Albemarle Tradewinds July 2017 Web Final

Prisoners during Lincoln’s War or Also Known As the War of Northern Aggression
By Dr. Dave
Elmira Prison – Elmira, NY was better known as “Hellmira” opened
on July of 1864. It quickly became infamous for its staggering death
rate, unfathomable living conditions, and for its sadistic commandant,
Col. William Hoffman (one who deserved to be hung for war
crimes more than Henry Wirz). Hoffman forced confederate prisoners
to sleep outside in the open while furnishing them little to no
shelter, prisoners were left to rely upon their own ingenuity for constructing
drafty and largely inadequate shelters consisting of sticks,
blankets, and logs.
Elmira prison had at the least listed 9,000 prisoners confi ned to a
camp designed to hold 4,000-5,000.
Two observation towers were erected right outside the prison walls.
For 15 cents, Yankee civilian spectators could observe the wretched
prisoners within the compound. When winter struck Elmira in
late 1864, prisoners lacking blankets and clad in rags collapsed in
droves from exposure. By early December, half naked men stood
ankle deep in snow to answer the morning roll call. A one acre
lagoon of stagnant water within the 30 acre stockade served as
a latrine and garbage dump for all, giving rise to disease. Scurvy
and diarrhea took many lives. By November 1864 pneumonia had
reached plague proportions. An epidemic of small pox broke out a
month later and remained an ever-present killer. Repeated request
for badly needed medicines from Yankee doctors were fl atly ignored
by Washington offi cials. By December 1864 with a lack of beds
70 men were lying on bare cold and fi lthy fl oors and another 200
diseased and dying men lay in the regular prison quarters, contaminating
their semi-healthy comrades. In February 1865 Elmira held
9,000 prisoners of which 1,400 were sick and 500 died. In March
of 1865, 16 prisoners were dying each day. The monthly death
rate however topped the one held at Andersonville Prison in GA.
As a result the confederate prisoners spent their winter shivering
in the biting cold and their summers in sweltering, pathogen-laden
heat. Overcrowding was yet again a major problem, although
Yankee leadership mandated on paper a ceiling of 4,000 prisoners
at Elmira, reality was completely the opposite. Within a month of its
opening those numbers had swelled to 12,123 men and by the time
the last prisoners were released and left to get back home, on their
own by their own initiative. By September of 1865, close to 3,000
men had perished, with a death rate approaching 25%. Elmira was
one of the deadliest operated P.O.W. camps of the entire war.
Continued Next Month
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Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes
3-4 sweet potatoes
4 thick center pork chops
Salt and pepper to taste
All purpose fl our
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup current jelly
1/2 cup orange juice and zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice and zest
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Boil peel and slice sweet potatoes mix
salt, pepper, and fl our dredge with pork
chops and brown on both sides
Melt butter, stir in jelly, juices, zests and
all remaining ingredients. arrange alternately
pork chops and sweet potatoes
In a casserole dish cover/with 3/4 cup of
sauce bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes
basting with remaining sauce and serve.
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