Richard Elam, Pvt. in Company A, 3rd Ark Infantry, was captured at Chickamauga, GA, Sep 20, 1863 and sent to the Union POW camp at Camp Douglas, Ill; enlisted in 6th US Volunteer Infantry (Galvanized Yankees) at Camp Douglas, Ill, May 5, 1865. If the war ended in April 1865, why did he become a "Galvanized Yankee" in May? Before the end of the war, Confederate POW's were allowed to escape the horrors of prison conditions by joining these volunteer infantry units and sent out west to fight Indians, assured they would not be fighting their "brothers in grey". If any individual records exist on Camp Douglas, I would like to know about my gg-grandpa, Richard Elam. In National Archives: COMPILED SERVICE RECORDS OF FORMER CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS WHO SERVED IN THE 1ST-6TH U.S. VOLUNTEER INFANTRY REGIMENTS, 1864-66 "Galvanized Yankees"; 65 rolls, M1017. (The LDS FHC has a book on this 929.273) I don't have access to this info but if someone else does, I would really appreciate a look-up. Thanks, Patricia FYI: For you folks looking for an AR soldier Union or Confederate, Edward Gerdes Original Arkansas website is a treasure! http://www.insolwwb.net/~egerdes/

This is a list of Kansas POWs held at Camp Ford, TX 1863-1865 http://history.cc.ukans.edu/heritage/research/campford.html Sue morgana@ghg.net

Milton Ashbury Ryan - this site is a copy of a document he wrote about his experiences as a POW at Camp Douglas. http://www.izzy.net/~michaelg/ma-ryan.htm Sue morgana@ghg.net

This is a link to the page at the National Archives that describes what records they have for CW era soldiers and how to search them. It also includes a link to request a copy of the NARA form 80 to send off for your ancestor's records. If you haven't started chasing down the military records of your ancestor yet, check this out and it will help you know what is out there. http://www.nara.gov/genealogy/civilwar.html Sue morgana@ghg.net

Dear List Members, I am a new subscriber, and here are the POWs that I am researching. Pvt. James William McCORMACK enlisted in Co. B 30th Regiment TN Infantry at Red Boiling Springs, TN on Oct. 22 1861. Imprisoned at Camp Chase Ohio, but survived the Civil War. Pvt. William McCORMICK enlisted in Co. E 30th Regiment TN Infantry at Red Boiling Springs, TN on Oct. 22 1861, and died at Camp Butler IL on May 31, 1862. I would like to learn more about the POW Camps, Chase and Butler, and about the conditions in those camps. I have heard that many prisoners died at Camp Butler. It is my understanding that Camp Chase was reserved exclusively for officers. If that is correct, I don't understand why a private would be sent there. Can someone give me the correct information about that? Thanks much, A. Fort

FORRESTER, REEVES Silas Medford FORRESTER [1830 – 1862] son of Silas FORRESTER and Anna ____ m. Oct 1848 (cousin) Mary Ann FORRESTER dau. of Hezekiah FORRESTER and Winnie REEVES. Children: Rt Harrison, Wm Hezekiah, Delilah Elizabeth, Richard, Stephen F., Malford M., Jefferson, Wm M., Mary Elizabeth, Carol T., Elizabeth, Maston, Robert T. and Samuel. Migrated Hickman Co. TN to Yell Co. AR. Silas reportedly died in Douglas Prison Camp in IL. Any descendant or antecedent details wanted. J. R. Hollingsworth humble.ob.doc@cwix.com

Is there a list somewhere of the names and locations of the prison camps that housed Confederates? I'm hampered in my search for information on my gg grandfather because I don't know where he was a POW or when he was captured. All I know is that is was paroled at Talladega, Alabama as a POW and served in the 12th Alabama. Carmel Thomaston carmel@paintedrock.com

Thanks to Sue Morgan for hosting this new CW-POW list. Thanks to Josie, too, for all the information she's sharing (on other lists as well). I haven't shared any information yet, but have read all of yours with great interest and appreciation. My g-g-grandfather, William A. D. Brown, was in the 38th Georgia Inf. CO. F. He enlisted in Hart Co., GA in 1861, was captured at Gettysburg on July 1, 1862, and sent to Fort Delaware Prison for a few months. He was then transferred to Point Lookout, MD, and was there for close to a year. In August, 1864, while he was enroute to Elmira Prison in New York, the train carrying the prisoners collided with another train. There were many deaths and numerous injuries, and W. A. D. Brown was among the injured. He survived his injuries, and was imprisoned at Elmira, where he remained until the end of the war. All the above information was on his military records except info about his train crash injuries. That information was on his pension application. I have other ancestors who were in the CSA, however, with very little information on military records. Military records are notorious for errors, too, which makes research much more difficult. After a lot of searching and working, it seems to be just plain good luck when you find detailed information on any records, particularly CSA records. There are some very good, informative sites on the three prisons mentioned above, as well as the train crash. I'm including a link to the Elmira Prison Camp OnLine Library. From this site, you can link to other Prisons, and, I believe, the train crash. <A HREF="http://www.innova.net/~vsix/elmiradoc1.htm">Elmira Prison Camp OnLine Library</A> http://www.innova.net/~vsix/elmiradoc1.htm Barbara Klaffke barbekay@aol.com

My g-g-grandfather, Nicholas Faulkner Atkinson, fought in the 18th Georgia Infantry. He was wounded and captured at Gettysburg. Before being exchanged, he appeared on a list of prisoners at DeCamp General Hospital, David's Island, NY. Does anyone know anything about this place? I assume it was a prison, but have never seen any information about it. Thanks, Allen **************************************************************************** Allen D. Atkinson allenatk@mindspring.com Atkinson/Kilgore Genealogy Page: <http://www.mindspring.com/~allenatk/genealogy.htm> Atkinson/Kilgore Family Home Page: <http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/a/t/k/Allen-D-Atkinson/index.html> 18th Georgia Infantry Home Page: <http://www.mindspring.com/~allenatk/infantry.htm> Allen's World: <http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/2043/>

We have links to some of the larger prison death lists on our page at http://www.insolwwb.net/~egerdes/ Thanks, Edward G.

This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------1221C9992D62417AE55F06E3 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit --------------1221C9992D62417AE55F06E3 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Return-Path: <mbswank@juno.com> Received: from m10.boston.juno.com (m10.boston.juno.com [205.231.101.195]) by mailman.ghg.net (8.9.1/8.9.1/GHG 1.2) with ESMTP id WAA12636 for <morgana@ghg.net>; Mon, 14 Dec 1998 22:47:49 -0600 (CST) Received: (from mbswank@juno.com) by m10.boston.juno.com (queuemail) id DWGZE2LS; Tue, 15 Dec 1998 00:00:51 EST To: morgana@ghg.net Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1998 02:58:20 -0500 Subject: Re: [CW-POW-L] POW tidbits... Message-ID: <19981212.025830.9158.38.MBSwank@juno.com> References: <36750E0C.51616011@ghg.net> X-Mailer: Juno 1.49 X-Juno-Line-Breaks: 3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19-20 From: mbswank@juno.com (Margarette B. Swank) X-DPOP: DPOP Version 2.1i Sue: I had one uncle that was captured, paroled, then he went back to another co and back to fighting. He was transported from GoldMine to Washington, D. C. where he was paroled. Then went down into Va into another co of same outfit. Was in surrender with two brothers in April 1965 at Appomattox, Va. Also, a grandfather was captured, excaped, and found his way back to his outfit, and was hospitalized then returned to the fighting near Frazers farm outside Petersburg, Va. His brother was wounded and both were sent home. After Willis' capture he was unfit for service, I guess. James died from his wounds after he got home. Another uncle died in the hospital at Richmond, and another was in prisoncamp at Lookout then was released but died on the way home. He was a Major........4 out of one family served....3 died....their cousins lost 3 in one family also. 16th Butler Guards out of South Carolina........Margarette Swank --------------1221C9992D62417AE55F06E3--

If you look at the records of some of the units, you will find that many of them lost more men to disease than to hostile fire. In fact some of the units lost a higher percentage of their men to disease than did the prisons. Edward G. -----Original Message----- From: Sue <morgana@ghg.net> To: CW-POW-L@rootsweb.com <CW-POW-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Monday, December 14, 1998 9:45 PM Subject: Re: [CW-POW-L] Some statistics on a few of the POW Camps >Exactly, Josie...when taken as a whole, (all the prison camps >averaged in together), there is something like a 13% fatality >rate...the Union camps average just about as badly as the >confederate, and they didn't have the distribution problems that >the confederates did...Elmira in particular, was a horrible >prison to be sent to...and the Tombs in NY was also quite >awful... > >The reality of it was the POW experience for all of our ancestors >was a dark chapter in our country's history...and hopefully, we >will be able to shed some light on it with this list. > >Sue >morgana@ghg.net > >Josephine Lindsay Bass wrote: >> >> I have heard all my life at school, on TV, in movies, etc how >> horrible Andersonville was and never heard anything about UNION Prisons. As >> you said in your post "Andersonville, GA (CSA), the most notorious of all >> of the prison camps". >> >> I have a pretty good grip on this issue, and am glad to post some of this >> valuable info, i hope you all are interested. >> >> I have these percentages below: And much documentation to show that Union >> Prisons were just as notorius as Andersonville at least to us Southerns. >> >> The death percentage 24% at Andersonville, and 25% at Point Lookout, Union >> Prison and 44% at Elmira, NY Union Prison. >> >> josie >> >> At 06:14 PM 12/14/98 -0600, Sue wrote: >> >These are some statistics on some of the most notorious prison >> >camps that I had records at hand for. Not all camps were this >> >bad, by the way, but these were among the worst. >> > >> >Camp Douglas, IL (USA) - used as a POW camp from 62-65. Was >> >designed with a max capacity for 6000 men, but during its most >> >crowded they managed to cram in over 12,000. Almost 4500 people >> >died here. >> > >> >Salisbury, NC (CSA) Designed for 2,000. At one point, over >> >10,000 people were jammed into it. It was used from 61-65. >> > >> >Elmira, NY (USA) Its capacity was designed for 5000, but at one >> >point they managed to get over 9400 people into it. Although >> >they only used it for two years, just under 3,000 people died >> >here. >> > >> >Andersonville, GA (CSA), the most notorious of all of the prison camps. >> Although set up to contain 10,000 men, at its worst it held over 32000. >> During its use during '64 and'65, 12,919 people died. >> > >> >Point Lookout, MD (USA) During the three years it was used, 3,500 >> >men died here. At its most crowded, it held about twice its >> >design capability, topping off at 22,000 at its most dense. >> > >> >Danville, VA (CSA) Designed for 3700, at its most croweded, they >> >put 4000 men in here. Used from '63-'65, just under 1300 men >> >died here. >> > >> >Camp Morton, IN (USA) Set up for 2000, it reached a maximum of >> >5000 POWs. Used from '62 - '65, around 1700 deaths were >> >recorded. >> > >> > >> > >> >Sue >> >morgana@ghg.net >> > >> > >> > >> jbass@digital.net >> 216 Beach Park Lane >> Cape Canaveral, FL 32920-5003 >> >> Home of The *HARRISON* Repository & *MY FAMILY* >> http://moon.ouhsc.edu/rbonner/harintro.htm >> My Family WWW: http://moon.ouhsc.edu/rbonner/index.htm >> LINDSAY & HARRISON Surnames & CSA-HISTORY Roots Mail List >> >> Data Managed by beautiful daughter Becky Bass Bonner and me, Josephine >> Lindsay Bass > >

This site is a chronilogical listing of battles during the war...sometimes we know when our ancestors were captured, but don't know what activity was happening at that time...this site can help you peg down what was going on- it's not exactly a POW listing, but now that I have found it, I know I want to bookmark it! http://users.aol.com/dlharvey/engage.htm Sue morgana@ghg.net

Exactly, Josie...when taken as a whole, (all the prison camps averaged in together), there is something like a 13% fatality rate...the Union camps average just about as badly as the confederate, and they didn't have the distribution problems that the confederates did...Elmira in particular, was a horrible prison to be sent to...and the Tombs in NY was also quite awful... The reality of it was the POW experience for all of our ancestors was a dark chapter in our country's history...and hopefully, we will be able to shed some light on it with this list. Sue morgana@ghg.net Josephine Lindsay Bass wrote: > > I have heard all my life at school, on TV, in movies, etc how > horrible Andersonville was and never heard anything about UNION Prisons. As > you said in your post "Andersonville, GA (CSA), the most notorious of all > of the prison camps". > > I have a pretty good grip on this issue, and am glad to post some of this > valuable info, i hope you all are interested. > > I have these percentages below: And much documentation to show that Union > Prisons were just as notorius as Andersonville at least to us Southerns. > > The death percentage 24% at Andersonville, and 25% at Point Lookout, Union > Prison and 44% at Elmira, NY Union Prison. > > josie > > At 06:14 PM 12/14/98 -0600, Sue wrote: > >These are some statistics on some of the most notorious prison > >camps that I had records at hand for. Not all camps were this > >bad, by the way, but these were among the worst. > > > >Camp Douglas, IL (USA) - used as a POW camp from 62-65. Was > >designed with a max capacity for 6000 men, but during its most > >crowded they managed to cram in over 12,000. Almost 4500 people > >died here. > > > >Salisbury, NC (CSA) Designed for 2,000. At one point, over > >10,000 people were jammed into it. It was used from 61-65. > > > >Elmira, NY (USA) Its capacity was designed for 5000, but at one > >point they managed to get over 9400 people into it. Although > >they only used it for two years, just under 3,000 people died > >here. > > > >Andersonville, GA (CSA), the most notorious of all of the prison camps. > Although set up to contain 10,000 men, at its worst it held over 32000. > During its use during '64 and'65, 12,919 people died. > > > >Point Lookout, MD (USA) During the three years it was used, 3,500 > >men died here. At its most crowded, it held about twice its > >design capability, topping off at 22,000 at its most dense. > > > >Danville, VA (CSA) Designed for 3700, at its most croweded, they > >put 4000 men in here. Used from '63-'65, just under 1300 men > >died here. > > > >Camp Morton, IN (USA) Set up for 2000, it reached a maximum of > >5000 POWs. Used from '62 - '65, around 1700 deaths were > >recorded. > > > > > > > >Sue > >morgana@ghg.net > > > > > > > jbass@digital.net > 216 Beach Park Lane > Cape Canaveral, FL 32920-5003 > > Home of The *HARRISON* Repository & *MY FAMILY* > http://moon.ouhsc.edu/rbonner/harintro.htm > My Family WWW: http://moon.ouhsc.edu/rbonner/index.htm > LINDSAY & HARRISON Surnames & CSA-HISTORY Roots Mail List > > Data Managed by beautiful daughter Becky Bass Bonner and me, Josephine > Lindsay Bass

The records show that Mr. J.C. YARBROUGH, Pvt Co H, 23rd Ark Inf, CSA enlisted at Jonesboro, AR (date not stated). Paroled 25May1865 at Wittsburg, AR Age 18 eyes blue hair light complx light ht 5' 7" (that being about an inch taller than averave at that time) Born in AL Edward G. http://www.insolwwb.net/~egerdes/ -----Original Message----- From: CleoKt11@aol.com <CleoKt11@aol.com> To: CW-POW-L@rootsweb.com <CW-POW-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Monday, December 14, 1998 7:43 PM Subject: [CW-POW-L] Re: Co. H 23 Reg Ark Volunteers >Hi, > >Does anyone know where these prisoners were kept? I have a J. C. Yarbrough >and I had always thought that he died in the Civil War, but his name is listed >in the surrender of J. E. Sparks, commander of the unit. So he must have >died in the prisoner of war camp. > >I know he did not return from the war. His wife, my gggrandmother, remarried >and had my ggrandmother. > >Any help appreciated. > >Becky Holman > >

In the case of my relative who was in Point Lookout, His "cards" which compile his military record that I received from the National Archives explicitly told me the battle at which he was captured, the date, where he was held for transfer to PL, the day he was released, where he was released. I take it not everyone's records are so complete. James -----Original Message----- From: Sue <morgana@ghg.net> To: <CW-POW-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Monday, December 14, 1998 7:26 PM Subject: [CW-POW-L] Some ideas when writing queries... >Now I haven't done tons of research about this, but it seems to >me that when you are trying to discover where your family member >might have been kept if he were a POW, I would think the >following would help: > >When and where do you think he was captured? This has some >determination about where he would be sent. A lot of times after >a major battle, previously used facilities may have been >overloaded with the influx, and the prisoners would be funnelled >into new camps or facilities. > > >A lot of camps only were used in certain years. And during 1862, >there were a lot of troop exchanges, and some previously used >facilities were closed until the paroling of soldiers was stopped >and they were re-openned later. One camp in SC, I think, was >used for 18 months over a three year period... > >And remember, not everyone knows where the various units fought, >and usually, not everyone in an entire unit was captured at the >same time..so people might be scattered based on when and where >they were captured. > >So, if we can remember to mention when and where along with >units, we might make connections a little better. > >Just some ideas from the Listowner...anything that can help with >what we know will get more responses...if not now, maybe later >when someone is checking the archives. > >Sue >morgana@ghg.net > >

I have heard all my life at school, on TV, in movies, etc how horrible Andersonville was and never heard anything about UNION Prisons. As you said in your post "Andersonville, GA (CSA), the most notorious of all of the prison camps". I have a pretty good grip on this issue, and am glad to post some of this valuable info, i hope you all are interested. I have these percentages below: And much documentation to show that Union Prisons were just as notorius as Andersonville at least to us Southerns. The death percentage 24% at Andersonville, and 25% at Point Lookout, Union Prison and 44% at Elmira, NY Union Prison. josie At 06:14 PM 12/14/98 -0600, Sue wrote: >These are some statistics on some of the most notorious prison >camps that I had records at hand for. Not all camps were this >bad, by the way, but these were among the worst. > >Camp Douglas, IL (USA) - used as a POW camp from 62-65. Was >designed with a max capacity for 6000 men, but during its most >crowded they managed to cram in over 12,000. Almost 4500 people >died here. > >Salisbury, NC (CSA) Designed for 2,000. At one point, over >10,000 people were jammed into it. It was used from 61-65. > >Elmira, NY (USA) Its capacity was designed for 5000, but at one >point they managed to get over 9400 people into it. Although >they only used it for two years, just under 3,000 people died >here. > >Andersonville, GA (CSA), the most notorious of all of the prison camps. Although set up to contain 10,000 men, at its worst it held over 32000. During its use during '64 and'65, 12,919 people died. > >Point Lookout, MD (USA) During the three years it was used, 3,500 >men died here. At its most crowded, it held about twice its >design capability, topping off at 22,000 at its most dense. > >Danville, VA (CSA) Designed for 3700, at its most croweded, they >put 4000 men in here. Used from '63-'65, just under 1300 men >died here. > >Camp Morton, IN (USA) Set up for 2000, it reached a maximum of >5000 POWs. Used from '62 - '65, around 1700 deaths were >recorded. > > > >Sue >morgana@ghg.net > > > jbass@digital.net 216 Beach Park Lane Cape Canaveral, FL 32920-5003 Home of The *HARRISON* Repository & *MY FAMILY* http://moon.ouhsc.edu/rbonner/harintro.htm My Family WWW: http://moon.ouhsc.edu/rbonner/index.htm LINDSAY & HARRISON Surnames & CSA-HISTORY Roots Mail List Data Managed by beautiful daughter Becky Bass Bonner and me, Josephine Lindsay Bass

CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY. 491 Prison Exchange Hence all concessions were made for the sake of exchange, man for man, until at length the peremptory cessation of compliance with the cartel of 1862 forced the construction by both sides of prison dens. Elmira prison, Johnson's island prison, Fort Delaware prison, with all their somber annals were the inevitable results of the cessation of regular exchanges. And so was Andersonville on the Southern side. Andersonville prison in Georgia, Elmira prison and Johnson's island, Fort Delaware and the prison ships were the inevitable results of the cessation of the exchanges of prisoners usual in wars. It became plain to the Confederate government in January, 1864, that it would be compelled to guard and support for an indefinitely prolonged time the increasing numbers of prisoners taken by its armies in battle, and in view of its diminishing resources, as well as its inability to certainly hold any positions securely, except such as were within the most central part of the South, at a distance from the Federal fleets and armies, the situation was embarrassing. After careful consideration the principal site selected for the construction of a prison was in the upper central part of south Georgia, in precisely the region chosen more than thirty years after as a suitable location for a large colony of pensioned Union soldiers and their families and friends emigrating chiefly from the West. The new city of Fitzgerald, said to contain in 1897 several thousand Northern colonists, was built in the section where the Andersonville prison was constructed. This location was chosen as a prison site on account of its salubrity, mild winter climate, the nearness to saw mills and grist mills, the large area of food-producing country in southwest Georgia, and certainly also because it was little exposed to raiding forces such as threatened the Libby prison at Richmond. In constructing this prison an enclosure of thirty acres in shape of a parallelogram surrounded two hills, and a box canal was built through which a bold stream of clear, pure water was made to flow with conveniences for bathing, the lowest outlet being arranged for proper police purposes. "Several bold springs of pure water emerged from the north bank of the stream and numerous wells of pure water were made inside the prison." The camp was laid off by streets, and sheds were constructed for protection against rain and cold. It does not appear that there was any neglect of precautions against disease, or any failure of effort to render the unavoidable horrors of prison life bearable. A competent authority declares, "if it had not been that the fortunes of war crowded the prisoners to this spot, producing the direful effects of an unforeseen pestilence, a better selection could not have been made in this part of the South for the health and comfort of the captives." It will be considered that no mountainous section of the South, nor any portion of its sea-coast was at this time so securely in the possession of the Confederates as to justify the location in such sections. The Confederates were compelled to go into the interior for the site of their prison under so many disadvantages that the exchange man for man as was proposed would have been greatly in their interest. The rations were chiefly cooked in the bakery outside the walls, and issued regularly once a day, all faring alike,-the Confederate troops on duty and the prisoners receiving the same rations. The hospital, like all the structures, was a rude inclosure of five acres, well shaded and watered, and furnished with tents, and it would have been ample in ordinary circumstances, but was suddenly made insufficient by great outbreaks of diseases of the bowels. Every comfort, however, was provided for the sick and wounded that could be obtained within the limited means of the Confederate government. The greatest difficulty was experienced in procuring medicines and anti-scorbutics, which were inhumanly made contraband of war by an order of the Federal government, and the most rigid discipline failed to make the prisoners pay that attention to cleanliness which was absolutely necessary. Even the guards on duty and several Confederate officers were attacked by the diseases of the camp. It will be noted that the selection of this prison was made in the beginning of 1864, after the fatal decision of the Federal administration against exchanges, and that with all the hurried efforts of the Confederates the place was scarcely ready when on the first of March a body of 850 unfortunate foreigners were necessarily sent from captured New England regiments whom the Confederate government would have gladly released by exchange. Very soon thereafter the prisoners taken from Sherman by the Confederate army under General Johnston began to come in, with many from other sources, until in May the prison was crowded. The advance of Grant on Richmond also made it necessary to empty Libby prison on the States farther south instead of sending them as President Davis earnestly desired into their own lines in exchange for Confederate equivalents. The removal of this body required transportation, guards and rations which were very greatly needed by General Lee, and their "equivalents" from Johnson's Island or other Northern prisons would have given the Confederate commander several more divisions of gallant soldiers. Whatever else is doubtful about the prison question it is well ascertained that the Confederate President craved his imprisoned legions while his antagonist thought it "better to feed them than to fight them." The total number of prisoners in this prison of 1864 appears to have been increased about as follows: In. April, 10,000; May, 18,000; June, 26,000; July, 31,000; August, 31,000. After this date the number was suddenly decreased to 8,000 in September, and to 4,000 in October, by the removal of all the prisoners except invalids and nurses to Millen in the eastern part of Georgia. This change was made in consequence partly of the advice of General Winder, and also because of a threatened raid from Sherman's army then at Atlanta. The deaths during five months from March 1st to August 1st, were only 4,485, about ten per cent. But on the occurring of a pestilence in the form of dysentery, scurvy and gangrene, the deaths increased greatly during the months of August, September and October. In consequence of the dangerous nature of the diseases appearing in the camp the Confederate government directed the above stated removal of at least 20,000 prisoners to other points remote from Andersonville as soon as barrack accommodations could be built and supplies collected. The removal was effected as rapidly as possible and by the last of September all were gone except such as were in the hospitals unable to travel. It thus appears that Andersonville was used as a main prison not more than six months, during the first four of which the percentage of mortality did not reach the average rate at which Confederate prisoners died in Northern hands, and that as soon as possible the prisoners were removed. The medical corps detailed to remain with the great body of the infected,struggled with the desperate disease with all odds against them. The camp being relieved of all except about 5,000 invalids and nurses, besides laborers and a small guard, the surgeons were enabled to improve the general sanitary conditions and to erect new and large hospital sheds. Confederate surgeons "remained by their dying patients when even their own countrymen had deserted them," some dying at their posts, and all evincing a devotion to professional duty and humanity which merits the linking of Andersonville prison and the heroic charity of their profession together. But with all their care the progress of death was terrible for two months. In fact, "at one time it had been thought by the medical officers that nearly all the infected would die, but by the use of vegetables in such quantities as could be procured and an acid beer made from cornmeal and sorghum molasses,the death rate fell from about 3,000 in August to 160 in December." In the beginning of these horrors the Confederate government renewed the efforts for exchange of prisoners for at least the one good reason that the captives on their hands were an immense disadvantage. Supposing that the South had no humane feelings toward Northern captives and cared nothing for the appeals of its own brave soldiers suffering at Elmira, Johnson's Island and elsewhere, it will still appear that there were military and civic reasons for the humane efforts so zealously put forth to relieve the brave men held in such prolonged and fatal bondage. This fact is sufficient answer to all statements that the South obstructed exchanges, just as a New England audience was once convinced that Southern planters did not use negroes in place of mules at the plow, since the negro had a money value of $1,500 and mules could be bought for $150. The End

CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY. 491 Prison Exchange There is no purpose in this history to recount the cruelties practiced during the great struggle of the South for independence, and hence no account will be given of the atrocities at Camp Douglas, Rock Island, Elmira, Point Lookout or anywhere perpetrated by Federal subordinates in charge of Confederate prisoners. There were sufferings in all prisons and brutalities perpetrated in this as in other wars, but the proofs furnished by the evidence of General Butler, by the orders of Federal military officers, by the orders and communications of General Grant, and by the reports of Secretary Stanton, all of which are of record, fix the responsibility of this uncivilized mode of war upon the Federal administration. Secretary Stanton's report of July 19, 1866, shows that 26,246 Confederate soldiers died in Northern prisons, and 22,576 Union soldiers died in Southern prisons. Twelve per cent of the Confederate prisoners who fell into Northern captivity died notwithstanding all the facilities for receiving food, clothing, medicines and healthful conditions which the United States unquestionably possessed, while in the absence of these requisites on the part of the Confederacy the astonishing fact appears that less than nine per cent of the Union soldiers in Southern hands died in prisons. It is indisputably established that the Confederate authorities constantly pressed exchanges on equal terms, that they acceded to terms that were unequal for the sake of ex-change, that they proposed many measures of relief which were denied, that at length the most pitiable and unusual of all spectacles occurred when a deputation of Union soldiers appeared in Washington, sent by Mr. Davis to plead for release by fair exchange, and to plead in vain. CON'TD Part V **** INSERTED Burning of Atlanta Under Sherman's orders Capt. O. M. Poe "thoroughly destroyed Atlanta, save its mere dwelling-houses and churches. " The destruction was by fire purposely applied to buildings, and permitted to spread, as was expected, from house to house until the defenseless city was almost entirely reduced to ashes. No efforts were made to prevent the spread of the conflagration, and scarcely any structure was designedly spared. Only about 450 buildings escaped this ruthless burning, among them many churches, which in those days generally stood apart from other buildings. The thoroughness of the destruction can be realized, when we consider that by the census of 1860 Atlanta had a population of 10,000, which in 1864 had increased to 14,000. More than 4,000 houses, including dwellings, shops, stores, mills and depots were burned, about eleven-twelfths of the city. Capt. Daniel Oakey, of the Second Massachusetts volunteers, says : "Sixty thousand of us witnessed the destruction of Atlanta, while our post band and that of the Thirty--third Massachusetts played martial airs and operatic selections." Sherman himself noted the rising columns of smoke as he rode away from the city. Considering that he had been in possession of the city since the 3d of September, he had ample time to utterly destroy everything in it that could be of advantage to an enemy, without the wanton and inexcusable method to which he resorted. It was no more necessary from a military point of view to destroy mercantile establishments than private dwellings or churches. The destruction of Atlanta can never be excused. The name of the Federal commander will always be associated with this barbarous act. **** Meanwhile Sherman marched on, creating a charred avenue over 40 miles wide through the unprotected State, destroying the railroads, seizing all provisions, pillaging, plundering and burning. There was no force available to obstruct his onward course. He had simply to accomplish the military feat of "marching through Georgia. " **** In his report of the march to the sea, General Sherman declared that he had destroyed the railroads for more than 100 miles, and had consumed the corn and fodder in the region of country 30 miles on either side of a line from Atlanta to Savannah, as also the sweet potatoes, cattle, hogs, sheep and poultry, and carried away more than 10,000 horses and mules, as well as a countless number of slaves. " I estimate the damage done to the State of Georgia and its military resources at $100,000,000; at least $20,000,000 of which has inured to our advantage, and the remainder is simply waste and destruction. " After admitting that "this may seem a hard species of warfare, " he comforted himself with the reflection that it brought the sad realities of war home to those who supported it. Thus condoning all the outrages committed by an unrestrained army, he further reported that his men were "a little loose in foraging, and did some things they ought not to have done. " Howard, evidently ashamed of the manner of the marching through Georgia, claims that the " Sherman bummers" were not with his wing. He reported the capture of about 1,200 prisoners, 10,500 cattle, about $300,000 worth of subsistence, 931 horses, 1,550 mules, about 5,000,000 pounds each of corn and fodder, and the destruction of 3,500 bales of cotton and 191 miles of railroad. Slocum reported a similar amount of subsistence taken, 119 miles of railroad wrecked, 17,000 bales of cotton destroyed. The limits of this chapter do not permit of an adequate description of the ruin wrought throughout Georgia. The imagination, acting upon the basis of the outline here given, cannot exceed the reality. CON'TD Part V

CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY. 491 Prison Exchange In January, 1864, and even before that date it was feared by the Confederate authorities that prisoners of war on both sides would be held in captivity without the benefits of exchange. Colonel Ould, the Confederate agent of exchange, therefore wrote, January 24, 1864, officially to General Hitchcock, the Federal agent of exchange, a formal proposal to have surgeons appointed by both governments to take charge in the prisons of the health and comfort of the prisoners. The surgeons were also to act as commissaries with power to receive and distribute money, food, clothing and medicines. But even this very humane offer was not answered, although its acceptance would have alleviated the sufferings and saved the lives of thousands of brave men. In the summer of 1864, Colonel Ould was instructed by Mr. Davis to offer to deliver all sick and wounded prisoners without any exchange whatever, and accordingly he did offer to send ten or fifteen thousand to the mouth of the Savannah river without requiring any equivalents, but the acceptance of this noble proposal was delayed for months. Finally, about the last of the year, vessels were sent to receive this free offering, and Ould turned over as many as could be transported-some thirteen thousand-among whom were over five thousand well men. In return the Federal agent sent in at the mouth of the Savannah river about 3,000 sick and wounded Confederates from Northern prisons. During this same summer the deficiency in medical supplies became so embarrassing that the Confederate administration offered to buy from the United States, payable in gold, cotton or tobacco, these needed medicines, stipulating that they might be brought into the Confederate lines by United States surgeons and dispensed by them solely for the benefit of Union prisoners. To this offer there was no reply. In the meantime the blockade was effective and medicines were contraband. Colonel Ould declares concerning Colonel Mulford that "while he discharged his duties with great fidelity to his own government he was kind and tender to Confederate prisoners-an honorable and truthful gentleman to whom he could appeal for the truth of statements with which he was familiar," and other corroborations of Ould's testimony are to be found in the report of Major General Butler to the committee on the conduct of the war. Ould was subpoenaed to testify in the trial of Wirts and expressed his intention to tell the whole story as to the conduct of the two administrations in the matter of the treatment of prisoners, but his subpoena was revoked by the prosecution. Mr. Stephens, VicePresident of the Confederacy, was conspicuously active from the beginning to the close of the Confederate war in attempts to secure the usual exchanges of prisoners common among civilized nations at war, on which account he was particularly qualified to speak as a credible witness. Condemning the cruel and untenable position of the Federal administration that the crew of the Savannah and all other ships of the Confederate navy were pirates, he expresses the opinion in his work prepared since the war that the desistance of the authorities at Washington from this position was due alone to fear of England, and that the cartel for general exchange afterward agreed to was forced by public sentiment. The policy pursued by the administration at Washington as he viewed its effects, produced the difficulties of exchange, and the consequent intolerable sufferings and deaths in Northern and Southern prisons. The question of exchange was treated by the Federal authorities almost solely as a policy of war, by which captured men should be made to suffer for their cause in prison whenever such suffering contributed to the crushing of the rebellion. Confederate sentiment unvaryingly required the opening of the prisons by equal exchange and the settlement of the issue by treaty or battle. "I insit," says Mr. Stephens, "upon irrefutable fact that but for the refusal of the Federals to carry out an exchange, none of the wrongs or outrages, and none of the sufferings incident to prison life on either side could have occurred." CON'TD Part IV