Re: Camp (Douglas) Hell
My great-grandfather was in the 7th AL Cav when he was captured near Nashville Dec 16, 1864 sent to Mil Prison Louisville Ky Dec 21 and sent on to Douglas same day. Released there June 19, 1865 to walk home. In his later years he was blind and paid my dad 5 cents to read the Bible to him. I have the rocker he sat in by the fireplace while my dad read. His dad died in Mississippi, they were serving together. He never told how his dad died or where he was buried. He would not talk of any fighting or much about the Prison. He told my dad how he was captured and a lot about walking home, but I never learned how long it took him. He applied for a pension Jan. 18, 1924, two years before he died. On the application it is written that he had been totally blind since Dec. 15, 1885. We have learned that many of the Douglas prisoneers went blind from sun exposure. When he went into the service he was 6' tall and 200 lbs. He told my dad that he survived because he was big, young and healthy when he got there and he was only there for six months. My dad was 9 when he read him the Bible. He is buried in Shelby Co. AL and a big thanks to SH.A.P.E I have his grave marked and his dad a memory stone.