Camp Douglas--"The Ugly Rock"

[Gay Mathis]

My Personal Note-----My great grandfather on my father's side was captured at Jonesboro, GA and was sent to this prison "Camp Douglas" in Illinois....
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http://www.geocities.com/scvcamp1399/uglyrock.html


"The Ugly Rock"

EXCERPT & more on this website link:  Camp Douglas was worse than Andersonville...Confederate POWs were deprived of blankets, food and medicine out of cruelty and greed, and sometimes for punishment---NOT because federal guards didn't have the materials. They often returned funds from their provisions budgets because they didn't want to spend it on food or clothing or blankets for "rebels." Those residents of Chicago who threw food to Confederate soldiers or waved Confederate flags were routinely imprisoned and punished for "insulting National soldiers." Torture and cruelty were the order of the day at Camp Douglas. The death rate of 10% per month was far greater at Camp Douglas than at Andersonville. Yankee doctors called Camp Douglas an "extermination camp."

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Gay

[gray]

Had a 3rd great uncle, Pvt. Thomas S. Cleveland(Tennessee), at Camp Morton in 1863 and sent immediately to Camp Douglas. We have no details of his stay except his POW records from both camps and his oath of amnesty record which apparently he had to sign to be released at the end of the war. One POW record listed his height, hair, and eye color. Details we did not previously know. He was captured during the Ohio raid with General John Hunt Morgan. He married after the war and had 5 daughters. +++ Union photographers took pictures of the Confederates at Douglas and mailed them home to family...for a price. Some of these photos are found at the Civil War shows today for about $200-$300.

[ole]

Gay and Gray: My compliments.

Camp Douglas was not the worst "elimination" camp in the north. Elmira compares favorably with Andersonville.

The POW camps on either side do not rate a star on the report card. They do, however, qualify for some interesting statistics in that the Cornfed POW had an 88.3 percent chance of surviving imprisonment, while the blue belly had a bit less.

I am genetically unable to pick up and transfer statistics and quotes from other boards. At the risk of redirecting you at the expense of this board, just briefly visit civilwartalk.com wherein this subject has been talked to death. But, having done that, come back immediately.

ole

[Gay Mathis]

Ok, I will definitely check that other board out, and see if I agree with your assessments whether talked out or not..Can any subject really ever be talked to death, if new ones come aboard with their perspectives?..

I will always be on this board as the others to post my views, if warranted..

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Gay

[Andersonville POW]

The thing most forget is that witholding of many things from food to shelter or supplies was done on both sides.  We also tend to forget that the holding of such large numbers of POWS on both sides was never planned and this resulted in this failed experiment of NO EXCHANGE.  True, the North had more that could have been given but only if the needed items were onsite.  The logistics were not developed on either side which was a large part of the problem.  Douglas was a hell on earth, but the death rate of 10% does not compare to Point Lookout with 17% , Camp Chase at 22%, Elmiras 24% or Andersonville 29%.   These percentage of over all death rate shows that all had equal problems with death from diseases which were common on both sides.

There are many reasons that Andersonville always floats to the top in this topic is the large overpowering numbers that outrun any other stockade North or South.  With an estimated 45000 passing through its gates ( we have more than 41000 on record ) and 12920 dying it is the highest in all numbers.  This also means more than an estimated 33000 survivors who went home to tell the story of what happened here at Andersonville.  With that you had the Atwater death list which told what happened to nearly 13000 soldiers letting their friend and families know of their fate.  Nearly every town and city , large and small knew someone who died or was held here.  This is part of why there was a " need " for someone to pay.  Along with the unfair trial of Wirz and his execution ( yes, as a part time historian here at Andersonville I will loudly say he was a scapegoat ) which was widely covered in many newspapers throughout the country. 

But the overall numbers here also show that during 4 years of war, there were roughly 30,000 Union POWS who died during captivity.  13000 died here at Andersonville in merely 14 months making the numbers show that 42% of ALL Federal POWS who died during the entire war, died at Andersonville in just 14 months.  There is no other site that can show these numbers and none that can be compared to Andersonville as being the " Worst" place to be.

Kevin Frye
Andersonville Historian / NPS Volunteer
www.angelfire.com/ga2/Andersonvilleprison/

[ole]

Thanks for the numbers, Kevin. Your post lays it out about as clean as I've seen. Neither side was prepared to house and maintain the numbers of prisoners after exchange was cancelled. With the growing and accelerating numbers of prisoners incarcerated, keeping up was quite impossible. Couple that with ignorance of sanitation and rampant disease in close quarters, no prison camp was immune from charges of "cruel and unusual."

ole

[Henry Moon]

Thanks, Kevin, for your research and posting your info here on this board. To Ole and Gay:

I will always be on this board as the others to post my views, if warranted..

by Gay.

But, having done that, come back immediately.

by Ole.

Your loyalty and commitment to this board are deeply appreciated and certainly do not go unnoticed. Thanks much for all your posts.


Terry

[Gay Mathis]

Thanks, Kevin, for your research and posting your info here on this board. To Ole and Gay:

I will always be on this board as the others to post my views, if warranted..

by Gay.

But, having done that, come back immediately.

by Ole.

Your loyalty and commitment to this board are deeply appreciated and certainly do not go unnoticed. Thanks much for all your posts.


Terry

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Terry, that was so kind of you to say..Ann has a good board, and she lets all points of views be heard on many subjects..Not a "One-sided" board..That I like..

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Gay

[Henry Moon]

Ann has a good board, and she lets all points of views be heard on many subjects..Not a "One-sided" board..That I like..

Yes, Gay, there's a lot of freedom on this board to post up opinions. Of course that doesn't necessarily mean they won't be challenged, but that's a good thing. Keeps us all close to our source material. 

Terry

[18th Indiana]

In September of 1864, a group of Union officers where captured at Athens, Al.  were sent to a prison camp near  Meridian, Ms along with over a thousand other men.  The officers were transfered to a small camp a few miles away at Enterprise Mississippi.  The prison camp was run by a Major Ward, a confederate who was originally from Indiana.  The officers were given free run of the town while they awaited their exchange.  In fact it is recorded that they even defended the town against a band of Bushwhackers due to the fact that the prison had so few guards.