53rd Regiment Alabama Cavalry Co F
Joe died while a POW at Camp Morton in Indianapolis,IN.
The confederate soldiers remains were originally buried at Greenlawn Cemetary in Indianapolis but were reinterned between 1928 and 1931 to Crown Hill National Cemetery in a mass grave with a marker that simply read "Remains of 1616 unknown Confederate soldiers who died in Indianapolis while prisoners of war". By federal law all soldiers, North or South, were to have adequate recognition. In 1993 additional markers were installed at the Crown Hill site listing the names and regiments of the dead.
Joe was just barely 18 when he left his home in Coffee Co, Al in Dec 1863 to go to war. His his older brother Ivy and his uncle, Allen had already enlisted Sept 1862 in the 53rd. Joe was captured at the Battle of Resaca in Ga on May 15, 1864 and sent to Camp Morton in Indianapolis. A great many of the prisoners became ill after they arrived. Exposure and hunger on the battlefield plus the suffering on the journey to Indianapolis took its toll.
About 15,000 prisoners occupied Camp Morton between 1862-1865. Typical of most prison facilities at the time, Camp Morton was unprepared for the influx of prisoners. Medical care, food and sanitary conditions were inadequate. Between 1862-1865 more than 1700 Confederate deaths at Camp Morton resulted.
In July 1864 Camp Morton housed 4,900 POW's. The overcrowded conditions at the camp lead to increases in sickness and disease. Malaria, measles, typhoid fever and scurvy were reported in high numbers. The bad sanitary conditions which consisted of open raw sewage ditches led to dysentery and diarrhea. The lack of ample food and nearly dead from starvation left the POW's so weak and emaciated that when attacked by illness they rapidly succumbed.
Far sadder than death itself, was the moral degradation to which many of the POW's sank. Beings who had proven themselves men in the trials of battle, who had borne reputations for honesty and soldierly conduct were reduced to eating rats and stealing food from their comrades.
POW compounds were dicey environments, disagreements between captured units, poor food rations, ineffective medical care, harsh weather, tumble down dwellings, open camp sewers, disease, boredom, the occasional trigger happy guard and lice and filth all conspired to limit the lives of many formerly vigorous farm boys.
The prison compound in Indianapolis became a death camp, it is a tragic chapter of American history. Joe was only 20 when he died at Camp Morton only 3 months after his capture. Many generations of nephews have been named in his honor.
Joe died while a POW at Camp Morton in Indianapolis,IN.
The confederate soldiers remains were originally buried at Greenlawn Cemetary in Indianapolis but were reinterned between 1928 and 1931 to Crown Hill National Cemetery in a mass grave with a marker that simply read "Remains of 1616 unknown Confederate soldiers who died in Indianapolis while prisoners of war". By federal law all soldiers, North or South, were to have adequate recognition. In 1993 additional markers were installed at the Crown Hill site listing the names and regiments of the dead.
Joe was just barely 18 when he left his home in Coffee Co, Al in Dec 1863 to go to war. His his older brother Ivy and his uncle, Allen had already enlisted Sept 1862 in the 53rd. Joe was captured at the Battle of Resaca in Ga on May 15, 1864 and sent to Camp Morton in Indianapolis. A great many of the prisoners became ill after they arrived. Exposure and hunger on the battlefield plus the suffering on the journey to Indianapolis took its toll.
About 15,000 prisoners occupied Camp Morton between 1862-1865. Typical of most prison facilities at the time, Camp Morton was unprepared for the influx of prisoners. Medical care, food and sanitary conditions were inadequate. Between 1862-1865 more than 1700 Confederate deaths at Camp Morton resulted.
In July 1864 Camp Morton housed 4,900 POW's. The overcrowded conditions at the camp lead to increases in sickness and disease. Malaria, measles, typhoid fever and scurvy were reported in high numbers. The bad sanitary conditions which consisted of open raw sewage ditches led to dysentery and diarrhea. The lack of ample food and nearly dead from starvation left the POW's so weak and emaciated that when attacked by illness they rapidly succumbed.
Far sadder than death itself, was the moral degradation to which many of the POW's sank. Beings who had proven themselves men in the trials of battle, who had borne reputations for honesty and soldierly conduct were reduced to eating rats and stealing food from their comrades.
POW compounds were dicey environments, disagreements between captured units, poor food rations, ineffective medical care, harsh weather, tumble down dwellings, open camp sewers, disease, boredom, the occasional trigger happy guard and lice and filth all conspired to limit the lives of many formerly vigorous farm boys.
The prison compound in Indianapolis became a death camp, it is a tragic chapter of American history. Joe was only 20 when he died at Camp Morton only 3 months after his capture. Many generations of nephews have been named in his honor.
53rd Regiment Alabama Cavalry Co F
Joe died while a POW at Camp Morton in Indianapolis,IN.
The confederate soldiers remains were originally buried at Greenlawn Cemetary in Indianapolis but were reinterned between 1928 and 1931 to Crown Hill National Cemetery in a mass grave with a marker that simply read "Remains of 1616 unknown Confederate soldiers who died in Indianapolis while prisoners of war". By federal law all soldiers, North or South, were to have adequate recognition. In 1993 additional markers were installed at the Crown Hill site listing the names and regiments of the dead.
Joe was just barely 18 when he left his home in Coffee Co, Al in Dec 1863 to go to war. His his older brother Ivy and his uncle, Allen had already enlisted Sept 1862 in the 53rd. Joe was captured at the Battle of Resaca in Ga on May 15, 1864 and sent to Camp Morton in Indianapolis. A great many of the prisoners became ill after they arrived. Exposure and hunger on the battlefield plus the suffering on the journey to Indianapolis took its toll.
About 15,000 prisoners occupied Camp Morton between 1862-1865. Typical of most prison facilities at the time, Camp Morton was unprepared for the influx of prisoners. Medical care, food and sanitary conditions were inadequate. Between 1862-1865 more than 1700 Confederate deaths at Camp Morton resulted.
In July 1864 Camp Morton housed 4,900 POW's. The overcrowded conditions at the camp lead to increases in sickness and disease. Malaria, measles, typhoid fever and scurvy were reported in high numbers. The bad sanitary conditions which consisted of open raw sewage ditches led to dysentery and diarrhea. The lack of ample food and nearly dead from starvation left the POW's so weak and emaciated that when attacked by illness they rapidly succumbed.
Far sadder than death itself, was the moral degradation to which many of the POW's sank. Beings who had proven themselves men in the trials of battle, who had borne reputations for honesty and soldierly conduct were reduced to eating rats and stealing food from their comrades.
POW compounds were dicey environments, disagreements between captured units, poor food rations, ineffective medical care, harsh weather, tumble down dwellings, open camp sewers, disease, boredom, the occasional trigger happy guard and lice and filth all conspired to limit the lives of many formerly vigorous farm boys.
The prison compound in Indianapolis became a death camp, it is a tragic chapter of American history. Joe was only 20 when he died at Camp Morton only 3 months after his capture. Many generations of nephews have been named in his honor.
Joe died while a POW at Camp Morton in Indianapolis,IN.
The confederate soldiers remains were originally buried at Greenlawn Cemetary in Indianapolis but were reinterned between 1928 and 1931 to Crown Hill National Cemetery in a mass grave with a marker that simply read "Remains of 1616 unknown Confederate soldiers who died in Indianapolis while prisoners of war". By federal law all soldiers, North or South, were to have adequate recognition. In 1993 additional markers were installed at the Crown Hill site listing the names and regiments of the dead.
Joe was just barely 18 when he left his home in Coffee Co, Al in Dec 1863 to go to war. His his older brother Ivy and his uncle, Allen had already enlisted Sept 1862 in the 53rd. Joe was captured at the Battle of Resaca in Ga on May 15, 1864 and sent to Camp Morton in Indianapolis. A great many of the prisoners became ill after they arrived. Exposure and hunger on the battlefield plus the suffering on the journey to Indianapolis took its toll.
About 15,000 prisoners occupied Camp Morton between 1862-1865. Typical of most prison facilities at the time, Camp Morton was unprepared for the influx of prisoners. Medical care, food and sanitary conditions were inadequate. Between 1862-1865 more than 1700 Confederate deaths at Camp Morton resulted.
In July 1864 Camp Morton housed 4,900 POW's. The overcrowded conditions at the camp lead to increases in sickness and disease. Malaria, measles, typhoid fever and scurvy were reported in high numbers. The bad sanitary conditions which consisted of open raw sewage ditches led to dysentery and diarrhea. The lack of ample food and nearly dead from starvation left the POW's so weak and emaciated that when attacked by illness they rapidly succumbed.
Far sadder than death itself, was the moral degradation to which many of the POW's sank. Beings who had proven themselves men in the trials of battle, who had borne reputations for honesty and soldierly conduct were reduced to eating rats and stealing food from their comrades.
POW compounds were dicey environments, disagreements between captured units, poor food rations, ineffective medical care, harsh weather, tumble down dwellings, open camp sewers, disease, boredom, the occasional trigger happy guard and lice and filth all conspired to limit the lives of many formerly vigorous farm boys.
The prison compound in Indianapolis became a death camp, it is a tragic chapter of American history. Joe was only 20 when he died at Camp Morton only 3 months after his capture. Many generations of nephews have been named in his honor.
Inscription
F 53rd Alabama Partisan Rangers
