A POW at Point Lookout

[TerryB]

I did a lot of research and posted most of it to a couple of threads here, while trying to ID a CDV of a young man in his early 20s in my collection, indexed as John Myers. My John Myers was not the man I stumbled upon as a POW at Point Lookout, Maryland at the end of the war. His story was very interesting, including the fact that in the 1890s he captained vessels that were running guns, explosives and recruits to Cuban rebels. Well, once I wrote the story up on my blog, somehow I managed to delete it during an editing phase. I could not recover it, and eventually had to do the whole thing over again.

http://www.civilwarmysteriesampmore.com/

 

[TerryB]

There are cartoons of Point Lookout drawn by a Confederate POW. I'll post a link when I find it.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vaul...tches_by_a_confederate_prisoner_at_point.html

 

[TerryB]

John's stepmother, Elizabeth Hopkins Myers, was the niece of Abolitionist Erastus Hopkins of Norhthampton, Mass. Her younger brother, George, was living with the Myers family in St. Augustine in 1860. He was a medical student and served in the Union navy as an assistant surgeon. Later in life he was committed to a Union veterans home in Virginia where he died of morphine addiction.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=41&GSmcid=46623970&GRid=124817222&

 

[TerryB]

I found John's memorial at findagrave and added some things.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...Sst=11&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=59137049&df=all&

 

[TerryB]

Some of the things Elizabeth, known as Bessie, sent to John in a carpet bag are almost laughable, others show her tender care and thoughtfulness.


List of contents of carpet bag I sent J.K.M. to be forwarded to you.


Coat, pants- vest- 4 pr socks- 2 pr drawers 2 flannel shirts- 2 white cotton shirts- 1 pr shoes, 1 hat- 1 box paper collars- 1 necktie to wear with them- 2 pocket hdkfs [handkerchiefs]. comb, toothbrush, nail brush- Castile soap- pumice soap for the hands- 2 towels. Needle book containing knife.- scissors in coat pocket. 1 testament, Harper's Monthly for Apr, 1 novel, Life for a life- Letter paper and envelopes- pen holder and 2 pens- pins- thread- needles- two or three postage stamps (all I had in the house). I believe this is all and I hope you will get it soon. E.H.M.