tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892358786681938797.post4954571136171454761..comments2024-03-05T11:10:29.953-05:00Comments on My Ancestors and Me: Fort Delaware Prison and the 157th Regiment OVI in the Civil WarNancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12136584654825212359noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892358786681938797.post-83041475160718000112018-03-12T16:43:03.669-04:002018-03-12T16:43:03.669-04:00Correction- the 157th was only at Camp Delaware fr...Correction- the 157th was only at Camp Delaware from May 15th to June 30th. Still, I doubt they were the worst POW guards of captured rebels of the war.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00927013223853154189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892358786681938797.post-10900880599570317882018-03-12T16:37:00.056-04:002018-03-12T16:37:00.056-04:00With respect, I doubt the 157th Ohio were the &quo...With respect, I doubt the 157th Ohio were the "worst prison guards" and there's no question Camp Delaware was not the worst prison for captured Confederates; in fact, it doesn't even come close.<br /><br />You're correct that the 157th was a 100-day regiment, recruited specifically for the purpose of rear-guard duties, suchas being guards at prison camps. But of the 2000 men who died at Delaware, half of them died before the 157th even got there and most of thatwas from a smallpox outbreak in 1863. Did the 157th really kill 1000 men from June to August in 1864? <br /><br />As far as worst camps, Elmira in New York state had over three times the death rate of Delaware. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00927013223853154189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892358786681938797.post-43832232105402711202013-08-20T00:16:51.611-04:002013-08-20T00:16:51.611-04:00Dee, I'm so sorry for your James and his famil...Dee, I'm so sorry for your James and his family. He and many others suffered in POW camps during the Civil War. I'm sorry that my g-g-grandfather was a guard in the prison where James served.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12136584654825212359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892358786681938797.post-2688317406567794182013-08-18T00:29:49.310-04:002013-08-18T00:29:49.310-04:00My great great grandfather, James Alexander Meek, ...My great great grandfather, James Alexander Meek, was a CSA soldier at Ft. Delaware. He was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg on 8 Jul 1863, and sent to the POW camp shortly thereafter. I blogged about it here: http://dee-burris.dreamwidth.org/34774.html<br /><br />Given what happened in James' marriage to my great great grandmother shortly afterward - the exact events I'll never know - and the ripple it had in the family fabric even three generations afterward, I have to wonder if it wasn't the effects of war and his POW experience that were the cause of the tear in the family.<br /><br />DeeDeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10963956577797121886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892358786681938797.post-60741715951455952952013-08-13T15:53:38.318-04:002013-08-13T15:53:38.318-04:00Oh, Heather, I'm so very, very sorry for your ...Oh, Heather, I'm so very, very sorry for your two ancestors. I included a link to <i>Portals to Hell</i> in the comment to JoAnne. You can read for yourself. The online version gives only a part of what Speer wrote about Fort Delaware. I can only hope that my Ellis quietly did his duty without being actively involved with the other guards. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12136584654825212359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892358786681938797.post-85510361490020071252013-08-13T15:48:27.210-04:002013-08-13T15:48:27.210-04:00Yes, this was my Hundred Days man.
Lonnie Speer&#...Yes, this was my Hundred Days man.<br /><br />Lonnie Speer's book, Portals to Hell: Military Prisons of the Civil War, tells some of the incidents of torture and brutality that occurred. I'm sure it's not the worst that's ever been done to prisoners but that doesn't make it any easier to read about. I just couldn't bring myself to post details. Speer's research seems to be very detailed. I can only assume it's accurate, too.<br /><br />The commander of the Fort at the time was Brigadier General Albin Schoepf. From the research I've done, he allowed the guards unrestrained control over the prisoners and Fort Delaware eventually became one of the most brutal prisons. Besides the purposeful brutality, it was over-crowded, fresh food and water were limited to the point of being almost non-existent. There were up to 80 deaths each month.<br /><br />I doubt there's any way to know of Ellis's participation and actions. It's possible he was quietly guarding without actively brutalizing. That's the thought I'm holding on to until I learn otherwise.<br /><br />Yes, I agree, I believe it would be worse to have a Nazi among my ancestors.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing your thoughts, JoAnne. I appreciate it.<br /><br />You can read an excerpt about Fort Delaware at http://books.google.com/books?id=mXPQ8S5_m0QC&pg=PA409&lpg=PA409&dq=157th+Ohio+Volunteer+Infantry&source=bl&ots=abh0NGX4rE&sig=4-GWEvWWAHTSsT9pXxZnQDTppOY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Tkl7UfX0K8vp0QHDtYC4BA&ved=0CD8Q6AEwATgU#v=onepage&q=157th%20Ohio%20Volunteer%20Infantry&f=false. (Sorry, I don't know how to make it a link in a blog post but you can highlight the url then copy and paste it.)Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12136584654825212359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892358786681938797.post-88923323685367260602013-08-13T12:50:56.174-04:002013-08-13T12:50:56.174-04:00Very interesting Nancy. I don't read much abou...Very interesting Nancy. I don't read much about the Civil War, but because this was by you and you use a great font, it was easy reading (thanks for that). Do you have any idea how long your 2nd great-grandfather served there?Barbara Poolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07440544740334032378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892358786681938797.post-43321392441447534802013-08-13T09:46:53.275-04:002013-08-13T09:46:53.275-04:00Interesting read, Nancy. I had two ancestors inpri...Interesting read, Nancy. I had two ancestors inprisoned there. I also wonder what made the 157th so despised?Heather Kuhn Roelkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07247311735034470203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6892358786681938797.post-32264895985984845742013-08-13T08:09:05.342-04:002013-08-13T08:09:05.342-04:00Oh dear. I totally get how you feel. Do you have...Oh dear. I totally get how you feel. Do you have any information on why they were considered the worst? He was your "hundred days man" right? So in 1864 things were stressed. There weren't enough soldiers, food, etc. and I suppose the prison would be its fullest and the water would have fouled, overall conditions would be horrible, etc. I can see that while that regiment may not have been any more cruel that previous ones, the exigent circumstances could have made it seem worse. Also you don't really know what the "command climate" was like. You get into the whole crowd mentality and having a few strong, cruel leaders could inspire the whole group to act when the individuals wouldn't consider actions like that. I suppose it isn't much consolation, though. I think it would be worse to have a Nazi in the family or even a slave owner. JoAnnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16725295327088235909noreply@blogger.com