no federal judge in the history of the state of virginia has been more controversial than john curtis underwood. john underwood was appointed by lincoln to be the federal judge in alexandria and throughout the war he was engaged mostly in cases to confiscate the property of the rebels whose property the union could reach. after the war john curtis underwood was the federal judge who spearheaded the efforts to prosecute jefferson davis and approximately 30 other confederate leaders including many generals including jubal early and james longstreet and a number of others for treason. he was the one who forced through the indictments. as you all know the proceedings against jefferson davis lasted for several years. ultimately they went away. they were not all prosecuted by the federal government. the proceedings against robert e. lee and the other confederate leaders went nowhere because we appeal to general grant on the basis that it was his understanding and grants as well that the terms of surrender had incorporated a provision that there would be no retribution. to make a long story short gene

john underwood. >> we got federal judges who had been heroes and federal judges who had been controversial but no federal judge in the history of virginia has ever been so controversial than john curtis underwood. he was appointed by lincoln to be the federal judge in alexandria and throughout the war he was engaged mostly in the cases to confiscate the property of the rebels whose property union could reach and after the war, he was the federal judge who spearheaded the efforts to prosecute jefferson davis and approximately 30 other confederate leaders including many generals and a number of others for treason. he was the one who sort of pushed through the indictment and as you all know the proceedings against jefferson davis lasted for several years and he is confined for a long time. ultimately they went away. the proceedings against robert e. lee and the other federate leaders went nowhere because he appealed to general grant on the basis that it was his understanding and grant as well that the terms of surrender inc. a position the position that there would be no retribution. to make a long story short, general grant interceded with president johnson and even threatened to resig