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History Day Guide 2003 -- Civil War Prisons
Manuscripts   State Archives   Microfilms   Audiovisuals  Published Materials

Manuscripts: Journals, letters, ledgers and diaries.

MSS 58 Samuel Galloway Papers, 1840-1895
U. S. Representative and judge, of Columbus, Ohio. Correspondence and other papers relating to Galloway's congressional career, his position as judge advocate of Camp Chase, Ohio, prison camp during the Civil War, and the Ohio and national Whig and Republican parties. Contact repository for more information.
MSS 261 Johnson's Island Collection, 1861-1866
Correspondence from Confederate soldiers at a Union prison camp near Sandusky, Ohio, list of prisoners, account book, and prisoner's autograph book.
VFM 868 James T. Harnit Papers, 1864 Nov. 15.
Letter, Nov. 15, 1864, from James T. Harnit, 11th Pa. Cav., hospital steward at Andersonville prison, to Albert R. Kelly, Salem, O., telling of his physical condition and the deaths in the prison.
VFM 891 Love E. Gilbert Papers, 1864 Dec. 2
Letter, Dec. 2, 1864, from Love E. Gilbert, prisoner of war at Johnson's Island, to S. M. Pettingill and Co., requesting a loan to purchase clothing and telling of the treatment of the prisoners.
VFM 1429 William A. Sutherland Papers, 1861-1903
Scattered papers, 1861-1867, and 1903, of Major William A. Sutherland, Co. H and I, 19th O. V. I., including letters written from prison in Charleston, S. C., to his mother in Steubenville, O. Also includes letters from Rederick Sheldon McCook, U. S. N., and a draft notice of Clement Sutherland, Steubenville, O.
VFM 1834 James W. Vance Papers, 1864 MAY 12-NOV 22.
Typescript transcript of diary of member of Co. M, 5th U.S. Cavalry, who was from South Charleston, Clark County, Ohio, covering captivity at Libby Prison, Andersonville, Savannah, and Camp Lawton. Photostat of first page, and of Vance's account in "Cincinnati Commercial", July 11, 1886
VFM 1911 Alexander J. Swanger Papers, 1894, 1897.
Resident of Shiloh, Richland Co., Ohio, private in Co. K, 120th O.V.I., captured in May 1 1864, and held at Camp Ford, Confederate prison at Tyler, Texas, revisited the site in 1894 and here tells of his visit and his recollections. In addition, a brief obituary of the writer (1897).
VFM 2107 Nelson Purdum Papers, 1862-1892.
Papers from Purdum's service in the 33rd Regt., O.V.I. and as GAR member. Includes typescript story of his escape from Libby Prison in 1863 and histories of the Regiment.
VFM 2732 John Lyndes Papers, 1863-1865.
Letter from John Lyndes and Nero Lyndes to "Brother," July 25, 1863, re. life at Camp Chase, removal of prisoners to Johnson's Island, and capture of John Morgan. Also includes John Lyndes discharge from the 88th O.V.I., July 3, 1865.
VFM 4493 Abram J. Price, A Narrative of Prison Life and Escape, 1863-1864.
Civil War narrative of Sgt. A.J. Price, 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Co. G, recounts his capture by rebels in the Battle of Chickamauga; his imprisonment in Castle Lightning in Richmond, Virginia; and his transfer to and escape from prison in Danville. Consists of both holograph narrative and typescript copy, edited by Ann Hansen for publication in Ohio Historical Society's Timeline.
VFM 4551 Stephen H. Tobey Correspondence, 1964-1965.
Civil War letters of Stephen H. Tobey to his cousins, Emeline A. Prescott and Maria Bradbury of Galesburg, Ill., while a prisoner at Johnson's Island, Sandusky, Ohio.
VFM 4808 John C. Ely Papers, 1864-1869.
The collection consists of a typed transcription of John C. Ely's 1863-1864 diary of Civil War service with Company C, 115th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, accompanied by letters to Norman A. Ely from the Ohio Adjutant General's Dept., enclosing John C. Ely's service record and a history of the 115th Regiment, O.V.I., and from Andersonville National Historic Site, Ga. regarding John C. Ely's imprisonment at Andersonville prison.
VOL 311 Hiram H. Hostetter Diary, 1863 Aug. 21-1864 Apr. 15.
Journal of Hiram H. Hostetter, Company E, 45th OVI, accounts his capture at the Battle of Holston River, Tennessee, and his imprisonment at Belle Isle and Pemberton Prisons.
VOL 593 James Calvin Cook, Civil War Diary, 1862 Feb. 12-Mar. 31.
Diary of James Calvin Cook of the 50th Tennessee Volunteers recounts his capture at Fort Donelson, Tenn.; the journey to Columbus; and imprisonment at Camp Chase. Lists rank and home state of prisoners held at Johnson's Island.
VOL 641 Henry B. Parson Record Book, 1863-1875
Record book of Henry B. Parsons, a teacher and a soldier in Company G, 128th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, contains journal of events and attempted escapes at Johnson's Island Aug. 18, 1864-Apr. 11, 1865; school register for District 4 from Dec. 3, 1865-Feb. 24, 1866; teacher's lesson plans or test from 1871, and personal financial accounts including expenses of building a house.
VOL 938- VOL 940 Nelson Purdum, Civil War Diaries, Aug. 26-1864 Sept. 4
Three Civil War diaries of Nelson Purdum, 33rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, include general accounts if Civil War experiences and his sojourn as a prisoner in Richmond at Bell Island and Libby Prison.
VOL 1006 William Wilson Civil War Diary, 1863-1864
Civil War diary of Brigadier General William T. Wilson (1834-1905) of the 123rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry on life inside Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia.
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State Archives: Local and state government records.

Series 83 Ohio Adjutant's General Department. Parole releases of prisoners of war, 1862- 1863.
Includes correspondence, parole pledges not to aid the Confederacy, and lists of paroled prisoners
Series 86 Ohio Adjutant's General Department. Prisoners list, Camp Chase, 1861-1862.
Entries include prisoner's name and remarks such as date and place of capture, rank, regiment, and death.
Series 87 Ohio Adjutant's General Department. Index to prisoners at Andersonville, Georgia and Salisbury, North Carolina, 1864-1865.
Entries include prisoner's name, company, regiment, date of confinement, and place of confinement.
Series 1385 Ohio Adjutant's General Department. Paroled prisoners' correspondence, Union, 1862-1863.
Contains letters from paroled Union prisoners requesting back pay. Letters may include prisoner's name, date and place of enrollment, company, regiment, date and place of capture, date and place of parole, notice of oath taken not to take up arms against the Confederacy until duly exchanged, address, and signature.
Series 1588 Ohio Adjutant's General Department. Parole record for prisoners at Camp Chase, 1862-1863.
Lists parole records of Confederates held at Camp Chase during the Civil War. Each entry includes prisoner's name, date of parole, date of return, and date of release (if applicable).
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Microfilms

FCH 88 Sturgis, Thomas. Prisoners of War, 1861-65 [microform]: A Record of Personal Experiences, and a Study of the Condition and Treatment of Prisoners on Both Sides During the War of the Rebellion. Microfiche. Bethesda, MD: University Publications of America, 1991. 2 microfiches: negative. (Civil War unit histories. Part 2, The Union -- New England; MA: 795-796).
FLM 60 Breen, Donald J. History of the Federal Civil War Prison on Johnson's Island, 1862-65.Thesis (M.A.)--Kent State University, 1962. Microfilm.
MIC 17 Civil War collection [microform], 1804-1895 (bulk 1860-1865). Includes correspondence, diaries, reminiscences, and other papers of Ohio soldiers and Confederate prisoners.
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Audiovisuals: Photographs, video and film footage, and audio recordings.

SC 1 Civil War Prisons [graphic].
Includes images of several Civil War prisons, including Camp Sumpter, Andersonville, and Elmira. Includes views of Andersonville's "Dead Line," stockade, and graveyard. Also contains cabinet cards of prison survivor E.W. McIntosh following his parole.
SC 132 Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio [graphic], [ca. 1863-1992].
Images of Camp Chase, Civil War training facility that was later turned into a Confederate prison. Included are photographs of prisoners, barracks, sentries, the Confederate Cemetery and monument to the Confederate dead.
SC 353 Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia [graphic], [ca. 1861- ca. 1890].
Images of Libby Prison, including copies of a watercolor painting of the prison ca. 1863, and a postcard of the prison after its relocation to Chicago, about 1892.
SC 1177 Johnson's Island Confederate Prison and Cemetery [graphic].
The collection documents the prison for Confederate soldiers on Johnson's Island, Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie. There are two postcards depicting the Confederate cemetery, 8 photographs of a memorial service held at the Confederate cemetery on May 24, 1981 and reproductions of lithographs and drawings of the prison.

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Published Materials: Books, periodicals, and pamphlets.

973.771 L993e 1999 Lynn, John W. 800 Paces to Hell: Andersonville: A Compilation of Known Facts and Persistent Rumors Fredericksburg, Va.: Sergeant Kirkland's Museum and Historical Society, c1999.
973.771 Sp32p Speer, Lonnie R. Portals to Hell: Military Prisons of the Civil War. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, c1997.
973.772 F923r Frohman, Charles E. Rebels on Lake Erie: The Piracy, The Conspiracy Prison Life. Columbus: Ohio Historical Society, c1965 (1975 printing).
973.772 J789I Joslyn, Mauriel. Immortal Captives: The Story of 600 Confederate Officers and the United States Prisoner of War Policy. Shippensburg, PA: White Mane Publishing Company, c1996.
973.772 K729 Knauss, William H. The Story of Camp Chase: A History of the Prison and Its Cemetery, Together with Other Cemeteries where Confederate Prisoners are Buried, Etc. Columbus, Ohio: General's Books, 1990.
973.772 Sh48n Shepherd, Henry Eliot. Narrative of Prison Life at Baltimore and Johnson's Island, Ohio. Baltimore, Commercial Ptg. & Sta. Co., 1917.
973.7771 Un3n United States Sanitary Commission. Narrative of Privations and Sufferings of United States Officers & Soldiers While Prisoners of War in the Hands of the Rebel Authorities: Being the Report of a Commission of Inquiry Appointed by the United States Sanitary Commission: With an Appendix Containing the Testimony Boston: Office of "Littell's Living Age, [1864?].
V 973.782 W27c Wash, W. A. Camp, Field and Prison Life: Containing Sketches of Service in the South, and the Experience, Incidents and Observations Connected with Almost Two Years' Imprisonment at Johnson's Island, Ohio, Where 3,000 Confederate officers were Confined/ by W.A. Wash; With an Introduction by J.M. Lewis and a Medical History of Johnson's Island by I.G.W. Steedman St. Louis, Southwestern Book Pub. Co., 1870.
PA BOX 73 23 Morgan, Frank E. A Thrilling History of the Famous Underground Tunnel of Libby Prison. New York, The Century Co., 1893.
PA BOX 703 32 Carpenter, H. At Johnson's Island/ Described by a Confederate officer. Veteran. Columbus, Ohio: Veteran Publishing Company, Vol. 1, no. 30-34 (June 14, 21, 28, July 5, 12, 1906)

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