July 14th, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011
A good war-date Union Elmira prison guard's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by "A. Wood", Headquarters Barracks No. 1, Elmira, N. Y., Jan. 25, 1865, in part: "…reached this place at 12 p. m. We stayed all night in the cars as there was no room…in the barracks. Sunday morning we marched to the Warehouse Barracks…I was appointed seargent of the second floor containing some three hundred men. Friday I was taken to these barracks. Saturday I was taken to barracks No. 3 along with Sheridan & a lot of others...that evening Col. Brooks sent over an order for me to report to these headquarters for duty…he ordered me to take charge of Barracks No. 12. I get along very well with the men…when I first took command they were rather unruly. I made them all put out the lights at 9 P. M. and all talking to stop after that until morning; also for them to turn out promptly in the morning at roll call. I had to put two men in the guard house the second night & to place some of the others on police duty…we get two meals per day…I can eat whenever I have a mind to. There is some seven or eight hundred thousand men here…& more coming…". Also included in the original stamped transmittal cover. VG. Elmira Prison Camp, NY barracks were originally estimated to be capable of holding up to 4,000 prisoners. More than 9,500 prisoners were confined there by late 1864.
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