In the early morning after President Davis had declared martial law in the town, troops under Provost Marshal John Henry Winder surrounded the Richmond home of former Constututional Unionist congressman John Minor Botts, dragged him from his bed, and incarcerated him without trial in a prison formerly reserved for slaves. Other Unionists in the city were arrested at the same time. The unwaveringly Unionist Botts was not released until late April 1862 and then held under house arrest for four months more.  (By John Osborne)     

The Confederate Congress had voted Jefferson Davis the authority to declare martial law and suspend habeas corpus in "cities threatened with invasion." He had immediately declared martial law in Newport and Portsmouth, Virginia two days before and now extended the restrictions to Richmond itself.  He also banned at the same time the production of hard liquor around the city and ordered distilleries and places of sale closed. (By John Osborne)

The Confederate Congress had voted Jefferson Davis the authority to declare martial law and suspend habeas corpus in "cities threatened with invasion."  He made use of this power, declaring these restrictions in place in the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia, including the surrounding countryside up to the distance of ten miles.  Davis followed this with a similar declarion including Richmond, the capital, two days later.  (By John Osborne)