The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board

Union Camps Shafer, Totten, Merrill

While thumbing through the monthly event records of various Union regiments, I came across mentions of Camp Shafer at Columbia, Camp Totten at Jefferson City and Camp Merrill at Sturgeon.

Does anyone have any information about these camps - such as were they permanent structures or just a tent city, were they occupied all the time, have hospitals, etc.

Did every town of significance with a railroad have a Union camp?

Craig Asbury