Civil War camp layout

[RobertP]

Were semi-permanent camps like Enterprise, Ala., laid out like more modern camps with company streets, specific cooking areas, latrines, etc. or was it more haphazard and not really predictable as you go about relic hunting?

 

[Woods-walker]

Were semi-permanent camps like Enterprise, Ala., laid out like more modern camps with company streets, specific cooking areas, latrines, etc. or was it more haphazard and not really predictable as you go about relic hunting?

I m not sure there is a solid rule here. My experience suggests semi-permanent camps (winter camp) were more haphazardly laid out than not, but with regiments together with their assigned brigades. Most winter camps here in Virginia were laid out to take advantage of hills to block the wind
The winter camps I ve hunted had troop organizations together but not necessarily roads, infirmaries etc laid out in a centralized pattern
As an example, where I ve dug a certain state artifact, I ve generally found other of the same state artifacts in that general area.

 

[UCVRelics]

Were semi-permanent camps like Enterprise, Ala., laid out like more modern camps with company streets, specific cooking areas, latrines, etc. or was it more haphazard and not really predictable as you go about relic hunting?

I agree with @Woods-walker and in the case of Enterprise there were 3 camps there. I found the parole camp some 10 years ago and it was laid out by states around the different spring sites and the hut sites were in cluster the same as the one I'm in now.

 

[captaindrew]

Were semi-permanent camps like Enterprise, Ala., laid out like more modern camps with company streets, specific cooking areas, latrines, etc. or was it more haphazard and not really predictable as you go about relic hunting?

Period manuals do specify how a camp is to be laid out with streets, officer rows, cooking areas etc.... Whether every camp was laid out by the book I'm guessing would be a case by case basis. I bet they tried to where possible but I'm sure circumstances led to modification at times.

 

[DixieRifles]

I agree with @Woods-walker and in the case of Enterprise there were 3 camps there. I found the parole camp some 10 years ago and it was laid out by states around the different spring sites and the hut sites were in cluster the same as the one I'm in now.

Is this discussion about Enterprise AL or Enterprise, MS??

 

[UCVRelics]

Is this discussion about Enterprise AL or Enterprise, MS??

He has to be meaning MS as Enterprise AL did not become a town until 1881 and there were no camps there during the CW.