Camp Douglas

Lester Moore

Private
Joined
Sep 24, 2021
My great grandfather, Prior Anderson, was mustered into the 8th. Mississippi Inf. Co. "C" (The True Confederates) on July 30, 1861 in Raleigh, MS. He was captured at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee on November 30, 1864 and sent to Camp Douglas in Chicago, arriving there on December 5, 1864. He was there until the end of the war and released in June of 1865. Somewhere in the process, his first name was miss-spelled from Prior to Pryor. The story passed down through the family for many years was...he and two other Confederate soldiers, one was black, walked all the way back from Chicago to Smith County, Mississippi, some 1000 miles that summer. In 1870 Prior founded the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, in Taylorsville, MS. The Church is still there going strong. He died in 1930 and is buried there, at the Mt. Zion Cemetery.
Paul McGuffin, Green Valley, Arizona
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My great grandfather, Prior Anderson, was mustered into the 8th. Mississippi Inf. Co. "C" (The True Confederates) on July 30, 1861 in Raleigh, MS. He was captured at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee on November 30, 1864 and sent to Camp Douglas in Chicago, arriving there on December 5, 1864. He was there until the end of the war and released in June of 1865. Somewhere in the process, his first name was miss-spelled from Prior to Pryor. The story passed down through the family for many years was...he and two other Confederate soldiers, one was black, walked all the way back from Chicago to Smith County, Mississippi, some 1000 miles that summer. In 1870 Prior founded the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, in Taylorsville, MS. The Church is still there going strong. He died in 1930 and is buried there, at the Mt. Zion Cemetery.
Paul McGuffin, Green Valley, ArizonaView attachment 415767View attachment 415768
 
I tried over the years to find out as much as I could on the 8th. Mississippi Inf. and Prior Anderson. I understand the 8th was at the battles of Murfreesboro and Peach Tree Creek, in Georgia. It seems much of their records were lost over the years by the state of Mississippi. That's about all I know except for the Camp Douglas story
 
Camp Douglas is about 100 miles south of me, on the south side of Chicago. Most people have no idea of what happened there, likewise all that went on in Camp Randall 100 miles to the north.
Here is some info on Camp Douglas:
https://campdouglas.org/info/why-camp-douglas
70,000 Wisconsin troops prepared to serve in the Civil War at Camp Randall.

https://www.wpr.org/what-role-did-camp-randall-play-civil-war

So had I lived during the Civil War I would have been halfway between these two significant sites, who's significance in Civil War history is little known today.

I'm glad your ancestor survived that long walk home!
 
That is a bitter cold time of the year to be transported to Chicago. Especially that year at that time. The 1000 mike trek back to Mississippi I would take as a cakewalk compared to the freeze they went through. It would be interesting if he had kept a journal or written about the walk home.
Lubliner.
The Northern prison in Elmira NY featured bitter cold conditions too. The heat in the southern prisons was arguably easier to survive.
 
The Northern prison in Elmira NY featured bitter cold conditions too. The heat in the southern prisons was arguably easier to survive.
I don't know about that. The heat brought disease and lack of proper care, so either way was a tough stay. But these two men he speaks of were southern and being held up north during the winter until the spring. Their journey home towards Mississippi at the end if April and the month of May, though a weary trek, would have been rejuvenating if they had not been fully debilitated during their imprisonment. For those walking home toward the northern States from the south, probably better provided for as Union rule prevailed, and the people in the north were not suffering from want.
Lubliner.
 
From what I have read, when the Confederate troops captured at the Battle of Franklin, November 30, 1864, arrived in December at Camp Douglas, they were made to strip naked, no shoes even, in the snow and their belongings were taken by the guards. That was written in the book, "To Die In Chicago." My great grandfather Prior Anderson was released in June, not April when Lee surrendered.
Camp Douglas was known as the Andersonville of the North.
 
he and two other Confederate soldiers, one was black, walked all the way back from Chicago to Smith County, Mississippi, some 1000 miles that summer.
The same was told of my 2 x great-grandfather in the 13th NC. He was captured during the Petersburg breakthrough April 2, 1865. He was held till June 19th at Hart's Island, NY. The family story goes he walked barefoot back to Wilkes County, NC from New York! The truth is the Federals provided him rail transportation probably a far as Wilkesboro. He lived in the Brushy Mountains and probably had a pretty long walk from there. I was told some time ago that the Union Army attempted to transport by rail all the Confederate prisoners they could as close to their home as they could get them, considering the conditions of the railroads where they lived. Being from East Tennessee, I had relatives on both sides that died in prison. Always been an interesting part of Civil War history to me. Lieutenant William Thomas Jones, Company C 35th NC was one of the Immortal 600. He was a Black Man, the son of a slave and her master.
 
When Confederates died at Camp Douglas, they were originally buried in Chicago's Old City Cemetery which was on the shores of Lake Michigan. Winter storms often disinterred corpses washing them into Lake Michigan where surrounding cities drew their drinking water from. Over four thousand Confederates are now buried in Chicago's Oak Hill Cemetery in the Confederate Burial Mound at that location. I guess that the Chicago citizens didn't appreciate their morning coffee with a twinge of corpse mixed in. One of my ancestors was kept at Johnson's Island in Lake Erie that probably also got rather chilly in the Winter especially since one of his letters mentions the lake freezing over.
 
From what I have read, when the Confederate troops captured at the Battle of Franklin, November 30, 1864, arrived in December at Camp Douglas, they were made to strip naked, no shoes even, in the snow and their belongings were taken by the guards. That was written in the book, "To Die In Chicago." My great grandfather Prior Anderson was released in June, not April when Lee surrendered.
Camp Douglas was known as the Andersonville of the North.
I read an article that said people paid to view the prisoners from a platform.
 
I read an article that said people paid to view the prisoners from a platform.
The camp commander had a very large dog he enjoyed turning loose on the prisoners. One day the dog mysteriously disappeared. After trying several ways to find out what happened to Fido, a note was left on his door, (I'm probably missing the exact quote) but believe it read something like,

"For lack of peace, the dog was beaten,
For lack of food, the dog was eaten"
 
I tried over the years to find out as much as I could on the 8th. Mississippi Inf. and Prior Anderson. I understand the 8th was at the battles of Murfreesboro and Peach Tree Creek, in Georgia. It seems much of their records were lost over the years by the state of Mississippi. That's about all I know except for the Camp Douglas story
Stone's River after battle report:

Report of Lieut. Col. A. McNeill, Eighth Mississippi Infantry.


- -, 1863.

* * * * * * *

The above report+ is as accurate as can at present be obtained. The
regiment entered the engagement with an aggregate of about 270, and
the above list of casualties shows that near half of those who went into
action were either killed or wounded.

The regiment became engaged on Wednesday, December 31, 1862,
about 12 m., and nobly withstood a most murderous fire of shell and
shot until about 3 p.m., at which time they were ordered to withdraw.

It formed the extreme right of the brigade line of battle, and is supposed
to have fronted the enemy's center at that time. The above casualties all
occurred in the cedar grove occupied by the brigade during the fight on
Wednesday, and between the hours of 12 m. and 3 p.m. After Col.
Wilkinson was wounded [which was in the early part of the action], the
undersigned assumed command of the regiment, and takes great pleasure
in testifying to the cool courage and veteran-like heroism with which
they bore their ranks for near three hours. Indeed, both officers and
men as a whole behaved most gallantly. The conduct of those who are
reported as deserving censure is thought generally to merit unmeasured
disapprobation. An explanation is forwarded in the case of Private
J. Walker, of Company G. As he is very young, his conduct is thought
to be somewhat excusable. He returned and served with the regiment
during the balance of the time, while the others returned, most of them,
to the camp at town, and refused to come back, although repeatedly
ordered to do so.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

A. McNEILL,
Lieut.-Col., Comdg. Eighth Mississippi Regt.

Source: Official Records
PAGE 842-29 KY., MID. AND E. TENN., N. ALA., AND SW. VA. [CHAP. XXXII.
[Series I. Vol. 20. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 29.]

********************************************************************************

Chickamagua after battle report:

Report of Col. John C. Wilkinson, Eighth Mississippi Infantry.

HDQRS. EIGHTH MISSISSIPPI REGT.,
Near Chattanooga, October 4, 1863.
SIR: In obedient to orders of this date, I submit the following
report of the part taken by my regiment in the battles of
September 19 and 20:

The regiment went into the fight on Saturday, between 11 and 12
o'clock, and drove the enemy before them for near a mile,
capturing
and bringing off the field 3 pieces of artillery and 5
horses, which had been captured earlier in the day by Maj.-Gen.
Walker's command, but recaptured by the enemy. I held the
position here until I informed Gen. Jackson, through my
adjutant, that the enemy was flanking us on the right, when I was
ordered to fall back and form on a road some distance in the
rear, which I did. I was then ordered to form on a line with
Scogin's battery, in which position the regiment remained until
late in the evening, when we were again ordered forward with
Gen. Cleburne's division and drove the enemy about half a mile,
where we remained until about 11 o'clock at night, when, being
relieved by other troops, we returned to our position near the
battery, and bivouacked for the night.

On Sunday, the regiment went into action about 4 p. m. Found
the enemy posted behind his fortifications, but held my position
under a galling cross-fire from the enemy until my ammunition
became exhausted. Re-enforcements coming up, the enemy was
driven from his position.

In this last charge on the enemy Lieut. Col. A. McNeill was
killed while gallantly leading the right wing of the regiment.
Capt. J. W. White, of Company G, was also killed in the fight
Sunday evening. During the two days' battle the regiment lost 10
killed and 84 wounded.

In no instance did the regiment retire or fall back without orders.
It would be unjust to make distinction and mention particular
officers or men where all did their duty nobly.

Respectfully,

JOHN C. WILKINSON,
Col., Comdg. Eighth Mississippi Regt.

[Capt. S. A. MORENO,
Assistant Adjutant-Gen.]

Source: Official Records
CHAP. XIII.] THE CHICKAMAUGA CAMPAIGN. PAGE 92-51
[Series I. Vol. 30. Part II, Reports. Serial No. 51.]

*****************************************************************************​
 
Because I come from the Chicago area and live within driving distance from Camp Douglas I will make it a point to get there and pay my respects at the Confederate Cemetery. And do some research too. Like I pointed out above there is also a Confederate Cemetery at Camp Randall. That will be on my list too. I hate to hear about how the prisoners were treated here in the Midwest.
 
Because I come from the Chicago area and live within driving distance from Camp Douglas I will make it a point to get there and pay my respects at the Confederate Cemetery. And do some research too. Like I pointed out above there is also a Confederate Cemetery at Camp Randall. That will be on my list too. I hate to hear about how the prisoners were treated here in the Midwest.
The treatment of prisoners by both sides is nothing to be proud of. I had Confederate kin that died at Johnson's Island, Fort Delaware, and Camp Morton. My paternal grandmother's grandfather was an East Tennessee Union soldier that was shot trying to escape. My wife had a Union ancestor that died at Andersonville. It was a terrible experience on both sides.
 
My gr gr grandfather, Lorenz Kutzelman of the 39th NY Infantry spent time at Camp Douglas too. And he was a Yankee! His regiment was captured at Harpers Ferry on Sep. 16, 1862 and then paroled. They were sent to Camp Douglas until they were properly exchanged, which took about 4 - 5 weeks. While there, another " prisoner " befriended him and taught him how to make cigars. He retained that knowledge and after the war, founded his own cigar shop in Jersey City, NJ which he had for the rest of his life. BTW, he enlisted under the occupation of sugar maker.
 
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