Back on May 1st, I mentioned in the Illinois Division SCV meeting that the convention was dedicated to the Confederate Cemetery and Memorial in Alton.
I did some further research on the prison, and found that it was the Alton Federal Prison built in 1831. It has since been torn down with the exception of one small section which is plaqued.
In 1860, the prisoners were transferred to the newly constructed Joliet ("Blues Brothers" movie) in Joliet. During the Civil War, it was reopened for Confederate prisoners because of overcrowding in two nearby prisons in St. Louis. The first prisoners arrived in February, 1862. Records show that 11,745 were housed during the three years it was open with an average of 1261 at any time.
Conditions were described as horrible with overcrowding and disease rampant. An 1862smallpox epidemic killed as many as 2,210 prisoners.
WEST ALTON, MISSOURI
There is also a Confederate Memorial at the Lincoln-Shields Recreation Area in West Alton, Missouri, that was dedicated in April 2002, which contains the names of Confederates who died of smallpox.
The recreation area is named after the Lincoln duel with James Shields, who was offended by what Lincoln and his wife had written in their "Rebecca Letters." The duel was called off when Shields realized that Lincoln had a clear advantage.
More to Come. --Old B-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
