Civil war glog-2

Death Rates The death rates were extremely high, the second of any Yankee prison camp. One quarter of all prisoners died, that’s 2,963 out of the 12,123 prisoners. From North Carolina 1,233 died, 387 from South Carolina and 550 from Virginia.

Epidemics There were many epidemics; scurvy was followed by diarrhea then pneumonia and smallpox.

OBSERVATION DECK There was an observation deck and the citizens of Elmira paid 10 cents to climb it and watch the prisoners. They could see the “starving, sickly Confederates.”

WINTERS During the winters most slept in the open with no blankets. Clothes were ripped and tattered and all gray in the winter.

JOHN W. JONES John W. Jones was a former slave who arrived by the Underground Railroad. He buried confederate soldiers and only 7 of the 2,963 were listed as unknown.

NICKNAMES The most common nickname that prisoners called Elmira was “Hellmira”