Camp Douglas under Mulligan

[StraboSE]

I am a descendant of a Lieutenant in the 23rd IL, Mulligan's "Brigade". After their defeat and parole at the Battle of the Hemp Bales, they served as the guards, and Mulligan as the commandant of the rather notorious Camp Douglas in Chicago. My family has maintained records and stories form Lt. Lane, my ancestor, but when speaking of this period in the unit's service, they often speak of Mulligan as "trying to clean up the camp" or that he was "the most humane of the commandants" or even that he was sent to WV because the Republicans in the city did not trust a Democrat with keeping order in the camp and even accused him of letting POWs escape. While I would certainly hope it is the truth that he tried to reform Camp Douglas into a more humane place, part of me thinks it is likely that these stories are merely my family white washing our ancestor and his CO's role at the camp. What really went on at Camp Douglas under Mulligan and the First Irish, was it the business of cruelty as usual or did Mulligan and his administration genuine try to show his prisoner's an increased dignity.

Also, any book recommendations on Camp Douglas would be appreciated.

 

[Copperhead-mi]

According to Lonnie R. Speer in his Portals To Hell: Military Prisons of the Civil War, pg. 180:

"Camp Douglas was experiencing escape problems much like Alton and problems of disease and an ever-increasing number of inmate deaths much like Rock Island and St. Louis. Its commandants were rotated in and out of the facility one after another, possibly in a feeble attempt to halt the declining conditions at the camp. However, every commandant experienced the same frustrations as the one who preceded him.

"Colonel James A. Mulligan, 23rd Illinois (Irish) Regiment, who had been captured at Lexington, Missouri, and released on parole, was the camp's first commandant who had to deal with it as a POW facility. Within the first few weeks, escapes began. 'At first,' reported I. N. Haynie, adjutant general of Illinois, 'sympathizing friends abusing the liberality of the authorities, passed into the rebel's quarters knives, pistols or money, carefully concealed within loaves of bread, articles of food or clothing... Homespun pantaloons and coats were carefully lined with greenbacks, and other devices adopted to furnish the imprisoned recipient with means to break the guard or to bribe the guard.'26

"A succession of commandants followed, including Colonel Daniel Cameron, 65th Illinois (Scottish) Regiment, who had been captured at Harper's Ferry and released on parole, and Colonel Joseph H. Tucker, 69th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, who had been the camp's commandant when it was first established as an instruction facility. Tucker again took command with two regiments of ninety-day volunteers as guards, in June 1862. Even by then, only four months after being established as a POW facility, Camp Douglas was a mess."

 

[Katsch]

You might check out this Facebook Page: "Behind Wooden Gates. The stories of Civil War Prison Camps in Illinois"? It appears like the gentleman running the page is collecting information to document the history of the Illinois Civil War Prison Camps. He may have some useful information for you? https://www.facebook.com/behindwoodengates

 

[Copperhead-mi]

Also, any book recommendations on Camp Douglas would be appreciated.

To Die in Chicago: Confederate Prisoners at Camp Douglas 1862-65 by George Levy

Quite a bit mentioned about Colonel James A. Mulligan in the above book.

 

[Bruce Allardice]

David Keller's "The Story of Camp Douglas" is the most up to date history of that POW Camp. Levy's book doesn't reflect more modern scholarship.

 

[MMaxwell]

I am a descendant of a Lieutenant in the 23rd IL, Mulligan's "Brigade". After their defeat and parole at the Battle of the Hemp Bales, they served as the guards, and Mulligan as the commandant of the rather notorious Camp Douglas in Chicago. My family has maintained records and stories form Lt. Lane, my ancestor, but when speaking of this period in the unit's service, they often speak of Mulligan as "trying to clean up the camp" or that he was "the most humane of the commandants" or even that he was sent to WV because the Republicans in the city did not trust a Democrat with keeping order in the camp and even accused him of letting POWs escape. While I would certainly hope it is the truth that he tried to reform Camp Douglas into a more humane place, part of me thinks it is likely that these stories are merely my family white washing our ancestor and his CO's role at the camp. What really went on at Camp Douglas under Mulligan and the First Irish, was it the business of cruelty as usual or did Mulligan and his administration genuine try to show his prisoner's an increased dignity.

Also, any book recommendations on Camp Douglas would be appreciated.

StraboSE,
My great-great-great grandfather we captured at the Battle of Stones River and sent to Camp Douglas. He died there after just two months with small-pox. I just purchased David Keller's book "The Story of Camp Douglas".

Mike

 

[Library Lady]

Camp Douglas: Chicago's Civil War Prison from Arcadia Publishing has a large number of period photographs which might be of interest.

Camp Douglas

Kelly Pucci explores the dark history of this historic prison, located only three miles from the Chicago Loop, that was used as a POW facility during the Civil War.Thousands of Confederate soldiers died in Chicago during the Civil War, not from battle wounds, but from disease, starvation, and...

www.arcadiapublishing.com