The Spring 2005 Hallowed ground Magazine of the Civil War Preservation Trust had an article by David R. Bush on the Confederate prisoner of war camp at Johnson's island in Sanduskey Bay, Lake Erie, in the northwestern part of Ohio.
This was primarily a camp for Confederate officers captured in the western theater of the war, There were twelve housing blocks, two large mess halls, a hospital and several outbuildings enclosed within a 15-foot high stockade wall.
More than 10,000 prisoners were taken here during the course of the war. Some were exchanged soon after arrival while others spend months and years planning escape. There were lots of letters, diaries along with thousands of artifacts buried on the site.
NEW BATTLE
In 1989, Johnson's Island Prison Depot was optioned for development of a housing complex, but the Friends and Descendants of Johnson's Island were able to save the site by obtaining a mortgage for it., but, as of spring 2005, they were about to lose the 17-acre lakefront area to the highest bidder. And being lakefront, you know developers are eying the site intently.
I'll have to follow up and see what happened.
www.johnsonsisland.com
Hope They Saved It. --Old B-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
