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.' Point Lookout Civil War collection, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries. A View of Point Lookout Prison Camp for Confederates." Contact: 301-872-5688E-mail Point Lookout State Park, Park HeadquartersPoint Lookout State Park11175 Point Lookout RoadScotland, MD 20687Park Headquarters Hours:8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday (April 1st until October 31st)8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday (November 1st until March 31st), 7 a.m - Sunset (May through September) Special weekend hours (6 a.m. - Sunset)apply for weekends/holidays between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. 695 - Follow to Rt. . [4] The camp, originally built to hold 10,000 men, swelled to between 12,000 and 20,000 prisoners after the exchange of prisoners between armies was placed on hold. Union victory at Antietam gave President Lincoln the stimulus he needed to deliver the Emancipation Proclamation. Materials were sorted into eleven series based on the individual creators of the documents. Date. PDF SM-26 Point Lookout Civil War Prison Camp - Maryland Historical Trust By the time the Civil War ended, over 52,000 prisoners had passed through its gates. 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. A 40-acre site about 1/2 mile northeast of the hospital was selected, and work began on enclosing the area with a 15-foot-high fence, with a gallery along the top of the fence for the guards. Point Lookout Confederate Cemetery - National Cemetery Administration 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. Visit the museum and decide for yourself. The grave is marked by a pillar inscribed at its base with the names of the dead. Programs run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The soldiers who died at the prison camp are now buried at Point Lookout Confederate Cemetery located north of the historic prison. 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. The supply of blankets was very scant, and "bunks" were unknown. Please check the Use & Permissions section on a specific collection for information. Martinsville, Bulletin Print & Publishing Co., undated. Those that were buried and able to be recovered were moved to a mass grave where the marker now stands. compiled by the office of the commissary general of prisoners. 11175 Point Lookout Rd, Scotland, MD 20687 301-872-5688 Directions from Baltimore: From Rt. A National Park Service Network to Freedom site. 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. 1, The Civil War (Fall, 1993), pp. There were several different kinds of tents that the prisoners used. Point Lookout, Maryland: A Confederate POW Camp, a Union Fort, and a XVIII. Notwithstanding the enforcement of the most rigid sanitary measures, diseases of all kinds continued to spread with an alarming rapidity. The majority of the different types were: A-tents (5 men), Sibley tents (13-14 men), Hospital tents (15-18 men), Wall tents (3-8 men), Hospital flys (10-13 men), Wall-tent flys (3-8 men), and Shelter tents (3 men). Civil War. Point Lookout is situated in Saint Mary's county, Maryland. Our guards were relieved every morning, and fresh ones were mounted. 5) opposite St. Michaels Manor Way. The Department was commanded by General Barnes, United States army. All rights reserved. The earth works of a Civil War fortification still exist on the river shore near Cornfield Harbor. John Wilkes Booth stopped here to pick up weapons as he fled Washington, D.C. after killing President Lincoln. JavaScript is required to use content on this page. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. info@destinationsouthernmaryland.com, ABOUT US / Seal of Maryland during the war. ", .by Hon. We were now regularly initiated as prisoners of war, and began to feel all the rigors and severities of such. Is there a listing of POWs at Point Lookout or Elmira, NY? Lookout Cemetery, St. Marys County Sightseeing Historic St. Marys City, Point Lookout State Park and Dinner in Ridge, MD, Point Lookout, Prison Camp for Confederate Soldiers, Civil War Prison Camps > Point Lookout Prison, Point Lookout Prison Camp for Confederates, Descendants of Point Lookout POW Organization's, Public Comments: This referred to the strict search to to which all new comers were subjected, in which everything, even to a few Confederate dollars, was taken from you. The campground hosts almost 150 campsites (currently being renovated), a beach and picnic area as well as boat launch. 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. St. Mary's County's roads were notoriously rough at the time, and the trek by horse was more than 80 miles, so a relay system was set up, passing messages from one rider to the next. 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 war marked a medical turning point as modern science revolutionized wound treatment and established a triage system in the field. History of the Civil War POWs: Sketches by a Confederate prisoner at Maryland Folio E616.L8 B45 Lanier, Sidney. 2 Monocacy National Battlefield. During the War of 1812 the Chesapeake Bay was a major route for British War ships, who established a naval and military base at near-by Tangier Island in Virginia for the Royal Navy under Rear Admiral George Cockburn with Fort Albion there, which constantly raided Chesapeake Bay waterfront towns, villages and farms and scattered community residents, and also eventually attacked and burned Washington, D.C., and unsuccessfully attacked the City of Baltimore during 1813 and 1814. Point Lookout is a peninsula in St. Mary's County where the Potomac River meets the Chesapeake Bay, and the viewpoint from this strategic location made it a pivotal place during the Civil War. 2. We proudly participate in development of ArchivesSpace, which powers this website. Other black guard details included the 5th Massachusetts Colored Cavalry, the 3rd and 4th Maryland Colored Regiments, and the 24th and 28th Colored Infantry Regiments. The prison camp at Point Lookout was well-known for its crowded and poor living conditions. The Story of a Proverb: A Fairy Tale for Grown People. Description. 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). Letters from third parties display a range of attitudes that are broadly similar to those expressed by the prisoners, with an understandable, rather heavier, emphasis on family hardship. Civil War - Maryland National Guard News Union soldiers, outnumbered three to one, fought the Confederacy gallantly on the banks of the Monocacy River in July of 1864, buying time for Union reinforcements to arrive in Washington, D.C. The shooting of a prisoner was looked upon as an every day affair, especially when said shooting was done by a negro. The dividing of the prison was to seperate the enlisted prisoners from the officer prisoners. All of these factors led him to describe it as a prime spot for a potential British colony. Point Lookout, Prison Camp for Confederate Soldiers Gen. James Barnes. His paintings were annotated with captions and dialog and, while . Today, most of this hospital's remains are under the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. One source says he was imprisoned at Elmira, NY, another says Point Lookout, MD. Be respectful to all of our nations fallen soldiers and their families. Jones, G. W. In Prison at Point Lookout. Major Patterson was provost-marshal and had charge of the prisoners. .. Mr. Keiley writes: Miss Dix, the northern prison philanthropist, gives a documentary statement that the prisoners at Point Lookout were supplied with vegetables, with the best of wheaten bread, and fresh and salt meat each day in abundant measure. 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. A museum on site recounts this vivid history. 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.. These sketches were made by Confederate prisoner Jacob Omenhausser at Point Lookout, Maryland, in 1864. Additional cemetery policies may be posted on site. Veteran Reserve Corps, 166th Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st U.S. Martinsville, Va.: Bulletin Printing & Publishing Co., 1890. Malnourishment and related illnesses were also a part of daily life. Point Lookout Museum, Scotland - Tripadvisor The health of the men began to fail rapidly, and soon the prisoners' hospital was crowded. On they came (fifteen hundred of them), a ghastly tide, with skeleton bodies and lustreless eyes, and brains bereft of all but one thought--freedom and home. For background information about the two Civil War POW camps, please view these websites for Point Lookout and Elmira. Information reported to the hotline in the past has helped to eliminate certain fraudulent activities and protect State resources. Union troops arrived by train to this station, en route to Washington, D.C. to defend the capital. It is closed on all Federal holidays except for Memorial Day. Colored Troops were stationed there. They were turned into their former pen, where they found a scanty supply of tents, and, after some days, a scanty supply of straw. Point Lookout Civil War Prison, Scotland, Maryland, "If it were not for Hope, how could we live in a place like this?-, -Point Look Out, June 3, 1865." Camp Hoffman (1) (1863-1865) - A Union U.S. Civil War prison camp established in 1863 on Point Lookout, Saint Mary's County, Maryland. Point Lookout Prison Camp for Confederates. Flooding of the prison compound was frequent, soaking the prisoners their clothing, and their tents. This was the home of Booths co-conspirators Mary Surratt and her son John. Endnotes: 1. The hospital became one of the largest and busiest medical facilities in the Union's service. No bed-clothing was allowed beyond one blanket. Legend has it that Fritchie refused to lower her American flag as the rebel army passed by, inspiring the famous poet John Greenlief Whittier to write, Shoot if you must, this old gray head, but spare your countrys flag, she said.". Memorial at Point Lookout listing 3,384 prisoners who died. Copyright 2023 Visit Maryland, Maryland Office of Tourism Development. Roanoke, sitting in the bay. CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. It had been a resort area with hotels, boarding houses, cottages, and commercial establishments before the war. Dr. Mudd treated the villain, setting his broken leg. Point Lookout State Park - Maryland Department of Natural Resources We arrived in Baltimore with seven dead men on the train, and left in Baltimore a number whose condition was such that their further progress would have been certain death-- one, a gray-haired old man, who there died. 3. The camp was only about 5 feet above sea level. There was never enough food or firewood; both were strictly rationed. Welcome to the Descendants of Point Lookout POW Organization's Homepage! The winter of 1863 was now approaching, and gloom, privation and starvation were staring us in the face. I speak in all reverence when I say the I do not believe that such a spectacle was ever before seen on earth since the sick and the maimed and the afflicted of every sort crowded for help and healing around the Saviour's feet. 114-120. Twenty-nine of those who requested the loyalty oath can later be found serving with federal forces. Patients arrived to the hospital aboard ships. In the Park's Visitor Center there are exhibits which tell the Civil War story. Collection was purchased in August 2014 from Michael J. Osborne Books. On they came, some on crutches, some on their cots, others borne in the arms of their comrades; others still creeping on hands and knees, pale, gaunt, emaciated; some with the seal of death already stamped on their wasted cheeks and fleshless limbs; yet, fearing less death than the agony of dying amid enemies, where no hand should give them reassuring grasp as they tottered forth into the dark valley, and their bones would lie in unhonored graves amid aliens and foremen. [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. In 1863, the Union Army established a prison camp for Confederate POWs at Point Lookout, Maryland, on the tip of the peninsula where the Potomac River joins Chesapeake Bay. The site now offers a swimming beach, campground, lighthouse, museum and water trails, but is considered by many to one of the most haunted places in America. All rights reserved. The negroes never let an opportunity pass to show their animosity and hatred towards us, and the man who shot a Rebel was regarded as a good soldier. Later on, a boat was arranged to bring in fresh water for the prison. I have conflicting family accounts regarding a local Confederate solder who was taken prisoner by Union soldiers. 2. The Story of a Proverb: A Fairy Tale for Grown People. Fresh water for drinking was scarce and polluted. Only 50 escapes were successful at the camp. 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. As part of the Union, but rife with Southern sympathizers, Maryland was a microcosm of a nation torn apart by war. NY, 1862-65; Point Lookout, MD, 1863-65; and Rock Island, IL, 1864. The sample, of course, is biased, in that the letters in the Point Lookout Collection were all addressed to federal authorities--mostly to commandant, John N. Patterson. 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. If by gift or purchase another came into the possession of any more it was, by order, taken from him. To our suffering from the cold and the want of pure water was now added that of hunger. The site was leased to the Federal Government in June 1862, and quickly became a major government installation. 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 American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. Political prisoners--Confederate States of America. We were compelled to stand in our damp tents, and "mark time" to keep from freezing. Assisting the guards in their duties was the ironclad U.S.S. Place Categories: Byways Trails and Parks, Explore, and Museums and Historical SitesPlace Tags: African American Heritage, Hiking, Historical Sites, Museum, Parks, and Trails. [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]. The last prisoners were released from Point Lookout in July 1865 (2). So severe was the cold that 'even the well-clad sentinels had to be relieved every thirty minutes, instead of every two hours, as is the army rule. Maryland in the American Civil War - Wikipedia All materials were placed in acid-free folders and in acid-free boxes. Point Lookout State Park is a public recreation area and historic preserve occupying Point Lookout, the southernmost tip of a peninsula formed by the confluence of Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River in St. Mary's County, Maryland. Sutlers--Maryland--Point Lookout--History--19th century. The Point Lookout Lighthouse is currently closed for renovations. International Piano Archives at Maryland. Major Patterson (the Provost-Marshal) stood at the gate, and as each prisoner came up, he deliberately shot at him. Confederate Prisoners of War ~ 1861 ~ 1865 - AHGP 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. 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. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. As a result, approximately 3,000 prisoners died there over 22 months. Disease and illness were rampant. PointLookout - Maryland Department of Natural Resources Civil War Prison Camp in Maryland - Rebekah Colburn Captain John Smith, the famed explorer who surveyed the Mid-Atlantic region for the British Crown, came ashore at Point Lookout in 1608. Hours, Special Collections in Performing Arts In 1862, a hospital was established for the Union under the direction of Captain L.C. Blue and Gray Days The earth works of a Civil War fortification still exist on the river shore near Cornfield Harbor. The Battle of Antietam became a pivotal event during the Civil War. Is there a listing of POWs at Point Lookout or Elmira, NY? In 1632 it was included in King Charles I's grant to George Calvert, Lord Baltimore. Growing up in Southern Maryland, I knew Point Lookout as a fishing pier. On February 25, 1864, for the first time, the 36th U.S. Mary was tried and hanged for her role in the plot, but some still believe she was innocent. Point Lookout is a peninsula formed by the confluence of the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. Because of the topography, drainage was poor, and the area was subject to extreme heat in the summer and cold in the winter. All the guard details were extremely strict and easily provoked. United States, Records of Confederate Prisoners of War - FamilySearch You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Officially named Camp Hoffman, the 40-acre prison compound was established north of Hammond Hospital. Point Lookout is situated in Saint Mary's county, Maryland. 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). It was called Hammond Hospital and completed in 1863. 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. 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. In all, over 50,000 men, both military and civilian, were held prisoner there. Registers of prisoners, compiled by the office of the commissary general of prisoners 1863-1865 Role 3-Vol 3 Records relating to all prisoners. While most came from Southern states, two men were born in Maine (James O. Goodale and Charles H. Small), two others in Illinois (Brice Holland and Minor Rogers/Rodgers), and at least one man from New York (Lucien A. Rudolph). [5][6][7] He surveyed the lands and waters of the area, including the mouth of the Potomac River on the south side of Point Lookout and its small nearby tributary, the St. Mary's River. .SOUTHERN HISTORICAL SOCIETY PAPERS, Vol. Sign in to reply Colored Infantry Regiment. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. 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. 4 Surratt House Museum. The hospital could not accommodate all the sick, and they were left in their tents, many of them with a blanket only to protect them from the damp ground, and entirely destitute of proper nourishment. 1 Antietam National Battlefield. Laurie Smith over 4 years ago I have conflicting family accounts regarding a local Confederate solder who was taken prisoner by Union soldiers. Point Lookout sponsors historic programs and demonstrations throughout the year. It attracted attention from the outset of English colonization in America. A small section of the prison pen has been reconstructed where it once stood. Today, Point Lookout State Park retains Point Lookout Light, the original lighthouse built in 1830, a fishing pier, boat launch facilities, public beaches and facilities, overnight camping, Civil War historical remains, and, reputedly, ghosts. MS 439, Naval History Collection The prison camp opened in 1863 and initially housed Confederate prisoners of war captured at the Battle of Gettysburg. Early battlefield photography from Antietam first brought the realities of war to American homes. Are there any records indicating names of prisoners at either one of these site? These were killed while sleeping and were unconscious of having committed any offence whatever. The flat topography, sandy soil, and an elevation barely above high tide led to poor drainage, and the area was subjected to extreme weather, from blazing heat to bone-chilling cold. At the extreme end of the peninsula, near the lighthouse, a 1,400-bed hospital complex was built with 20 buildings arranged in a circle, a large wharf to receive supplies and the wounded soldiers that came in from battlefields; a number of storehouses and stables; laundry and dining facilities; and additional quarters for officers, doctors, surgeons, and Union troops. 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. In 1965, 100 years after the Civil War, Maryland's State Forest & Park Service began the creation of Point Lookout State Park, comprising 1,046 acres. The latrines at the camp were built out over the bay on the east side of the camp for use in the daytime. Maryland Stacks E468.7.O55 2014. We searched the National Archives Catalog and located, 26 series regarding Confederate Prisoners held at Point Lookout, 12 series regarding Confederate Prisoners held at Elmira, NY, War Department Collection of Confederate Records (Record Group 109) that may be useful for finding information about your family member possibly being held there. Email Collection Overview Finding Aid View Box List The largest prison camp run by the Union during the Civil War, Point Lookout served not only as a prisoner of war camp, but also as a hospital for both Union and Confederate soldiers between 1862 and 1865. Decisive battles that preserved the Union happened on Marylands soil. The site was comparitively isolated and easily protected. Point Lookout State Park - Wikipedia [4] It is the southernmost spot on Maryland's western shore, the coastal region on the western side of the Chesapeake Bay. Point Lookout, Union POW camp for Confederate soldiers, was established after the Battle of Gettysburg and was open from August 1863 to June 1865. 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. 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. https://www.lib.umd.edu/collections/special, Majority of material found within 1861-1922. Best of luck with your family research! Dr. Mudd treated the villain, setting his broken leg History continues to debate Dr. Mudds role in the plot to kill Lincoln: some say he was part of the conspiracy, others claim he was an innocent caught up in Booths folly. 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]. Two memorials stand commemorating the Confederate soldiers buried in a mass grave at the cemetery. 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.