“The First 400” – Confederate Prisoners Arrive in Elmira

By Joseph Bordonaro · Originally published September 2017 · p. 14

“The First 400” – Confederate Prisoners Arrive in Elmira By Joseph Bordonaro The first 400 Confederate prisoners, and their guards, arrived in Elmira, N.Y., on July 6, 1864. On the weekend of June 24-25 2017, a reenactment of their arrival took place in the now-quiet town. The “prisoners” were marshalled at the old train depot (built in 1867 on the footprint of the original depot and faced by a street paved with 1860s brick). They were formed up and marched through town to the site of “Division No. 3,” later called Camp Chemung. One “prisoner,” Patrick Fetta, is the great grandson of Confederate soldier, Thomas David Crouch, 22nd Va. Inf., who was imprisoned in the camp. The prison was inside what had been a Federal training camp established in 1861 as Camp Rathbun alongside the Chemung River. With enlistments falling off drastically by 1864, and with the Confederate prisoner population swelling dramatically with the breakdown of the prisoner exchange system, the decision was made to convert the training camp into a prison camp.

Sadly, virtually nothing remains of the old camp. An original building once located near the camp was moved next to the new museum building (formerly part of the Elmira Water Works), and is now inside the former prison camp area. In addition, work was begun on an exacting reproduction of a barracks building. As part of the reenactment, “prisoners” worked on planking the building under the watchful eyes of “ward bosses” (prisoners selected to be leaders of sections of prisoners) and “Camp Commandant Major Cox” (portrayed by Alexander Stowe).

Ethan Ezra Doane entertains his fellow prisoners. (Claudia Carnes) Throughout Saturday, groups of visitors were taken through the “camp” by organizer Doug Oakes, while the other main organizer, Terri Olszowy, facilitated the event’s logistics. Visitors were able to climb up an observation tower, similar to the one used in 1864 to allow the town’s folk to view the Confederate prisoners from a safe distance. They then followed Doug into the prisoner camp (a group of “A” tents) and the guard camp (another group of “A” tents). The Confederate “prisoners” were wearing very authentic Confederate uniforms, and the guards were also dressed in authentic uniforms. The guards portrayed both volunteer State Troops and members of the “Veteran Reserve Corps,” experienced soldiers who were no longer up to active campaigning but were fit enough for lighter duty. A series of scenarios unfolded during the course of the event, including a “town ball” game by the prisoners, cooking for and feeding the prisoners by “civilian contractors,” with prisoners doing most of the work, “delousing” the prisoners, followed by a dip in the Chemung River, punishment of a Confederate prisoner, and various other activities.

On Sunday, a march to Elmira’s Woodlawn Cemetery Wallace Markert which is also the burial site [email protected] of Mark Twain, was followed 16905 Nash Road • Dewitt, Virginia 23840 by a commemoration inside 804-536-6413 • 804-469-7362 Woodlawn National Cemetery,

(Terri Olszowy) where nearly 3,000 Confederate prisoners are buried of the more than 12,000 incarcerated. They were victims of overcrowding, inadequate shelter, and disease. A 21-gun salute was fired by Union and Confederate reenactors, and

“Amazing Grace” was performed on violin by Patrick Fetta. The event was very successful. Efforts to finish the barracks building continue and a link to a donation site may be found at www.elmiraprisoncamp.com