Day 3 of 43'rd

We awake on Saturday 22 November to frigid weather with a blustery wind. The temperature is in the low 20's. Everybody I ever speak with says weather is relevant. Well, with the wind, 20 deg. temp and the dampness of the Bay, Potomac and Patuxent rivers, the cold goes right through you. Cold is relevant on this side of the bay. We chat of the upcoming morning and the Quilt Auction over breakfast in the hotel. We both comment on the chill that will be present in the giant steel barn where the auction is held.

We drive the twenty minutes to the auction being buffeted by head winds from the north west. As we turn off the main route onto rural route #223 the farm where the auction is held is just a couple of miles up the road. We pass several hose and buggies with their Amish owners bundled up under blankets and quilts. It is cold!

We pull into the farm, more like a commune with several homes, outbuildings and barns. There are many cars parked where ever space allows. I see license plates from, VA, PA, DE, NJ, NC, NY and of course MD. There could have been other states represented but these were the ones I passed in route to the barn. The parked cars ran the entire spectrum, from Mercedes and Beemers to 20 year old pickups. Everywhere you looked horse drawn carts were tied to trees or buildings. Some horses were blanketed against the chill in the air.

Upon entering the giant steel barn you looked to the front of the barn which had a raised stage presence, very rustic. Hanging up was the quilt presently being auctioned. It could be turned so the bidders could see it from every angle. The Auctioneer in his mantra, was trying to get the most for each and every quilt. Prior to each bid starting the auctioneer would tell the audience who made the quilt. Some of the names identified were Blauch, Coblentz,Hertzler, Hostetler, Knepp, Miller, Stoltzfus, Yoder,and Zook to name a few.

In addition to quilts, hand made toys, furniture of every description, pot holders, and center pieces were auctioned.

Our 43'rd weekend continued

The first Photo is Mary Agnes at the Tea Room in Leonardtown, Md. A great place for lunch if your ever there.

Photo # 2 is the Civil War Memorial at Point Lookout


In two more days, a month shall have passed since my last post. I have got to get on the stick, as they say.

Back to the previous post when we were on the Western Shore. It’s Friday AM, 11-21-08 and after a meal in the hotel we are off for a day of adventure. We first headed to Point Lookout, MD. During the Civil War there was a large Prison Camp there operated by the Union and holding thousands of Confederate soldiers. (See info below)

Point Lookout Prisoner of War Camp

The following is from the Web Site: http://www.mycivilwar.com/pow/md-point_lookout.htm

Point Lookout, Maryland

As the number of prisoners steadily increased after the battle at Gettysburg , it became evident that the number of current Union prisons was not enough to hold them all. Since no major prisons had been built or facilities converted since the Confederate defeats at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in 1862, Quartermaster General Meigs ordered Brig. Gen. Daniel H. Rucker, chief quartermaster, to establish a prison camp at Point Lookout, Maryland, which would hold 10,000 prisoners.

Point Lookout was the largest and one of the worst Union prisoner-of-war camps, established on August 1, 1863. It was located at the extreme tip of St. Mary's County, on the long, low, and barren peninsula where the Potomac River joins Chesapeake Bay. It had been a resort area with hotels, boarding houses, cottages, and commercial establishments before the war. The site was leased to the Federal Government in June 1862, and quickly became a major government installation. The site was comparatively isolated and easily protected. At the extreme end of the peninsula, near the lighthouse, a 1,400-bed hospital complex was built with 20 buildings arranged in a circle, a large wharf to receive supplies and the wounded soldiers that came in from battlefields; a number of storehouses and stables; laundry and dining facilities; and additional quarters for officers, doctors, surgeons, and Union troops. The hospital became one of the largest and busiest medical facilities in the Union's service.

A 40-acre site about 1/2 mile northeast of the hospital was selected, and work began on enclosing the area with a 15-foot-high fence, with a gallery along the top of the fence for the guards. The fence also divided the prison into 2 sections, one about 30 acres and the other about 10 acres. The inside of the prison was a flat stretch of sand without any shrubs or trees. The dividing of the prison was to seperate the enlisted prisoners from the officer prisoners. All of the prisoners would have tents instead of barracks for their shelter. The camp was only about 5 feet above sea level.

The prison's official name was Camp Hoffman but it was hardly ever used. Before long, the prison became the most populated and largest Union prison, at one time holding 20,000 prisoners, because it was so close to the battlefields on the Eastern Theater.

The first guard detail assigned to the camp was the 2nd and 12th New Hampshire Regiments. Other guard details included the 4th Rhode Island Volunteer Regiment, 10th Regiment U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps, 166th Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st U.S. Volunteers, and the 139th Ohio Infantry Regiment. On February 25, 1864, for the first time, the 36th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment. Other black guard details included the 5th Massachusetts Colored Cavalry, the 3rd and 4th Maryland Colored Regiments, and the 24th and 28th Colored Infantry Regiments. All the guard details were extremely strict and easily provoked. Assisting the guards in their duties was the ironclad U.S.S. Roanoke, sitting in the bay.
The first commandant was Brig. Gen. Gilman Marston. He was replaced in December 1863 by Brig. Gen. Edward W. Hinks, in April 1864 by Col. Alonzo G. Draper, and in July by Brig. Gen. James Barnes.
The fisrt prisoners arrived in late July and by the end of the year, the population was more than 9,000 prisoners. By mid-summer 1864, it was over 15,500 prisoners.

The prisoner's tents were set up in 9 parallel "streets" running east to west. The main path through the center of the camp was known as "Pennsylvania Avenue." Each row of tents were labeled as a division and would hold 1,000 or more prisoners.

LIFE & CONDITIONS:
All prisoners lived in the overcrowded tents and shacks, with no barracks to protect them from heat and coastal storms. There were several different kinds of tents that the prisoners used. Each row of tents were labeled as a division and would hold 1,000 or more prisoners. The majority of the different types were: A-tents (5 men), Sibley tents (13-14 men), Hospital tents (15-18 men), Wall tents (3-8 men), Hospital flys (10-13 men), Wall-tent flys (3-8 men), and Shelter tents (3 men).

The back of the prison was next to the bay. Here, the prisoners were allowed a certain area to bathe, wash clothes, and find additional food, such as clams, lobsters, and fish. Fresh water for drinking was scarce and polluted. Wells supplied the water for the camp, but they proved too shallow and had iron and alkaline salts in it. Later on, a boat was arranged to bring in fresh water for the prison.

There was never enough food or firewood; both were strictly rationed. Rats were a major source of protein for some inmates, and catching them became a favorite sport in the camp. Rations were supposed to consist of pork 2 out of 3 days, with beef on the 3rd day. The rations were served twice a day, 8:00-9:00 A.M. for breakfast and 3:00-4:00 P.M. for dinner.

There were weekly inspections of the prisoners, in which the prisoners would have their tents inspected for contraband. Flooding of the prison compound was frequent, soaking the prisoners their clothing, and their tents. There were cases of the prison commandant and his subordinates either reducing the quality or quantity of the rations for their personal profit.

There was much animosity between the prisoners and the guards, who were mostly black troops. One Confederate who had managed to purchase his freedom from the prison reported that "murder was not only not scrupled at, but opportunities sought for its commission by the guards, who are known to have been offered by the officer of the day as much as $10 and $15 apiece for every prisoner they could shoot in the discharge of their duty."

Because of the topography, drainage was poor, and the area was subject to extreme heat in the summer and cold in the winter. This exacerbated the problems created by inadequate food, clothing, fuel, housing, and medical care. As a result, approximately 3,000 prisoners died there over 22 months.
Besides chronic diarrhea, dysentery and typhoid fever had become epidemic at the camp while smallpox, scurvy, and the itch had become quite common.

The latrines at the camp were built out over the bay on the east side of the camp for use in the daytime. Large boxes and or tubs were used at nighttime.

Daily activities in the camp consisted of reveille between dawn and sunrise and followed by roll call. After breakfast, the prisoners passed time by busying themselves with a wide variety of occupations and pastimes.

There were still 22,000 prisoners being held by the end of the war in April 1865.They were eventually released in a combination of alphabetical order and reverse order of states that seceded from the Union. By June 30, all of the prisoners had been transferred out of the camp. It is known that at least 3,584 prisoners died at the prison.

It is estimated that a total of 52,264 prisoners, both military and civilian, were held prisoner there. Although it was designed for 10,000 prisoners, during most of its existence it held 12,600 to 20,000 inmates. Only 50 escapes were successful at the camp.

From Point Lookout we headed around the Peninsula and visited several historical Plantations

The descriptions below are from The St. Mary’s County Web Site

http://tour.co.saint-marys.md.us

Sotterley Plantation
P. O. Box 67/ 44300 Sotterley Lane
Hollywood MD 20636
301-373-2280
www.sotterley.org

Located on the banks of the Patuxent River, this 1703 Tidewater Plantation features an architecturally significant Mansion of unique post-in-ground construction with beautiful woodwork including a Chinese Chippendale staircase. A National Historic Landmark, Sotterley has been home to generations of prominent families including that of the sixth Governor of Maryland, and later, the daughter of financier J.P. Morgan. It was also home to hundreds of anonymous slaves. The 90-acre site includes Colonial Revival gardens with panoramic views of the river, a rare original Slave Cabin, a smokehouse, a necessary, a Customs Warehouse, and nature trails. Sotterley has a Museum Shop and a newly restored Barn for special events. Water access is available by calling in advance during the week.

Grounds open year round for self-guided tours: Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm and Sunday 12 pm - 4 pm. Guided Mansion tours are available May 1 - October 31, Tuesday - Sunday with the last tours at 3:00pm. (No Mansion tours on Monday.) Museum Shop is open when the Mansion is open for tours. Visit website for more information and for Admission fees.

St. Clements Island Museum
38370 Point Breeze Road
Colton's Point MD 20626
301-769-2222
http://www.co.saint-marys.md.us/recreate/museums/stclementsisland.asp

Located on the mainland, the museum’s exhibits trace the history of English colonization in Maryland with emphasis on the landing of the first 140 colonists on St. Clement’s Island in 1634. The museum also holds artifacts that tell the story of life on the Potomac River in earlier times. On the grounds is the Little Red Schoolhouse, a 19th-century one- room school used until the 1960s and relocated from nearby Charlotte Hall. There is also a museum shop. The museum has pier docking facilities, and offers seasonal water taxi service to the island.

The museum and the Crab Claw Museum Store are open March 25 though September, weekdays: 9 AM to 5 PM, weekends: noon to 5 PM. October 1 through March 24, Wednesday through Sunday: 12 noon to 4 PM. Water taxi rides Saturday and Sunday Memorial Weekend through the end of September, weather permitting.

Tudor Hall
41680 Tudor Place
Leonardtown MD 20650
301-475-2467
www.smchistory.org

Tudor Hall was originally built around 1744 as a small house with additions as early as the 1760s. This Georgian-style house became the home of Phillip Key, uncle of Francis Scott Key, author of the Star Spangled Banner. Unusual features of the house are the inset portico, the main hall’s hanging staircase, and a “triple fireplace” in the kitchen. Tudor Hall serves as the research library for the St. Mary’s County Historical Society and also houses the Historical Society’s bookstore with books on genealogy, and local and regional history.

Open Monday – Friday, 10 AM – 2 PM. The Research Library is open Thursday and Friday, Noon – 4 PM, Saturday 10 AM – 4 PM. The book store is open Monday – Friday, 10 AM – 2 PM.

The second day of our adventure saw us once again at the Thai restaurant for dinner. Once again it was a great meal. Back in our room we settled down with a glass of wine and watched a little football.

Tomorrow 11-22-08 we're off to the Amish Quilt Auction in Mechanicsville, MD.