Summary
July 9, 1864: Ordered the first known medical examination of the camp and the prisoners.

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF PRISONERS, Washington, D.C., July 9, 1864
Surg. Charles T. Alexander

Acting Medical Inspector, Washington, D.C.

DETROIT, MICH., June 25, 1862.

Colonel W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners.
COLONEL: In compliance with your order dated Washington, June 12, 1862, requiring me to visit the permanent camps at Albany, Utica, Rochester and Elmira, N. Y., and also the U. S. barracks at Buffalo to ascertain their capacity for quartering troops and to make you a written report thereon accompanied by a general plan of each camp, I have the honor to submit the result of my examination of the camps so specified at Elmira as their condition when visited by me on or near the 19th instant.

First, Camp Rathbun: This camp is located about one mile to the west of the town on a fine road and is easily accessible at all seasons. Its situation is quite as high as the surrounding country on firm, hard, gravelly soil covered with greensward which does not during the most violent storms become soft, as it gently slopes toward a stream on the south side and is partially drained. There is not in its vicinity either marsh or sanding water nor dense forest or shrubbery which could generate malaria or disease, and the whole country about Elmira is exceedingly healthful and no forms of low fever prevail. The camp is abundantly supplied with fine, pure limestone water from two large wells on the ground. Fuel is plentiful in the vicinity and can be furnished on the ground at $2. 50 peer cord for hard wood and $2 per cord for soft. The ground is shut in one three sides by allow fence of about 4 1/2 feet in height built by nailing slat boards at intervals of about 15 inches to posts set in the ground 10 feet apart. The fourth side is bounded by a running stream of soft water about 25 feet wide used for bathing purposes. Lumber can be purchased suitable for building a high strong fence at 6 1/2 cents per foot and posts 8 feet out of the ground at 16 cents each. The buildings were all built by the Government and both they and the grounds are exclusively under its control, and at present are in the charge of Colonel E. F. Shepard, of the New York volunteers, whose headquarters are at Elmirsent about fifty men, volunteer troops, in their occupancy. The ground is about 500 by 300 yards and although limited in extent is admirably adapted to military purposes. The buildings are all new, wooden, one story in height, with pitched roofs, and have firm floors of plank free from dampness. They are covered with boards placed with the edges together both on the sides and roofs of the buildings, and the joints or seams so formed are again covered by an outer board, making a nearly water-proof covering. They are all well ventilated by square windows placed sufficiently near each other. The quarters of the men consist of 20 buildings 88 by 18 feet each, containing two small rooms, one of 24 by 7 and the other 8 by 5, and a remaining room extending throughout the interior not thus inclosed. Each building is designed for the accommodation of 100 men, the smallest room being for the non-commissioned officers and the next larger for the commissioned officers of that number of men. The barracks are all furnished with wooden bunks placed end to end to each of the long sides of the buildings. They are arranged in 2 tiers, 12 sets of 2 double bunks, one above the other, thus giving each side 48 men and leaving a passage of about 8 feet wide through the building. It is evident that should necessity require it a different arrangement of bunks would readily give accommodations for 50 men more to each building, as the ridge pole of each is about 15 feet high and the roof or eaves on the inside about 8 feet. The two guard-houses are each 48 by 16 feet, with a prison room in each (without cells) of 20 by 8 feet.

In front of the men's barracks are two long buildings of 120 by 16 feet each. One contains 5 equal rooms and is used for the quarters of the field and staff, the other, containing 3 rooms, is used by the sutler. In front of these buildings and under one roof are two mess halls of 144 by 41, separated by a kitchen 64 by 41. Against the kitchen is built a shed 13 feet wide. Each hall is complete with tables and benches and will seat 1,000 men each. The kitchen is complete with cooking facilities and apparatus, contains a steam-engine, large ranges, furnaces, boilers, &c., sufficient to cook for 2,000 men at once. In the shed of the building (or kitchen) the wells are situated, provided with pumps, and there the food is prepared. There is no bake-house. The rations are furnished, cooked and placed on the tables for the men by contractors, who find all the table furniture and cooking utensils used both by the men and themselves, at 30 cents each ration. The sinks are insufficient, incomplete and filthy. The whole camp, with this exception and the absence of straw ticks for the bunks, is fitted for the accommodation of 2,000 men, and with some changes of their interior the quarters of the men will admit very readily of 3,000. Accompanying this description is a general plan to which I respectfully call your attention.

Camp Numbers 2, at Elmira: This camp is known as the Arnot Barracks and is in charge of Colonel E. F. Shepard, of the volunteers. It contains no troops. It is located about one mile to the north of the town. Its situation is quite as high as the surrounding country, on firm, hard, gravelly soil, covered with greensward, which does not become soft even during very wet periods, though the drainage is not good. The form of the ground is nearly a square, whose side is about 300 yards. There is not in its vicinity either marsh, standing water, or dense forest, or any locus of malaria or disease. The camp is abundantly supplied by two wells of pure, never-failing limestone water on the ground. Fuel is plentiful and can be supplied at the same rates as at Camp Rathbun. The ground is shut in on three sides by a slat board fence of about 4 1/2 feet in height formed by nailing three horizontal slats to posts placed 10 feet apart. The fourth side is bounded by the road. A stream of pure, fresh water runs on the south side of the camp at about 200 yards distance, which could be used for bathing and washing purposes. The buildings were all built by the Government and both they and the grounds are exclusively under its control. They are all new, of wood, one story in height, with pitched roofs and have firm floors of planks free from dampness. They are covered with rough boards both on the sides and roofs. These are placed with the edges together and the joints are again covered by an outer board, making a shelter nearly waterproof. The height of the buildings on the inside is about 8 feet to the eaves and 15 feet to the ridge pole. They are quite well ventilated by means of windows and doors. The quarters of the men comprise ten buildings of the same dimensions and interior divisions and arrangements of bunks as at Camp Rathbun and are designed for 100 men each, though 150 can readily be accommodated and comfortably. The guard-house is 34 by 17 feet, of but one room, no prison room or cells.

To the right and in rear of the barracks are two buildings, one 100 by 18 feet, of 100 rooms, for the use of officers as quarters, and the other 88 by 18 feet, of 6 rooms, for the accommodation of the field and staff for the same purpose. In rear of the left of the barracks is the mess hall and kitchen under one roof. The former is 150 feet long and the latter 50 feet. The hall is completely furnished with tables and benches and will seat 1,000 men, while the kitchen is abundantly supplied with everything necessary to cook for that number. There is no bake-house and precisely the same arrangement is made for the furnishing of food, cooking utensils and materials and table furniture as at Camp Rathburn. The sinks are wretchedly deficient and in bad order. This camp like Camp Rathburn has no straw ticks, and with this and other exceptions mentioned it is now ready for the reception of 1,000 men, and with some trifling change already referred to might be made to comfortably receive 1,500. Accompanying this description is a ground plan.

Camp Numbers 3, at Elmira: This camp is known as the Post Barracks and like the others is in charge of Colonel E. F. Shepard, of the volunteers. It contains no troops at present. It is located about one mile to the west of the town, on a plot of ground quite level, not easily drained and considerably lower than the surrounding country. In consequence of this the ground, though commonly hard and firm and composed of gravelly earth covered generally with grass, becomes at wet seasons quite soft and muddy. The area is rectangular, measuring about 400 by 200 yards. There is not in its vicinity either marsh, standing water or dense forest or any special locus of malaria or disease, yet from the situation it would not be regarded as healthful a location as the camps previously mentioned. The water from the wells on the ground and from the junction canal south of it is unfit for use and must be hauled to supply the full garrison at an expense of $2. 50 per day. On the northern and on the western sides are low fences composed of slat boards and posts on one side; on the other is a common rail fence. The southern and eastern sides have no fences and their limits are defined by the public roads to the town. On the southern side and south of the carriage road is a coal railroad terminus which is used for freighting the boats of the junction canal immediately south of it. The grounds are easily accessible from town over a good road. The water of the canal is fit for bathing and washing purposes. The buildings were all built by the Government, and both they and the grounds are exclusively under its control. They are all new, of one story, of wooden frames, with rough board covering, both for the sides and roofs, similar to those already described. The height of the pitched roofs at the ridge pole is about 15 feet and at the eaves about 8 feet. They have firm floors of plank free from dampness and are well ventilated. The quarters of the men comprise twenty buildings of the same interior divisions, number of rooms and dimensions as those barracks described as being at Camp Rathbun. They are designed for 100 men each, though with additional bunks for 50 men in each and a different arrangement of them from the present they will readily accommodate 150 men each. The quarters are all provided with bunks for 100 men each, but have no ticks for straw. There are two guard-houses, 34 by 17 feet each, and of one room each, with no cells or prison room. To the left and rear of the men's quarters is a building 100 by 20 feet, of 6 rooms, used as quarters for the field and staff. In their rear is the building containing the mess hall and kitchen under one roof. The mess hall is 130 by 40 feet and is well provided with benches and tables. It will seat 1,000 men by placing them closely. The kitchen is 50 by 40 feet and is amply furnished with all the materials and steam-boilers and furnaces, ranges, &c., for cooking for 1,000 men at a time and if necessary by increasing the furniture for 2,000. There is no bake-house and the same arrangement is made for supplying the food by contract as at Camp Rathbun and at the same price, the food being placed on the table cooked and the table furniture supplied. The sinks are quite insufficient, filthy and in bad order. This camp will accommodate by a different arrangement of its quarters and additional bunks, as suggested for Camp Rathbun, 3,000 men, though designed for the reception of 2,000. Accompanying this description is a ground plan of the buildings with reference marks.

Camp Numbers 4, at Elmira: This camp is known as Camp Robinson Barracks and with the others at this point is in charge of Colonel E. F. Shepard, of the volunteers. It is easily accessible from the town, being located near a fine road, about one mile and a half from it in a southwest direction, on a plot of ground quite level, of a rectangular shape, of about 400 by 360 yards. The soil is firm and hard at all times; is composed of gravel covered with sward. It contains no troops at present. The situation is quite as high as the surrounding country and there is not in its vicinity either marsh, standing water or forest, or any locus of malaria or disease. The camp is abundantly supplied with fine, pure water from never-failing wells on the ground. On the west side is a low fence 4 1/2 feet in height, built of board slats nailed to posts, the slats placed horizontally. On the other three sides the public road limits the boundaries of the camp. The buildings were all built by the Government and both they and the grounds are exclusively under its control. They are all new, of one story, of wooden frames, with rough board coverings both for the sides and roofs, similarly arranged to those described at the other camps. The roofs are pitched and at the ridge pole are about 15 feet in height and at the eaves 8 feet. They all have firm floors of planks and are well ventilated. The quarters of the men comprise twenty buildings of the same interior divisions, number of rooms and dimensions as the barracks described as being at Camp Rathbun. They are designed for 100 men each, though with additional bunks for 50 men in each and a different arrangement of them from the present they will readily accommodate 150 men each. The quarters are all provided with bunks for 100 men each but have no ticks for straw. There are two guard-houses, 40 by 20 feet each, one of 3 equal rooms and the other of 1 large room and 3 cells of 6 feet square each. To the left and rear of the men's quarters is a building 100 by 20 feet, of 6 rooms, used as the quarters of the field and staff. In their rear is the building containing the mess halls and kitchen under one roof. The two mess halls occupy the two ends of the building and the kitchens the middle portion. The former are 144 by 41 feet each and are provided with tables and benches for the accommodation of 1,000 men each, who can easily be seated in them. The kitchen is 64 by 41 feet and is amply supplied with boilers, furnaces, ranges and steam apparatus, and the materials requisite to cook for 2,000 men at the same time. There is no bake-house and the same arrangement is made for supplying the food by contract and at the same price as at the Rathbun barracks, the food being cooked and placed on the tables and table furniture provided. The sinks are insufficient, filthy and in bad order. Wood is delivered on the ground at $2. 50 for hard and $2 for soft. The camp is designed for 2,000 men, but with additional bunks and a different arrangement of them 3,000 can readily be received, while the grounds are quite large enough, except for military exercises.

Accompanying this description is a plan of the camp and buildings with reference marks. Note: There is on a line with the guard-house a sutler's store 30 by 18 feet. Elmira is connected by railroad with Harrisburg, Pa., and the distance by this route to Baltimore is 202 miles less than by way of Albany and New York City.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

H. M. LAZELLE,

Captain, Eighth Infantry, U. S. Army.