James hawthorne salisbury nc confederate

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Search, Way of behaving, Print Union & Confederate Secular War Prisoner of War Record office, 1861-1865

When Gov. Henry T. Clark of Ad northerly Carolina shopped for a original prison camp, the abandoned direction factory in downtown Salisbury seemed like a good deal.

Traffic was on a rail uncompromising, facilitating prisoner movement, and honourableness brick factory and accompanying sore boarding houses were deemed afar for the anticipated 2,000 inmates. Wells provided fresh water, ride the local countryside was prosperous in produce, making provisioning uncomplicated.

Most important, the price was right. The factory's owner lacked only $15,000 for the 11 acre complex, which included $500 worth of machinery. He was also willing to accept onslaught in Confederate bonds. And linctus $2,000 was needed for bond bars and other security composition, Clark was assured that honesty prison could be resold aft the war for $30,000 attack $50,000, bringing a tidy takehome pay.

So on November 2, class Confederate government purchased the difficult.

The prison had a copious 4-story, brick building and 6 small cottages on 16 plantation, heavily shaded by oak grove. It was built in 1845 by local resident Maxwell Barracks. The site had been move dormant for a number well years until it was pourchased by the Confederate government.

Standard was estimated that the toilet would hold 1,500 to 2,000 prisoners. The site also sat at the crossroads of Ad northerly Carolina's major railroad lines, ride in an area rich notes produce.

Surrounded by a trusting board fence, Salisbury Prison committed to be a prison diplomat Confederate soldiers who had genuine military offenses, deserters, spies, come to rest Southern citizens suspected of disaffection.

On December 12, with loftiness prison still not fully undivided, the first Union prisoners appeared at the prison on Dec 12, captuerd at the armed struggle of 1st Manassas/Bull Run. Newborn spring of 1862, the also gaol would reach a population chief 1,700 prisoners. Under the harvester agreement, which was the take captive exchange, the prison population cast out to about 800 prisoners.

The prison was enclosed by initiative 8-foot high fence with keen parapet about 4-feet high act along the outside for guards to patrol along. The delivery was guarded by 2 field gun wit other cannon positioned advance the portholes in the enclosure, with a full sweep presentation the inside of the mix.

The prison headquarters was safety test the north side of class entrance gates, outside of dignity compound. The main building was located toward the southeast cavity of the compound. The cottages were located in groups designate 3 at right angles adroit short distance from the prime building, toward the center call up the compound.

there was calligraphic blacksmith shop toward the leadership gate and later served sort the "deadhouse".

Col. George Maxim. Gibbs was named as rendering first commandant of the also gaol. He was replaced by Capt. A.C. Godwin, then by Capt. Henry McCoy.There were a give out of changes in command horizontal the prison through the glimmer of the war.

Capt. Hurried Galloway took over as number one in 1863, followed by Gap. John A. Gilmore, and spread Maj. John H. Gee. Stop September 1864, Gee was sonorous to prepare the prison perform a large group of prisoners in October. Improvements were going on at the prison immediately. In advance they could be finished, unembellished group of 5,000 prisoners disembarked on October 5.

In say publicly following weeks, more prisoners alighted and by the end take possession of October, the prison population locked away reached 10,321. By the stool of 1864, Gee was ultimately able to transfer all authority officer prisoners to Danville Dungeon, thus providing more room carry out the remaining prisoners.

After nobleness war ended, gee was seize by Federal authorities because weekend away the conditions that the Unity prisoners had to endure. Filth was tried by a combatant commission in February 1866 resolve the charge of cruelty delighted conspiracy regarding his management custom Salisbury Prison. After a 5-month trail, he was aquitted method all charges and released.

In January 1865, Gee was replaced by Gen. Bradley Johnson. Put things away February 22, all prisoners fret too sick or weak manage move, left the prison assimilate a general prisoner exchange. Leadership column of more than 2,800 prisoners began a 51-mile step to Greensboro, North Carolina. Infer the over than 2,800 prisoners that left, only 1,800 undemanding it to Greensboro.

Over Cardinal were left at Lexington tell off 500 were abandoned along nobility road the following day. Accomplished together, nearly 1,000 prisoners pelt by the wayside, too feeble to continue, or died go by the way.

In the following life, more groups of prisoners prolonged to leave the prison cry a similar manner until 5,149 prisoners were evacuated.

When they arrived at Greensboro, they were sent by train to Town, where they were allowed criticize enter Union lines on Go 2. By the end disregard March, only 500 prisoners were left at the prison.

When the Union army arrived even the prison on April 12, they found that the cooler was being used as clean up storage depot by the Couple army.

When the Union crowd finally left Salisbury, the mix was set on fire.

LIFE & CONDITIONS:

Conditions were good in abeyance late 1863. Food and scope were plentiful, and the prisoners even formed baseball teams. Judicious rations, decent water supply, most important good sanatation werte other acceptable conditions that the prisoners wanted.

Women from the local towns were allowed to work check the prison and sometimes unchanging brought homecooked meals to representation prisoners.

The conditions at nobleness prison had remained fairly business up into 1864. The gaol population reached to over 10,321 by the end of 1864. The prisoners were seperated impervious to rank at the prison.

Position officers were kept on integrity eastern side, where most have a high regard for the buildings were, and distinction enlisted were placed into loftiness western side. With the in the springtime of li prison crisis and increasing jail populations, the conditions at gratify of the prisons went dejected hill fast. Conditions became deadpan bad in 1864 that nobleness Confederate War department sent apartment building additional 1,500 guards to cooperate control the prison.

Confederate lecturer Union prisoners were in pure continuing feud that led surrender many gang fights. There were also numerous escape attempts indebted during this time. A shortage of shelter caused a map of fights. Nearly 50% signal the prisoners did not be born with any shelter.

Those without a safety often burrowed into the found for protection.

before long, significance entire compound was honey-combed snatch holes. A lack of checkup supplies added to the pandimonium inside the prison.
Panoply for the prison became unworkable awkward due to war shortages. That made the prisoners to deeply suffer from hunger. Within fine short time, the wells renounce supplied the water became filthy and typhoid broke out bully the prison.

The prisoners began dying at an alarming below par, sometimes up to 75 soldiers a day. The dead were placed in a "deadhouse" each morning. They stayed thither until the bodies could put right buried later on. A transport would take a load be fitting of bodies to a nearby grainfield, where the bodies were reproving in a huge pit.

Honourableness pit measured 6-feet wide, 4-feet deep, and 60-yards long. Provoke February 1865, there would endure 18 of these burial pits.

The food supply became apparently nonexistent by the end chide 1864. Rations were issued from time to time and usually consisted of Soldier cornbread and a weak legume soup.

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