[snippy_about_it]

Ohio State Penitentiary "Morgan And His Raiders Jailed" July 30, 1863 - March 18, 1864

The Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus was a three story stone structure with heavy iron bars on the windows and doors of cell blocks. It was used to house hardened convicts until July 30, 1863, when David Todd, governor of Ohio, informed warden Nathaniel Merion that the prison would also house Confederate prisoners of war.

Four days before, the Confederate cavalry general John Hunt Morgan and 364 of his men had been captured at the end of the longest cavalry raid of the war. They had terrorized the populations of Indiana and Ohio as they traveled more than 700 miles through those states in 25 days. Because Camp Chase, the prisoner of war camp outside Columbus, was not considered secure enough for such desperate prisoners, Morgan's raiders were confined at different locations from which they would have no chance of escaping. Union Dept. Comdr. Gen. Ambrose Burnside declared the prisoners ineligible for parole, sentenced them to be imprisoned for the duration of the war.

Morgan and his 30 officers were thrown in with the general population of felons in the penitentiary in Columbus. They were denied all visitors, and had to endure the humiliation of having their heads shaved and wearing convict clothes. These soldiers were occasionally punished by being put in solitary confinement in dank, unlighted prison cells. All of these actions were contrary to the rules governing the confinement of prisoners of war. On the night of November 27, 1863, Morgan and six of his officers escaped. They had worked for 20 days with two small knives to gouge out a tunnel to freedom.

Prison rules changed after the escape. War prisoners were separated from the rest of the prison population and kept on the third floor under constant military guard. The state penitentiary's involvement in the war ended on March 18, 1864, when Secretary of War Stanton ordered all remaining Confederates transferred to the notorious prisoner of war camp, Fort Delaware.

Fascinating Fact: The Ohio Penitentiary never even held 100 Confederates at one time. Many were held only briefly while in transit to other facilities.




Morgan's men at Ohio State Penitentiary




They were surprised when their horses were not taken, and were informed that, "Southern Gentlemen Don't Steal Ladies Horses."

Gotta love the Southern gentlemen! Thanks Sam for remembering Morgan's Raid.

[SAMWolf]

Morgan and his 30 officers were thrown in with the general population of felons in the penitentiary in Columbus. They were denied all visitors, and had to endure the humiliation of having their heads shaved and wearing convict clothes. These soldiers were occasionally punished by being put in solitary confinement in dank, unlighted prison cells. All of these actions were contrary to the rules governing the confinement of prisoners of war.

That was just wrong.

[Humal]

"Because Camp Chase, the prisoner of war camp outside Columbus, was not considered secure enough for such desperate prisoners,"

snippy,
My great, great, great uncle and his step brother were held at Camp Chase, Ohio. My great uncle was kept in a cell with four other men. They all contracted smallpox, and the other three died. His step-brother, Crockett, only 18 years old, also died at Camp Chase of smallpox. I have a copy of the pitiful letter my uncle wrote home telling his parents of his brother's death. Disease claimed about twice the number of lives as battle injuries did.