"If there was a paymaster's mail on board the 'Fawn,' it was the first thing to be destroyed, for when we boarded her we had found that the crew had thrown a number of mail and other bags into the furnace.
"Among those captured, to my great astonishment, I found Major John H. Burnham, of the 16th Connecticut, whom I had assisted in capturing at Plymouth. This brave officer had been exchanged and had reported to Norfolk for duty.
"On account of bad health he had been given a furlough, but before leaving for home he decided to go to Roanoke Island on the 'Fawn,' and see his old comrades who were now on duty at that place, but, unfortunately for him, the boat was captured as set forth in the foregoing.
"Just here came a struggle between duty to country and sympathy for the unfortunate soldier, broken in health caused by confinement in prison, who had been looking forward to a speedy reunion with loved ones whom he had not seen for over two years.
"I would have gladly liberated him, but duty forbade, and poor Burnham was again an inmate of a Confederate prison."
Alas, Poor Burnham. --Old B-R'er
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