Women & Children in Prison

[dawna]

Women mentioned in "Camp and Prison Journal" by Griffin Frost

Feb 7, 1864--Great Heavens, my blood boils—women in this hole of filth and blasphemy! I could scarcely believe it until I saw with my own eyes, Mrs. Mitchell, who is here with a little daughter five or six years old. She is charged with smuggling goods through to the Confederates. The Northern armies move making deserts in their tracks, and a loving woman is imprisoned for stretching out her hand to the needy. Other ladies besides Mrs. M. are confined here, but I have not learned their names.

April 3, 1863--Mrs. Jeff. Thompson, Mrs. Calhoun and a Mr. Bently, were all arrested to-day. The ladies were sent to the female prison, so we are informed by Mr. Bently, who was sent here.

OCTOBER 1, 1864.—Some fifteen or twenty women and children were brought in this afternoon, and are now quartered in a building opposite Gratiot. I do not know whether they are prisoners or refugees, but one thing I am certain of—they are the raggedest and dirtiest set I ever saw; some of them have not sufficient clothing to hide their nakedness. They were picked up out in the Southwest. Some of the women would be really good looking if they were properly dressed, but they are a pitiful looking crowd in their present condition. I presume they are fair samples of the wretchedness and squalor of those destitute regions.

Aug 6, 1864--We thought yesterday that our female prisoner was released, as she was out before the Provost and came back, and then left again, but we are informed to-day that she is still a prisoner. Her name is Wilson and her situation evidently demands other accommodations than Gratiot can afford. They have the appearance of being a very respectable couple, and it must be very harrowing to the husband’s feelings to have his wife dragged round and exposed as she is.

Aug 29, 1864--Mrs. Wilson, our female prisoner, will be removed to the same building, but we have decided that her little "coming event" should be called "Gratiot" in honor of our institution and in commemoration of her first experience in prison life; her health has been very poor since she has been confined in Gratiot, and it is to be hoped the change may prove beneficial.

SEPT. 2, 1864-—Our new lady prisoner, of last evening, is a Miss Jane Hancock, arrested for smuggling ammunition through the lines. Eleven of the Myrtle street ladies were brought over this evening and all except two are young ladies, one of the two is a very old lady, seemed quite feeble, scarcely able to walk; the other had a little child with her. Nearly all of them were dressed in black. On their arrival at Gratiot, supper was prepared for them in the officer’s dining room, after which they were conducted to their quarters. Mrs. Wilson and Miss Hancock were taken from the round room and placed with them, making thirteen in all, in the feminine mess.

[yankeewoman]

Women took all the risks of the men.

I know of at least three who were at Andersonville, and one of those gave birth there. She and the baby were later taken in by a married couple in the area. One of those three I mentioned is buried there..... I believe in a grave marked "unknown" (grave #101, maybe? not sure)

There were probably many others, as the sex of the individual often was not discovered until the burial party did its duty.