Two years ago, I visited this Civil War era Ft. Lincoln at
Point Lookout, Maryland. It was used and did hold CSA pows.
I do remember was that it was mosquito infested area due to the
coastal area. These and many others names were inscribed onto
a large granite monument at Ft Lincoln located at Point Lookout
State Park, MD. Over 4000 CSA POWs died there.
I have three names of CAPPS who died at Point Lookout Prison,
Maryland:
CAPPS, A. J., Sgt, B Co., 13th VA Cav.
CAPPS, J. I., C Co., 9th VA.
CAPPS, James M., B Co. 25th Alabama.
The following is a quote form the internet address (below)
about Point Lookout Prison.:
"The area known as Point Lookout had its beginning in the mid-1800's as a
pleasure resort. When the Civil War broke out, the owner sold the property to
the government as a site that could be used as a military hospital. The
Hammond General Hospital was soon built, but it was quickly decided that the
area would best be served as a prison camp.
Officially, the place was known as Camp Hoffman. There were never any barracks
built and the prisoners had to sleep in tents. Later, when the place became
overcrowded, they were not even afforded that luxury. The low, marshy land of
the area bred disease among the prisoners and men soon started to die from
smallpox, dysentery and scurvy. The place was a hellhole and instead of the
10,000 prisoners it was supposed to hold, more than 20,000 were crowded in at
one time, making it the largest prison camp of the Civil War.
The Confederates tried several times to take the camp and free the prisoners.
Finally, an airtight plan was formulated but the Union troops got wind of it
and Fort Lincoln was built nearby to stop any future plans of freeing the
prisoners.
In 1862, a hospital was built in the camp so that doctors could minister to
the soldiers. It consisted of many buildings, arranged in a circle like spokes
on a wheel. There were fifteen buildings used as wards.
After the war, Camp Hoffman was dismantled, although many of the buildings
still stand today as reminders of the past..... and some say that many of the
soldiers imprisoned here stay also. It is not only the buildings here that are
haunted, but the very land the camp stood on also."
To view per internet the info about Point Lookout State Park, the address is:
<
http://www.prairieghosts.com/ftlincoln.html>
Second address is:
<
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/pointlookout.html>
In one of my son's Civil War books entitled The American
Heritage Picture History of the Civil War, 1960, p. 502, there
is a colored picture and caption, " In the crude painting below,
John Omenhausser, a Rebel combined at Point Lookout Prison,
Maryland, depicted the sport of ratcatching."
I'll try to describe the picture. I hope that my description does not offend
anyone. I will just be trying to relay what was drawn by a prisoner.
The background of the picture shows white tents in the shape of
teepees, one small white square building with an open wooden door, a shelf
is on the front of the building and on that shelf is a loaf of bread. The
word "BREAD" is written over the shelf (???). Three men are shown
chasing a black long tail rat. Caption "catching rats."
Two other men are at the camp fire with a skillet on the ground, a bucket
and 2 dead rats on the ground. One of the men is apparently "dressing" the
rat in preparation for cooking, as he is kneeling on the ground and is
holding a knife between his teeth. caption: "cooking rats"
All men are barefooted, wearing hats, shirts and pants with holes
The picture came from the Maryland Historical Society. Again, I hope
that the description does not offend anyone.
Maybe this info and the 3 names will help someone.
They were not my ancestors.
ACPeeples