point lookout, maryland civil war

Named Camp Hoffman probably after William A. Hoffman, commissioner-general of prisoners.Closed in 1865. Before long, the prison became the most populated and largest Union prison, at one time holding 20,000 prisoners, because it was so close to the battlefields on the Eastern Theater. United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Prisoners and prisons. Extent: 1.5 linear feet Language: The state park preserves the site of an American Civil War prisoner of war camp and the Point Lookout Light, which was built in 1830. In the Park's Visitor Center there are exhibits which tell the Civil War story. All rights reserved. Because of the extensive water erosion of the Chesapeake Bay shoreline in the last 150 years, half of the original site of the prisoner of war stockade has been obliterated and washed away by the bay.[17][9]. info@destinationsouthernmaryland.com, ABOUT US / To our suffering from the cold and the want of pure water was now added that of hunger. There was never enough food or firewood; both were strictly rationed. 8 a.m. - Sunset (October through April). The fence also divided the prison into 2 sections, one about 30 acres and the other about 10 acres. In winter when a high tide would flood the whole surface of the ground, freezing as it flooded, the suffering of the half-clad wretches, accustomed to a southern climate, may be imagined. All rights reserved. The Maryland General Assemblys Office of Legislative Audits operates a toll-free fraud hotline to receive allegations of fraud and/or abuse of State government resources. The first guard detail assigned to the camp was the 2nd and 12th New Hampshire Regiments. Copyright 2023 Visit Maryland, Maryland Office of Tourism Development. Colored Troops were stationed there. Flooding of the prison compound was frequent, soaking the prisoners their clothing, and their tents. John Jacob Omenhausser, Civil War sketchbook, Point Lookout, Maryland It had been a resort area with hotels, boarding houses, cottages, and commercial establishments before the war. Now it's a state park, with a campground, fishing, kayak rentals, great views, and deer flies. Men who were seen in the morning, apparently in health, were taken to the "Dead House" in the afternoon, and some have been known to drop in the street, and die before they could be carried to the tents. In the early 1860s, the site housed a Union military fort, Hammond General Hospital, and Camp Hoffman, where Confederate prisoners of war were held. The day was bitter cold, most of us were but poorly clad, and very few of us had shoes of any description. Begin your visit at the historic Newcomer House, site of the Heart of the Civil War heritage Area Exhibit and Visitor Center, for information and tips for planning your trip, then stop at the Antietam National Battlefield Visitor Center for an orientation to the site and a stunning view overlooking the battlefield. The colored troops were very harsh in their treatment of us, and they were no doubt urged to do this by their officers, who were certainly the meanest set of white men that could be found anywhere. (301) 274-4083 Most of the records are from the War Department's Office of the Commissary General of Prisoners. Veteran Reserve Corps, 166th Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st U.S. Point Lookout Prisoner of War Camp I have conflicting family accounts regarding a local Confederate solder who was taken prisoner by Union soldiers. Friends of Point Lookout - Southern Maryland Civil War Round Table [4][8], The area got its name from its role as a lookout post, used to watch British ship movements during the War of 1812.[9]. Gen. Daniel H. Rucker, chief quartermaster, to establish a prison camp at Point Lookout, Maryland, which would hold 10,000 prisoners. Point Lookout Prison Camp collection, 1863-1865, (Majority of material JavaScript is required to use content on this page. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. Shooting into the tents of prisoners became so common that the officers of the white regiments protested at last against their (the colored troops) being allowed in camp, and accordingly they were withdrawn at night, and white patrols substituted. Nearby, a short water taxi ride will take you to Fort McHenry, which was utilized as a Union prison camp, and the B & O Railroad Museum displays The War Came By Train exhibit, a fascinating look at how rail shaped the Civil War. It is not a proud period of time for our government, and those that survived told the story. We're available on the following channels. Smith gave very favorable reports on the area to the king of England, remarking on the abundant game and fishing opportunities, the fertile soil and the strategic military value of the area, overlooking the confluence of the Potomac River, Patuxent River and the St. Mary's River, along with its key vantage point on the Chesapeake Bay itself. Wells supplied the water for the camp, but they proved too shallow and had iron and alkaline salts in it. 3. 3 . Point Lookout Offers View to Civil War History Governor Thomas H. Hicks, despite his early sympathies . Dr. Mudd treated the villain, setting his broken leg. The cemetery is overseen by the Baltimore National Cemetery; its administrative office is open Monday-Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm. John Wilkes Booth stopped here to pick up weapons as he fled Washington, D.C. after killing President Lincoln. Growing up in Southern Maryland, I knew Point Lookout as a fishing pier. The Story of a Proverb: A Fairy Tale for Grown People. The New-York Historical Society has digitized the artwork, which was . The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System currently includes information about two Civil War prisons: Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, once a temporary home to more than 15,000 Confederate soldiers; and Andersonville prison camp in Andersonville, Georgia, where more than 45,000 Union soldiers were confined. In order to lay down at night, the men were compelled to lay so close together as to exclude sleep. Polluted water exacerbated the problems of inadequate food, clothing, fuel, housing, and medical care, and as a result, approximately 4,000 prisoners died there over 22 months. Point Lookout, Union POW camp for Confederate soldiers, was established after the Battle of Gettysburg and was open from August 1863 to June 1865. Union soldiers worried about this issue, especially after U.S. After breakfast, the prisoners passed time by busying themselves with a wide variety of occupations and pasttimes. [9][10] The death rate of 8 percent was less than half of the death rate among soldiers who were in the field with their own armies. The cemetery is open for visitation daily from sunrise to sunset. Records of the Commissary General of Prisoners - National Archives Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. For this conduct, their officers praised them, and told them to shoot whenever they felt like doing so, and right well did they obey this order, as will be shown hereafter. They carried their authority to the extreme, and would shoot upon the slightest provocation. It is located along the coast of Maryland only five feet above sea level, on approximately 30 acres of level land. The remaining seven managed to get into the camp again, without being hurt, for which they could thank the darkens of the night. VII. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. The militia also established a secret nighttime system of post riders to send intelligence reports from Point Lookout to Washington, D.C., in order to keep President James Madison up to date on British movements. The shooting of these men was without any excuse whatever, as they had expressed a willingness to surrender, and were proceeding to do so; besides, it is a recognized principle that a prisoners of war has a right to escape if he can, and the capturing party has no right to punish, but simply to remand to proper custody. Use the right side menu to identify relevant boxes and place requests. ), roughly two miles south of Scotland, MD. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1879. The Point Lookout Prison Camp collection includes official correspondence, prisoners' letters, sutlers' receipts, and other documents relating to Confederate prisoners of war held at the Point Lookout Military Prison, Maryland, largely between the summers of 1863 and 1864. The grave is marked by a pillar inscribed at its base with the names of the dead. Union troops arrived by train to this station, en route to Washington, D.C. to defend the capital. Outside the pen are wells of water, perfectly clear and wholesome, used by the Yanks. The inside of the prison was a flat stretch of sand without any shrubs or trees. Southern Maryland was an area with strong Southern sympathies, further magnifying tensions in camp. The Point Lookout Collection covers the period from 1861 to 1922; the bulk of the materials date from 1861 to 1865. For bread we were allowed eight ounces per day; this you could press together in your hand and take at a mouthful. Along the way, Confederate sympathizers attacked the Union soldiers who were injured during what became known as the Pratt Street Riots, the first bloodshed of the Civil War. Volunteers, and the 139th Ohio Infantry Regiment. In 1862, after the start of the Civil War, the U. S. government leased the land to build a military hospital for war casualties. This collection is organized as eleven series. Notwithstanding the enforcement of the most rigid sanitary measures, diseases of all kinds continued to spread with an alarming rapidity. PointLookout - Maryland Department of Natural Resources Thank you for posting your requested on History Hub! Annapolis: Friends of the Maryland State Archives, 2014. Retired as a Production Coordinator for the Prince George's County Department of Printing, Bob has taken an active role in the preservation of our Southern Maryland Civil War history. Help for civilians and veterans seeking information and military records, past and present. Daily activities in the camp consisted of reveille between dawn and sunrise and followed by roll call. Available via Digital Collections at the following link: http://hdl.handle.net/1903.1/4939 Omenhausser, John Jacob. Maryland in the American Civil War - Wikipedia All prisoners lived in the overcrowded tents and shacks, with no barracks to protect them from heat and coastal storms. Point Lookout Civil War collection, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries. It is quite likely that some Yankee official made this statement to her, and her only fault was in suppressing the fact that 'she was so informed.' The prisoners' letters and letters from camp officials provide only very brief glimpses into the conditions of prison life, with very sporadic mention made of illness or crimes committed in camp. Many died due to the harsh conditions or drowned in futile attempts to escape by swimming the mouth of the Potomac River to Virginia. There are also original copies of the Hammond Gazette, the newspaper for Hammond Hospital, and assorted newspaper clippings that document camp life and other news from the area during the Civil War. https://www.lib.umd.edu/collections/special, Majority of material found within 1861-1922. If by gift or purchase another came into the possession of any more it was, by order, taken from him. Prisoners, who lived sixteen or more to a tent, were subjected to habitually short rations and limited firewood in winter, and when the coffee ration was suspended for Federal prisoners at Andersonville, the Point Lookout prisoners lost theirs as well. The site of Point Lookout Civil War prison .and hospital for Confederates is located in lower St. Mary's County, Maryland, at the confluence of the PotoTllac River and the Chesapea~e Bay. After the battle of Gettysburg, Confederate prisoners were sent to Point Lookout Prison Camp to be held until they could be exchanged or paroled. 2023, Regents of the University of Michigan, Built with ArcLight and the U-M Library Design System. Foreign-born men included Branilio Soza (Mexico), Paul Francis de Gournay (Cuba or France), Hector De Zevallos ("the West India Islands"), John Etchevery (France), Louis Tessandore/Tessandori (Tuscany, Italy), Frank Nidel/Neidell and George Tiefenbach (Germany), Thomas Larkin and William H. Smith (England), and Luke Baxter, James Fife, Patrick Cooper, Martin Griffin, and Michael Vahey (Ireland). At the time the Civil War started, Point Lookout was a popular summer resort with a hotel, about 100 cottages, a large wharf and a lighthouse. Point Lookout State Park | VisitMaryland.org There were cases of the prison commandant and his subordinates either reducing the quality or quanity of the rations for their personal profit. Another was shot in the shoulder, and another in the abdomen, from the effects of which he died. Website by Alchemi Design / Site Map, The Religious Freedom National Scenic Byway, Point Lookout State Park & Civil War Museum. Mary was tried and hanged for her role in the plot, but some still believe she was innocent. compiled by the office of the commissary general of prisoners. [15] The privately funded Confederate Memorial Park occupies a three-acre site next to the cemetery. 8, No. Living History Happens Sept. 29-30 The Friends of Point Lookout are hosting a U.S. Civil War weekend Sept. 29-30 at Point Lookout State Park in St. Mary's County. The militia was no match for the overwhelming power and number of seasoned British ground troops. There were several different kinds of tents that the prisoners used. Changes have been made and more are being added almost everyday!' This web page is maintained by the . Even the white troops were incensed against them, and often "rocked" them while walking their posts - an act for which the prisoners were blamed, and for which they were fired into on more than one occasion. PDF SM-26 Point Lookout Civil War Prison Camp - Maryland Historical Trust It was labelled and put away, to be returned to you when you were leaving; but the valuables were never returned, as they could not be found. He was the impersonation of cruel malignity hatred and revenge, and he never let an opportunity pass in which he could show his disposition in this respect. Email Included in this series are numerous letters written by the wives, sisters or mothers of prisoners, but also some from women who may be inferred to have been members of relief organizations for Confederate soldiers. This picturesque peninsula formed by the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River was once the site of a Union outpost during the Civil War. Are there any records indicating names of prisoners at either one of these site? A small but interesting museum that provides civil war and ecological exhibits and artifacts. Records relating to all prisoners. The fisrt prisoners arrived in late July and by the end of the year, the population was more than 9,000 prisoners. Major Patterson (the Provost-Marshal) stood at the gate, and as each prisoner came up, he deliberately shot at him. All rights reserved. G. W. Jones, a private of Co. H, 24th Virginia Cavalry, described his ominous entrance into the prison amidst "a pile of coffins for dead rebels," hearing the lid close shut on his own soon thereafter when he learned that the system of prisoner exchanges had been suspended for the duration of the war. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. Add to this the short rations which were meted out to us, together with their miserable quality and the cruel treatment which we received at the hands of the negro soldiers, and you have but a faint idea of the suffering to which we were now subjected. Copyright Maryland.gov. Manage Settings The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. It colors everything black, and the scum rising on its surface reflects all the prismatic hues. Point Lookout Civil War Prison - WikiTree Leave a message for others who see this profile. It is known that at least 3,584 prisoners died at the prison. Maryland, a slave state that remained loyal to the Union, is an ideal place to understand the causes, impact, and results of the America's most violent conflict: the Civil War. I am sure that it will never be known, but of those officially listed, we shall honor. During the War of 1812, a local citizen militia in St. Mary's County established a clandestine base on Point Lookout to monitor movements of British warships on Chesapeake Bay. Point Lookout Prison Camp for Confederates. As soon as the officers reached the spot, they called upon the prisoners to surrender, saying they would not be harmed. During the Civil War, the Federal Government quickly converted a resort on the point into a military hospital. Our rations were now reduced as follows: for breakfast, half-pint, coffee, or, regather, slop water; for dinner, half-pint greasy water (called soup for etiquette), also a small piece of meat, perhaps three or four ounces. Some fifteen hundred were chosen as "unfit for duty for sixty days, being one-sixth of the whole; and on the morning of October 19, 1864, these were ordered to assemble for parole. Collection: Point Lookout Civil War collection | Archival Collections - UMD Be respectful to all of our nations fallen soldiers and their families. The largest series of materials in the collection consists of approximately 2,200 sutlers' accounts and receipts for goods sold to prisoners. The Battle of Antietam became a pivotal event during the Civil War. 2. .. A guard of negroes was sent through the camp to search for a stolen knapsack that belonged to a black guard.. the manner in which they performed that duty was observable in the number of bleeding heads among the prisoners. Names of Interred at Pt. 5 Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House and Museum. Blue and Gray Days The earth works of a Civil War fortification still exist on the river shore near Cornfield Harbor. Search For Prisoners - The Civil War (U.S. National Park Service) XVIII, pg. "Major Brady Provost Marshal." Point Lookout Sketches, 1864. 11175 Point Lookout Road Roanoke, sitting in the bay. As the war progressed and prisoner exchanges ceased, the camp became over-crowded with more than 20,000 prisoners. Point Lookout, Maryland: A Confederate POW Camp, a Union Fort, and a Place to Fish August 22, 2017 It's pretty clear why you would consider Point Lookout, Maryland, a strategic place. Description. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Popular annual festivities include: National Human Trafficking Hotline - 24/7 Confidential. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! Experience the places where these fateful events occurred and discover stories of civilians divided by conviction, but united by compassion. For background information about the two Civil War POW camps, please view these websites for Point Lookout and Elmira. Here they remained until the number for exchange sent from various points amounted to five thousand, when they were all re-embarked in three ships and sent South, first having all their blankets and every extra coat or pair of pants taken from them. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. The camp was known for its poor living conditions, especially in 1864 and 1865, and about 4,000 of the total 50,000 prisoners incarcerated in camp died (1). ", .by Hon. The forty-two color ink drawings presented here were made in 1864 by a Confederate prisoner of war at Point Lookout, Maryland, the Union's largest Civil War prison camp. A volunteer at Point Lookout State Park since 1978, Bob is also the founder and chairman of The Friends of Point Lookout, which has been in existence since 1985. Ratings and Reviews Powered by TripAdvisor, John Wilkes Booth stopped here while attempting escape from federal authorities after he assassinated President Abraham Lincoln, The Great Emancipator. The negro patrol was near, heard it, and fired into the tent, killing two and wounding several others. September 17, 2018. We searched the National Archives Catalog and located 26 series regarding Confederate Prisoners held at Point Lookout and 12 series regarding Confederate Prisoners held at Elmira, NY in the War Department Collection of Confederate Records (Record Group 109) that may be useful for finding information about your family member possibly being held there. [4] It is the southernmost spot on Maryland's western shore, the coastal region on the western side of the Chesapeake Bay. The citizen militia worked clandestinely in the area for over a year, until the British came ashore, seized and occupied Point Lookout. Click here to sign up for newsletters from Point Lookout State Park. Please enable JavaScript in your browser. Established after the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, to house some of the thousands . WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. Their orders were to allow no one to walk about after "taps" were sounded, nor to allow any unnecessary noise or conversation in camp. I am Busy Drawing Pictures:" The Civil War Art and Letters of Private John Jacob Omenhausser, CSA. A park map is available at park headquarters, the camp office, camp store, and the Civil War Museum/Marshland Nature Center. Assisting the guards in their duties was the ironclad U.S.S. Matters were thus proceeding from bad to worse. [9][16] Although a United States flag is flown in front of the memorial, a prominent Confederate flag is situated on a flagpole just outside the gates of the grounds, in memory of those dead Southern soldiers. Shortly after the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, the federal government set up a prisoner of war camp nearby and Hammond Hospital also began treating sick and injured Confederate prisoners. The back of the prison was next to the bay. All materials were placed in acid-free folders and in acid-free boxes. Most of the prisoners were Southern Marylanders accused of helping the Confederacy. Fresh water for drinking was scarce and polluted. The battle, which delayed the Confederates' attack on Washington, foiled the Confederacys plan to capture Washington and saved the capital. What is in This Collection? Laurie Smith over 4 years ago I have conflicting family accounts regarding a local Confederate solder who was taken prisoner by Union soldiers. Rats were a major source of protein for some inmates, and catching them became a favorite sport in the camp. During September 1863, the prisoners totaled 4,000 and by December 9, of that year, over 9,000 men were imprisoned. A National Park Service Network to Freedom site. The camp became extremely overcrowded and by June 1864 there were over 20,000 prisoners crowded into a space of about 1,000 square feet. It was a forty acre rectangle enclosed with a fifteen foot wooden wall with a gallery, where guards would patrol. Others claim that this "official" record is highly inaccurate and that upwards of more than 14,000 actually perished. It became known as The Battle that Saved Washington. It was called Hammond Hospital and completed in 1863. Is there a listing of POWs at Point Lookout or Elmira, NY? A small section of the prison pen has been reconstructed where it once stood. Every day we saw coffins going over the sides of the other ships. Learn more about this product and its development at. Collection was purchased in August 2014 from Michael J. Osborne Books. Only 50 escapes were successful at the camp. The site was comparitively isolated and easily protected. Within the enclosure, there were tents for prisoners, and from all known accounts, no fresh water that was clear. Federal Monument Courtesy of the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration, History Program The Point Lookout Peninsula in Maryland juts south into the Potomac where the river meets the Chesapeake Bay. Martinsville, Va.: Bulletin Printing & Publishing Co., 1890. Learn about battle events that culminated in confirming the nation, freeing the enslaved, and further defining and strengthening the purpose of the American Civil War. Place Categories: Byways Trails and Parks, Explore, and Museums and Historical SitesPlace Tags: African American Heritage, Hiking, Historical Sites, Museum, Parks, and Trails. For my part, I never saw any one get enough of anything to eat at Point Lookout except of the soup, one spoonful of which was too much for ordinary digestion. United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Pictorial works Lithographs--1850 . We were now regularly initiated as prisoners of war, and began to feel all the rigors and severities of such. Welcome to the Descendants of Point Lookout POW Organization's Homepage! Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site. As a citizen of the United States of America, I think that most of us would find the conditions unimaginable and horrifying that it is a very tragic part of our history. And here a plank was stretched from the side of the ship to the dock, and down this 'shoot' the poor, helpless, maimed creatures were slid like coal into a vault. James T. Wells, Co. A, 2nd SC Inf.

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