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Elmira Prison Camp OnLine Library- |
HDQRS. PRISON CAMP, Elmira, N. Y., Colonel B. F. TRACY, Commanding Depot Prisoners of War:
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following inspection report of the condition of the prisoners of war at this station for the week ending December 4, 1864:
Conduct-good. Cleanliness-good as practicable with the limited supply of clothing. Clothing-insufficient for this climate. Bedding- many destitute of blankets. State of quarters-fair. State of mess-houses-good. State of kitchen-good. Food, quality of-good, with the exception noted in remarks. Food, quantity of-legal ration. Water-good and abundant. Sinks-sufficient and in fair condition. Police of grounds, good. Drainage-good. Police of hospital-excellent. Attendance of sick-good. Hospital diet-good. General health of prisoners-fair. Vigilance of guard-good.
Remarks and suggestions. - A portion of the beef is very lean. Cows milked through the season and too poor for a respectable farmer to winter, are slaughtered and the beef issued to prisoners. I caused a quarter to be weighed, then boiled and the parts weighted. The quarter weighed 92 pounds before cooked; the meat, carefully taken off the bone, weighed 45 1/2 pounds; the bones, 19 pounds; tallow, 4 pounds. This was a forequarter and one of the poorest. They are very nearly of the same quality. About one-half of the flour used this week has been of very poor quality. One thousand six hundred and sixty-six are entirely destitute of blankets, or have blankets nearly worthless.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
B. MUNGER, The invoice of a large among of clothing and 4,000 blankets has just been received and the articles will be issued immediately upon their arrival.
Respectfully referred to the Commissary-General of Prisoners.
B. F. TRACY, -------------------- HEADQUARTERS PRISON CAMP, Colonel B. F. TRACY, Commanding Depot Prisoners of War:
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following inspection report of the condition of the prisoners of war at this station for the week ending December 11, 1864:
Conduct, good; cleanliness, fair; clothing, comfortable; bedding, fair; state of quarters, fair and improving, all in barracks but 1,100; state of mess-houses, good; state of kitchen, good; food, quality of, fair; food, quantity of, fair; water, good; sinks, good; police of grounds, undergoing new grading and draining; drainage, improving; police of hospital, good; attendance of sick, good; hospital diet, good; general health of prisoners, hospitals full and mortality increasing; vigilance of guard, good.
Remarks and suggestions. - During the week there were three buildings erected, the last of which is incomplete, not having lumber on hand to finish it. One of those which is completed is unoccupied, there being no stoves to put in it. There was clothing issued during the week as follows: 2,500 jackets, 2,00 pair pants, 3,011 shorts, 1,216 pair drawers, 6,065 pair socks, 3,938 blankets, 162 greatcoats. The prisoners are now well clothed, having all that is requisite for their comfort, except a few pairs of pants.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. H. BORDEN, Stoves for the new wards have been ordered and are expected in a few days.
Respectfully referred to the Commissary-General of Prisoners.
B. F. TRACY, -------------------- HEADQUARTERS MILITARY PRISON, Colonel B. F. TRACY, Commanding Post:
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following inspection report of the condition of the prisoners of war at this station for the week ending December 18, 1864:
Conduct - good. Cleanliness -much improved. Clothing - good, most having plenty, except overcoats, and those are on hand. Bedding - very fair, most of the men having one new and one old blanket. State of quarters - new barracks, good; old ones need some repairs, but are well policed. State of mess-houses - very good, clean and warm. State of kitchen - good; hospital kitchen, excellent. Food, quality of - good, except beef, which was only fair. Food, quantity of - abundant for men who have nothing to go. Water - excellent and plenty of it. Sinks - very fair. Police of grounds - much better than I have seen it. Tents - all taken down this side of the pond. Drainage - good. Police of hospital - not what it should be. Attendance of sick plenty of nurses, and most of them good. Hospital diet - very good; have heard but one man complain. General health of prisoners is poor, col weather causing much sickness. Vigilance of guard - good.
Remarks and suggestions. - Found seventy men in the convalescent wards lying on the floor for want of bunks. There are a number of cases of smallpox. One man died of it and was buried within the inclosure. One hundred and one prisoners arrived on Saturday without any blankets, having had them taken from them and told they would receive others on their arrival here. Some were thinly clad. Issued blankets to them to-day.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. P. JORDAN, -------------------- HEADQUARTERS PRISONERS' CAMP, Colonel B. F. TRACY, Commanding Post:
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following inspection report of the condition of the prisoners of war at this station for the week ending December 25, 1864:
Conduct - good. Cleanliness - good. Clothing - good; some few exceptions where pants and shoes are needed. Bedding - very good. State of quarters - fair; there are but 900 men in tents. State of mess-houses - very good. State of kitchens - good. Food, quality of - excellent; beef much better than last week. Food, quantity of - plenty. Water - the very best. Sinks - fair; cannot improve them much this cold weather. Police of grounds - very good; the roads much improved. Drainage - good. Police of hospital is not any better than last week. Attendance of sick - very fair. Hospital diet - good. General health of prisoners - sickness on the increase. Vigilance of guard - good.
Remarks and suggestions- there has nothing been done on the new buildings this week. Four of the new hospital buildings are most done, being at work ceiling up the sides. Thirty coal stoves arrived yesterday. Part of them will be put up to-morrow. Two new buildings are ready to occupy as soon as the stoves are up. The mess-room for the hospital is not in use yet; have made a carpenter's shop of it. A well has been dug for the hospital and proves to be a good one; want a pump for it. Sixty-three cases smallpox this morning; two men died during the week.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. P. JORDAN, Smallpox is on the increase. There was a delay in obtaining vaccine matter, but it has been obtained and the entire camp is being vaccinated. If it continues to spread we may be compelled to remove the
cases outside the camp to a hospital to be established. I do not know what plan is pursued in other prison camps in such cases. We are engaged in ceiling hospital wards, which explains the bad police of hospital at present.
Respectfully referred to the Commissary-General of Prisoners.
B. F. TRACY,
Captain, Forty-fourth New York Volunteers, Inspecting Officer.
Colonel 127th U. S. Colored Troops, Commanding Depot.
Elmira, N. Y., December 11, 1864.
Captain, Eighty-third Pennsylvania Vols., Actg. Inspecting Officer.
Colonel 127th U. S. Colored Troops, Commanding Depot Prisoners of War.
Elmira, N. Y., December 18, 1864.
Captain, Twenty-ninth Maine Veteran Vols., Inspecting Officer.
Elmira, N. Y., December 25, 1864.
Captain, Twenty-ninth Maine Volunteers, Inspecting Officer.
Colonel 127th U. S. Colored Troops, Commanding Depot.
