To: KYRESEARCH@rootsweb.com Subject: TIP #293 CIVIL WAR PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS TIP #293 - PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS Below I have listed the prison camps which existed during the Civil War. Kentucky soldiers were housed in many of these. Where I have been able to find a source where the reader can search for a specific name, I have included it. CAMP ANDERSONVILLE, Sumter County, GA Opened: February 1864 Size and description: 26 acres Prisoners: Union, over 32,000 Difficulties: Lack of fresh water, sanitation at a minimum as the stream in the prison yard also served as the latrine. Known deaths there: 13,000 Web site: http://www.corinthian.net/mccc/plookup.htm CAMP BELL ISLAND, James River at Richmond, VA Opened after the 1st Bull Run Prisoners: Union Size and description: No barracks, clusters of tents Difficulties: Difficult escapes because of the rapids of the James River, many drowned trying to escape. Known deaths there: Unknown CAMP CHASE, Location: 4 miles west of Columbus, OH Opened: First used as training camp for Union Volunteers Prisoners: Confederate, 1861 Size and description: Over 9,000 Difficulties: No visitors, no prisoners allowed to leave camp. Not enough food, overcrowding. Many prisoners starved to death or died because of exposure. Known deaths: No totals found, said to have averaged 40 Confederate soldiers a day. CAMP DOUGLAS, Near Chicago, Il Opened: February 1862 for prisoners after surrender of Fort Donelson. Prisoners: Union Size and description: Large, sprawling, held over 7,000 prisoners Difficulties: Disease, poor sanitation, hunger, lack of clothing in winter, stagnant water, rotting bodied laying around, varmit infested. Known Deaths: No totals found, said that in Jan and Feb of 1863, approximately 18 prisoners died a day. CAMP FORD, 4 miles northwest of Tyler, TX Opened: August 1863. Prisoners: Union Size and description: Slaves built the open stockades, built their own shelters. Sod Huts, Holes in the ground with canvas stretched over them. Largest in Texas. By late 1864, over 4,900 prisoners held here. Conditions: Running water, stream in the midst of camp. Minimal food shortages with local farmers being allowed to sell produce to the prisoners. Prisoners could earn money by doing crafts Known Deaths: 250-230 CAMP PINCKNEY, about a mile off shore from Charleston on a shoal off Shutes Folly Island. Opened: Originally built by the government in the 1790 to protect Charleston. One of the first prisoner of war camps, not a death camp. Prisoners: Union Size and description: None found Conditions: One of the best. Strict discipline, clean, sanitary, peaceful, no known escapees Known Deaths: None found CAMP DANVILLE: Danville, VA Opened: Not found. Prisoners: Union Size and Description: 6 tobacco warehouses. Conditions: Said to be peaceful, but possibly with bad conditions. Crowded, rows of cots And narrow isles. Had smallpox and fever raging here. Known Deaths: CAMP ELMIRA, Elmira, NY Opened: 1864. Prisoners: Confederates Size and Description: 40 acres, 35 barracks Conditions: High death rate, horrid living conditions, most caused by the Camp Colonel - Starvation high. Over 10,000 men confined there by August of 1874. Few clothes and no Blankets. Rations reduced to bread and water. 1,870 cases of scurvey, pneumonia, Diarrhea, smallpox. At the end of 1874, 1,264 prisoners were dead. Donated clothing By families but only those that were gray in color were distributed. Known Deaths: At least 25 percent of the 12,123 prisoners who entered; at war's end, 2,963 dead. FORT DELAWARE, Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River. Opened: Prior to 1863. Prisoners: Confederates Size and Description: Built to house 2,000 but had increased to 8,000 by 1863. Officers Housed in buildings; men in tents or wooden barracks. Conditions: Many ill with scurvey, food only came from civilian sympathizers. If soldiers Had money, bartered; if not, they would sell parts of their clothes to buy food. Water Impure, flooding with dead fish, dead leaves, wretched smell. Small box epidemic in 1863. Known Deaths: Not recorded, but prisoners held here for an additional 2 months after The war had ended. FORT JEFFERSON: Garden Key, Dry Tortugas (islands west of Key West). Opened: 1846 as a coastal fort. Prisoners: Criminals from Union Armies Size and Description: Barren sand, 50 foot high brick walls. Conditions: Considered to be one of the worst, nicknamed "Devil's Island". Prisoners wore a ball and chain, insect problems, bedbugs, guards that were cruel to prisoners, yellow fever, malaria. Known Deaths: Not recorded FORT McHENRY: On a peninsula in Maryland's Baltimore Harbor. Opened: Not shown Prisoners: Confederate plus police commissioners, those who sympathized with the south, Army and Navy personnel who were sympathetic to the south, rebel surgeons and chaplains. Size and description: Not found Conditions: Considered one of the best. Prisoners well-treated, female visitors allowed, debate clubs held, more than one language spoken. Known deaths: Not found. JOHNSON'S ISLAND, Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie. Date Opened: February 1862 Prisoners: Confederate Size and description: 300 acres, barracks, each holding 180 men; hospital, wash house, mess halls. Guards on walkways at top of wooden fence. Conditions: Good food supply, prisoners could buy from locals, not crowded until later in the war. By later on, it held over 3,000 prisoners - men were mostly officers. LIBBY PRISON, Richmond, VA. Date opened: not shown Prisoners: Union Size: Three story brick building. Conditions: Considered a runner-up to Andersonville with an infamous reputation. Prisoners were so crowded as to have to sleep on their side to fit. Very short food supply, cold, lice, . If a soldier was seen in the windows looking out, he could be shot. By May 1964, 125,000 prisoners had been placed here - all officers. Deaths Recorded: Not shown. To be continued: (c) Copyright 25 May 2000, Sandra K. Gorin, All Rights Reserved, sgorin@glasgow-ky.com Col. Sandi Gorin, 205 Clements,Glasgow, KY 42141 (270) 651-9114 - E-fax (707)222-1210 - e-mail: sgorin@glasgow-ky.com Member: Glasgow-Barren Co Chamber of Commerce Publishing: http://members.delphi.com/gorin1/index.html Barren Co: http://www.rootsweb.com/~kybarren/ TIPS: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ky/Tips KYBIOS: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ky/Bios ARCHIVES: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl ==== KYRESEARCH Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe, send message to KYRESEARCH-REQUEST@rootsweb.com and say unsubscribe in the message.