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328 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
The number of prisoners were constantly varying, the largest number
at any one time being over 3,000; but, from the period of its establishment
until the close of the Avar, over 15,000 rebels were confined here,
and owing to its supposed security, the prisoners were largely composed
of rebel officers.
In a letter published in the Register, August 20, 1891, Wm. T. West
says that he bought the lumber for Johnson's Island Prison from R. B.
Hubbard at $8.00 a thousand, and used 1,500,000 feet of lumber. He
states that he took the contract November 12, 1861, and gave bond in
$40,000 to have the buildings ready for occupancy January 31, 1862, and
that he Avas favored by the Aveather and completed the buildings on time.
The buildings Avere frame buildings neither ceiled nor plastered, 100
feet long and tAvo stories h,'"*** each story divided into IAVO rooms, box
style and built of drop lumber full of knot holes. The Avinters of 1862,
OFFICERS' QUARTERS ON JOHNSON'S ISLAND
1863 and 1864 Avere all severe, and many of the prisoners had never seen
snow or ice, and Avhen they Avere conducted to Johnson's Island on the
ice and came to a smooth place they would fall down on their hands and
knees Avhich Avas very amusing to the guards.
Among the prisoners on Johnson's Island was IT. IT. Lurton, who
was aftenvard judge of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, and later justice
of the Supreme Court of the United States.
At the conclusion of the Avar on April 12, 1866, the buildings on
Johnson's Island Avere sold by the Government and most of them bought
in by L. B. Johnson. Nothing noAV remains of them except one or tAvo
guard posts used as a pig sty.
The Register of June 11,1862, quotes a letter from a rebel prisoner on
Johnson's Island, published in the Memphis Appeal:
"After a week at Camp Chase I AA'as sent to Johnson's Island in Sandusky
Bay. This is purely a military prison. It is designed for com-