Immortal Six-Hundred Immortal Six-Hundred
From: TFreeman@nti.net (Thomas Freeman)
The publicity about mistreatment and deaths of prisoners during the War Of Northern
Aggression usually point to Andersonville, and no doubt conditions were bad there
and many died. However, during that war more Southern POW'S died in Northern prisons than
Northern POWs died in Southern prisons. 22,576 Union prisoners died in Southern
prisons. 26,436 "Rebel" prisoners died in Northern prisons.
(U.S. Serial Set, Serial No. 1267, Doc # 152)
Thomas Freeman
On 20 August 1864, a chosen group of 600 Confederate Officers left Ft. Delaware, as
prisoners of war, bound for the Union Army base at Hilton Head, SC. Their purpose - to be
placed in a stockade in front of Union
batteries at the siege of Charleston.
The 600 were landed on Morris Island, at the mouth of Charleston Harbor. Here they
remained in an open 1 1/2 acre pen, under the shelling of friendly artillery fire. Three
died on the starvation rations issued as a retaliation for the conditions of Union prisoners at
Andersonville, GA and Salisbury, NC.
On 21 October, after 45 days under fire, the weakened survivors were removed to Ft.
Pulaski, GA. Here they were crowded into the cold, damp casemates of the fort. On 19
November, 197 of the men were sent back to Hilton Head to relieve the overcrowding. A
"retaliation ration" of 10 ounces of moldy cornmeal and soured onion pickles was
the only food given for 42 days. Thirteen men died at Ft. Pulaski and five at Hilton
Head.
The remaining members of the Immortal Six Hundred were returned at Ft. Delaware on 12
March 1865, where an additional 25 died. They became famous throughout the South for their
adherence to principle, refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance under such adverse
circumstances.
We, the descendants of these men have been working five years to lobby Congress for
permission to have a memorial marker placed at the cemetery at Ft. Pulaski for these brave
men. Finally, this week, we have gotten
the word that the work can go forward. The Park Service has given permission to have an
interpretative marker with a freestanding plaque identifying the 600, plus the 13 who died
there. Until now, it was believed by the Park Service that no cemetery existed, or that
the bodies had been removed long ago...now thanks to some very dedicated Park
Service archeologists, the cemetery has been located and some of the graves.
Two books have been written about this group and if anyone had ancestors who were Officers
in the CSA held at Ft. Delaware, I am happy to do look-ups for you. Also, if you are
interested in making (Tax
Deductible) donations to this cause, please get in contact with me. The project is
expected to take $10,000 and we have $3,200 in the fund at present.
My husband's grandfather, First Lt. John Lumpkin Haynes of the 14th Ala. Inf. from
Lineville, Ala. was a survivor of this group and lived to be 84 years old, although he had
a chronic lung condition from this ordeal.
Doris