On a gray, gloomy morning in Andersonville, Ga., I walked the grounds of the notorious prison camp where nearly 13,000 Union soldiers died from February 1864-April 1865. “Words cannot describe the horrors,” said 16th Connecticut Private Wallace Woodford of Andersonville, also known as Camp Sumter. Emaciated and beyond help, Woodford died at home in Farmington, Conn. When we lived in Connecticut, I often visited his grave in a cemetery across the road from our house. Dozens of Woodford’s 16th Connecticut comrades were buried in the national cemetery near the camp.
"This," park guide Teri Surber said as we walked in the camp, "is the deadliest ground of the Civil War."
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The Chicago Conspiracy,” the idea was to help release the 8,000 southern prisoners of war at Camp Douglas and make them into a fighting force against the north.Tom Sears denied serving under Clingman, but agreed that he was one of 15-20 who were arrested in Chicago on Nov. 7, the day before the election, all from the same county.Tom testified that the men were paid in advance at the Ramsey Station on Nov. 4, “with the lump sum being given to Garlan, who then paid us.”His way to Chicago was paid by Mr. Laller, with each man receiving $15. Laller “gave us instructions to get into no trouble.Tom Sears was held at least five months in Camp Douglas(prison) after his arrest on Nov. 6(1864).Tom Sears denied being a member of the Clingman Gang, one of their hideouts was not far from the home of his parents(bingham il). A second was east of the Old Hurricane Church (hurrican co). Camp Douglas – “Chicago Conspiracy”1 November 1864 – Prison Camp During the Civil War. Tom Sears was in Prison from around Nov. 1864 to the end of the war.(apr/may1865) ThomasCamp Douglas – “Chicago Conspiracy” In November, 1864, a plan, known as the “Chicago Conspiracy”, was devised by Southern sympathizers to free the prisoners at Camp Douglas and furnish them arms. Then, by a sudden stroke, they were to free the men in the other camps, which would create a Confederate army of about 25,000 veteran soldiers.Chicago was to be captured, and a swift attack was to be made on therear of the Union armies which were then operating in the South. Two factors led to the defeat of this plan. Colonel Benjamin J. Sweet,commandant at the camp, with only 900 troops to guard 8,000 prisoners,received warning that a plot was afoot and wired for reinforcements. Atthe same time, the plotters themselves realized that simply setting prisoners free would not make an army of them. The Confederates would need to be organized and some program agreed upon or the result would be an unruly mob. This realization created a fatal delay, for another regiment was quickly added to the guard and the increased vigilance destroyed all hope of a successful break.November 8.According to the confessions of rebel officers and others, the design was : ” To attack Camp Douglas, to release the prisoners there, with them to seize the polls, allowing none but the Copperhead ticket to be voted, and stuff the boxes sufficiently to secure the city, county and State for McClellan and Pendleton;Thomas J Sears – In CourtApril 1865 – Chicago THOMAS J. SEARS, a witness for the government, was introduced, and,beingduly sworn by the judge advocate, testified as follows: By the Judge Advocate: Q. State your name and residence. A. Thomas J. Sears; I reside in Fayette county, Illinois. Q. State whether or not you were a member of Clingman’s band at the time of its organization. A. No, sir. Q. Did you ever drill or serve under Clingman? A. No, sir. Q. Did you ever belong to the same company? A. No, sir. Q. Were you not under arrest at the time, and when were you arrested? A. Yes, sir; I was arrested in Chicago on the 7th of November, the day before the election. Q. How many more were arrested at the same time? A. I think some fifteen or twenty were arrested at the same place. Thomas J. Sears was born on March 3, 1832, in Fayette County and died on Dec. 22, 1903. He married Joicey Alexander, and she died in 1855, leaving two children, Hannah Rena and William Henry Sears. His second marriage was to Mary Alexander, sister to Joicey, born in 1833, died in 1883, by whom he had two children: Joseph, born in 1859, died in 1881; and Joicey (Joyce) Supinger, born in 1862, died in 1925. He then married Sarah Moore Bryson, by whom he had two children, Thomas and Lee.
We visited Andersonville several years ago.The field was beautiful and majestic but the beauty didn't silence the voices of those who suffered there.
ReplyDeleteThe Chicago Conspiracy,” the idea was to help release the 8,000 southern prisoners of war at Camp Douglas and make them into a fighting force against the north.Tom Sears denied serving under Clingman, but agreed that he was one of 15-20 who were arrested in Chicago on Nov. 7, the day before the election, all from the same county.Tom testified that the men were paid in advance at the Ramsey Station on Nov. 4, “with the lump sum being given to Garlan, who then paid us.”His way to Chicago was paid by Mr. Laller, with each man receiving $15. Laller “gave us instructions to get into no trouble.Tom Sears was held at least five months in Camp Douglas(prison) after his arrest on Nov. 6(1864).Tom Sears denied being a member of the Clingman Gang, one of their hideouts was not far from the home of his parents(bingham il). A second was east of the Old Hurricane Church (hurrican co).
ReplyDeleteCamp Douglas – “Chicago Conspiracy”1 November 1864 – Prison Camp During the Civil War. Tom Sears was in Prison from around Nov. 1864 to the end of the war.(apr/may1865)
ThomasCamp Douglas – “Chicago Conspiracy” In November, 1864, a plan, known as the “Chicago Conspiracy”, was devised by Southern sympathizers to free the prisoners at Camp Douglas and furnish them arms. Then, by a sudden stroke, they were to free the men in the other camps, which would create a Confederate army of about 25,000 veteran soldiers.Chicago was to be captured, and a swift attack was to be made on therear of the Union armies which were then operating in the South. Two factors led to the defeat of this plan. Colonel Benjamin J. Sweet,commandant at the camp, with only 900 troops to guard 8,000 prisoners,received warning that a plot was afoot and wired for reinforcements. Atthe same time, the plotters themselves realized that simply setting prisoners free would not make an army of them. The Confederates would need to be organized and some program agreed upon or the result would be an unruly mob. This realization created a fatal delay, for another regiment was quickly added to the guard and the increased vigilance destroyed all hope of a successful break.November 8.According to the confessions of rebel officers and others, the design was : ” To attack Camp Douglas, to release the prisoners there, with them to seize the polls, allowing none but the Copperhead ticket to be voted, and stuff the boxes sufficiently to secure the city, county and State for McClellan and Pendleton;Thomas J Sears – In CourtApril 1865 – Chicago
THOMAS J. SEARS, a witness for the government, was introduced, and,beingduly sworn by the judge advocate, testified as follows:
By the Judge Advocate:
Q. State your name and residence.
A. Thomas J. Sears; I reside in Fayette county, Illinois.
Q. State whether or not you were a member of Clingman’s band at the
time
of its organization.
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you ever drill or serve under Clingman?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you ever belong to the same company?
A. No, sir.
Q. Were you not under arrest at the time, and when were you arrested?
A. Yes, sir; I was arrested in Chicago on the 7th of November, the day
before the election.
Q. How many more were arrested at the same time?
A. I think some fifteen or twenty were arrested at the same place.
Thomas J. Sears was born on March 3, 1832, in Fayette County and died on Dec. 22, 1903. He married Joicey Alexander, and she died in 1855, leaving two children, Hannah Rena and William Henry Sears. His second marriage was to Mary Alexander, sister to Joicey, born in 1833, died in 1883, by whom he had two children: Joseph, born in 1859, died in 1881; and Joicey (Joyce) Supinger, born in 1862, died in 1925. He then married Sarah Moore Bryson, by whom he had two children, Thomas and Lee.