Elmira Prison (Union)

Elmira barracks were built at the beginning of the war as a general recruiting depot; but in July, 1864, Division No. 3, of the barracks, called afterwards Camp Chemung, was converted into a prison camp. This division was situated on the river-bank a mile and a quarter west of the town. The site was believed to be healthy; it was level, and having a sandy soil resting on a stratum of coarse gravel a few feet below the surface, afording good underground drainage. At the date mentioned twenty of the old barrack buildings were considered fir for the occupation of the prisoners and tne new ones were constructed. The former, 88 x 18 x 8 feet, were intended to accommodate each one hundred men. Mess-halls and kitchens were suitably furnished. The barracks were built of pinel they were well lighted, watmed by stoves and provided with ridge-ventilation. The bakery could turn out six or seven thousands rations per day. Good water was obtained from two wells, and any deficiency was supplied from the river. Lavatories and baths were not at first specially provided. Drainage was by means of pits dug to the porous subsoil. The sinks were covered pits, which were filled up when necessary.

The prison camp was only there for one year, yet it had the highest death rate, per capita, of any prison camp north or south, 24 percent. The following statistics are offered as published.
Elmira prison was located on a 30 acre site,  along the banks of the Chemung River. A one acre lagoon of water, called Foster's Pond, stood within the walls of the stockade. The pond was a backwash from the river and served as a latrine and garbage dump. Prison buildings were located on the high northern bank of the lagoon. The lower southern level, known to flood easily, later became a hospital area for hundreds of smallpox and diarrhea victims.

The prison camp was only there for one year, yet it had the highest death rate, per capita, of any prison camp north or south, 24 percent. The following statistics are offered as published.
Elmira prison was located on a 30 acre site,  along the banks of the Chemung River. A one acre lagoon of water, called Foster's Pond, stood within the walls of the stockade. The pond was a backwash from the river and served as a latrine and garbage dump. Prison buildings were located on the high northern bank of the lagoon. The lower southern level, known to flood easily, later became a hospital area for hundreds of smallpox and diarrhea victims.

The prison was conceived on May 15th. 1864, when Adjutant General E. D. Townsend reported several empty barracks could be used to house a large number of "Rebels" recently captured.

Hoffman wrote to to Eastman on 5/19 that he had HEARD the site would hold 10.000.
Eastman then replied on 5/23 that the barracks "could hold 4,000, with plenty of room for another 1,000."
Hoffman on 6/22 tells Eastman "to make the area, being enclosed by a fence, enough to accomodate, in barracks and tents, 10,000 prisoners."
On June 30, 1864, Eastman wrote to Brigadaire-General L. Thomas that the camp was ready to receive prisoners, "as there will be about 50 compaines of 200 men each (10,000)...".

The camp bakery had adequate facilities for feeding 5,000 prisoners. No camp hospital existed, but tents were available for any men who might become ill. Preparations for 10,000 prisoners does not appear to have been made.
Inside the fenced in area (know as "the pen") stood 35 two-story barracks, each of which measured 100 by 20 feet. Ceilings were barely high enough to accommodate two rows of crude bunks along the walls. Unsealed roofs characterized the wooden buildings. The floorings were of green lumber, without foundations, and had little resistance to wind and water. Behind the rows of barracks was a group of buildings converted into a dispensary, adjutant's office and guard rooms. To their rear, extending to the northern bank of Foster's Pond, were the cook houses and mess halls. The first group of prisoners to arrive at the prison quickly crowded the allotted barracks. Subsequent arrivals lived in "A" tents scattered around the prison area.

At the time of their arrival, most prisoners were unaware of one last and deadly factor. The prison was located in New York State, where for at least four months of the year, the weather was bitterly cold. One prisoner from Virginia wrote the compound was, "an excellent summer prison for southern soldiers, but an excellent place for them to find their graves in the winter."

The first contingent of prisoners arrived from New York by train. Prisoners were pleasantly surprised when sympathetic citizens, at many stops, distributed food and clothing to them. Yet, wrote one prisoner, "these agreeable incidents were occasionally diversified by the insults of some sleek non-combatant, whose valiant soul found congenial occupation in fearful threats of our indiscriminate massacre, if he could only lay hands on us."
The first group reached the prison at 6 a.m. on July 6th and numbered 399 men, one soldier escaped enroute. The second group arrived early in the morning of July 11th, followed by 502 Confederates the following day. Before departing their earlier prison camps, the prisoners received vaccinations for smallpox. The injections were of poor quality vaccines, and seen on many arms "were great sores, big enough, it seemed, to put your fist in."
On July 15th, an Erie Railroad train jammed with prisoners, collided with a freight train near the hamlet of Shohola. Forty-eight prisoners and seventeen guards were killed. 100 prisoners and eighteen guards were injured.

By the end of July, 4, 424 prisoners were packed in the compound, with another 3,000 enroute. The total number leaped to 9,600 by mid-August. It took three hours to feed 10,000 men in shifts of 1,800 at a time. The camp commander complained of the over crowded conditions, and was told as long as the men got through their breakfast by 11 a.m. and dinner by 6 p.m. nothing more was necessary.