Civil War - 111th NY Infantry Volunteers - September 1862 - Harper's Ferry

FIRST BATTLE WAS THE SIEGE OF HARPER'S FERRY, VA. 12-15 SEP 1862.
ON SEPTEMBER 24, JUST TEN DAYS AFTER THE CULMINATION OF THE HARPERS FERRY BATTLE, THE 111TH PAROLEES BOARDED IN ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND A TRAIN WHICH BEGAN THEIR TRIP WEST TO CAMP DOUGLAS. THE CARS HAD PREVIOUSLY HELD CATTLE AND HAD ONLY RECEIVED A CURSORY SWEEPING. IN PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA THE DIRTY CATTLE CARS WERE REPLACED WITH FREIGHT CARS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. EACH CAR HELD FOURTY MEN CROWDED INTO THEM. THE MEN CHOPPED HOLES IN THE CARS FOR FRESH AIR AND SUNLIGHT. THEY ARRIVED AT NIGHT TIME IN CHICAGO. THE MEN REMAINED AT CAMP DOUGLAS FOR TWO MONTHS. THEY WERE RELEASED FROM THEIR INTERNMENT ON NOVEMBER 19, 1862. IT HOWEVER, WAS THE 26TH OF NOVEMBER BEFORE TRANSPORTATION WAS AVAILABLE TO TAKE THEM TO ENCAMPMENT AT CAMP CHASE ON ARLINGTON HEIGHTS ONLY A FEW MILES FROM WASHINGTON, DC.

CASUALTIES WHILE CONFINED TO CAMP DOUGLAS IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS IS NOT REPORTED. SANITARY CONDITIONS WERE ATROCIOUS TO SAY THE LEAST. THE FOLLOWING FATAL DISEASES WERE REPORTED AT CAMP DOUGLAS IN 1862:
TYPHOID FEVER, DIPTHERIA, SMALL POX, CHOLERA, CONSUMPTION (TUBERCULOSIS), DYSENTERY, MEASLES, PNEUMONIA.