864, the Barnstable jail that he was housed in was likely the second jail in Barnstable. The first jail, which was located on the corner of Main Street (6A) and Old Jail Lane was built in around 1690, and is now located next to the Coast Guard Heritage Museum. We have the following description of this now defunct building from the Massachusetts Historical Commission Historic Site Survey:

The second, or Stone Jail, was two stories high with high wooden palisades at the north and south sides. This second jail was built in 1820 and torn down in 1878. The granite stones were used to construct the foundation of the western addition of the present Superior Court House. (BRN.134: Barnstable Jail Premises)

Thomas Crocker lived many years after those wild incidents. He passed away at the age of 91 in 1920 in West Barnstable, according to his obituary.