Winter Woes

[19thOhio]

Looking at a foot of snow and single digit temperatures I was recalling a couple winter experiences the 19th Ohio had in the south. I'll share one now and invite others to add to this series of winter woes.

The 19th Ohio was heading home after three years for reenlistment, possible bonuses, marriages and some time off. They left Strawberry Plains (Knoxville) on January 4, 1864. On a snowy January 6 they boarded a train for Loudon and once there they embarked for Chattanooga on the riverboat Painted Rock, sharing space with about 200 Rebel prisoners. The water level in the Tennessee River was low and at some point the boat struck a rock or snag and ripped a two-foot hole in the bottom. With no serious problems the regiment and Rebels made it to shore where they shivered and observed ice floes slowly moving down the river with the current. Finally another steamboat rescued them and delivered them to Chattanooga on the 13th. Since they hadn't eaten anything for three days , the men appreciated the food, new clothes, and the warming weather.

 

[lupaglupa]

The worst winter woes I know of are the Confederate prisoners at the Union camp in Elmira, New York. The camp grew far too quickly and had too many prisoners sent to it. A number of the men were thus housed only in tents when the New York winter arrived. Conditions were terrible. Many of the Confederates had poor clothing and no blankets. Hundreds of men froze to death.

 

[DixieRifles]

The worst winter woes I know of are the Confederate prisoners at the Union camp in Elmira, New York. The camp grew far too quickly and had too many prisoners sent to it. A number of the men were thus housed only in tents when the New York winter arrived. Conditions were terrible. Many of the Confederates had poor clothing and no blankets. Hundreds of men froze to death.

Wow. They ran out of room for the prisoners.

Rock Island PW camp began to take prisoners in November 1863. The prisoners from the Battle of Lookout Mountain were the first to arrive. Soon the green lumber began to dry & shrink, leaving haps in the wall. The death rate of the prisoners rose and some sources said it was higher than Andersonville for a month or so.

While researching Federal units that passed through Collierville, TN, by rail and road, I found an account about a unit from the midwest. They set up camp for the night and when they woke up they were covered with snow. It wasnt a blizzard but they complained they were colder than they had seen in their home state. It may been due to the higher humidity. Found another report of the same snowfall by a Federal unit camped out in Memphis.

 

[19thOhio]

The 19th OH return had it's winter woes as well. Heading out of Loudon at 7 am on March 22 it started to snow The road seemed to disappear in the cover of snow; the only hint of a road was a few fences along the road to guide the men on their march. By noon, five inches of snow had fallen. The trip that day was not without some misfortune. The wagon that carried their baggage was upset in a millrace that had water twelve feet deep. Mess kits came up without sugar; bread was in the form of paste. The next morning it warmed up enough to melt the snow, resulting in a march in mud.