Houston Civil War prisoner of war camp

 

Abstract

Hidden beneath the modern streets of downtown Houston lies the largely forgotten site of the oldest Civil War prisoner of war camp in Texas. Overshadowed by more infamous prisons such as Andersonville, the Houston prisoner of war compound played a significant yet overlooked role in the Confederate carceral system and the broader history of the American Civil War. This project examines the origins, operation, and legacy of the Houston prison, focusing particularly on the experiences of the 42nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry captured during the Battle of Galveston in 1863

Today, the former site of the Houston Civil War prisoner of war camp lies beneath a younger, though historically significant, structure: the Merchant and Manufacturers Building. Were it not for a Texas state historical marker placed in 1965, there would be no indication that a Civil War prison once stood in the heart of what is now one of the largest cities in the United States. The Houston prison was neither the largest nor the most notorious, and its prisoners were not subjected to the extreme mistreatment seen elsewhere. The camp itself was relatively small, consisting of just two converted warehouses.

This stands in sharp contrast to the more infamous prison camp at Andersonville, Georgia, where more than 30,000 men were confined in a space designed for only 10,000. Despite its modest size, the Houston camp holds historical importance as the oldest prisoner of war camp in Texas, opening months before the larger and better-known camps at Camp Ford and Camp Groce.

Most of the prisoners held in Houston were members of the 42nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, captured during the Battles of Galveston on January 1, 1863, and Sabine Pass on September 8, 1863. After their capture, these men were transported to Houston, where they remained until being paroled back to Union lines. However, Confederate and Texas law dictated a far different fate for the small number of African American soldiers serving with the 42nd Massachusetts and the African American sailors aboard the USS Harriet Lane. These men were either sold into slavery or sent to the state penitentiary in Huntsville.

The 42nd Massachusetts Volunteers first arrived in New Orleans on December 17, 1862. Four days before Christmas, three companies of the regiment boarded a vessel bound for Galveston. Once there, they patrolled the city and began constructing defensive breastworks. On January 1, 1863, approximately 2,000 Confederate troops under the command of General John B. Magruder launched a coordinated assault on the island. Supported by artillery fire and two riverboats, the Confederates forced the Union blockading ships from their positions and drove the USS Harriet Lane aground. After a determined defense that earned praise from General Magruder himself, the Union forces were compelled to surrender.

On January 2, 1863, 237 members of the 42nd Massachusetts and 110 crewmen from the USS Harriet Lane were loaded onto railroad cars and transported to Houston.

By most accounts, the prisoners held in Houston were treated relatively well. Enlisted men were confined within the prison compound, though they were occasionally allowed to move through the city in small groups of three or four under armed guard. Officers were housed separately across the bayou and were granted freedom of movement within the city under a “parole of honor,” a pledge not to escape or assist the Union war effort. In practice, however, officers rarely took advantage of this freedom.

Overall, prisoners received the same rations as Confederate soldiers. These typically consisted of hard cornbread known as “corn dodgers,” a coffee substitute made from burned corn mixed with hot water, and an allotment of salt beef. As Private Alexander Hobbs recalled, many men initially struggled to adjust to the diet, and some suffered bouts of diarrhea. For the most part, however, the rations appear to have been nutritionally adequate.

Eventually, most of the prisoners held in Houston were transferred either to other Confederate prison camps or to Union parole camps, which functioned as prisoner-of-war facilities. It was in one of these camps that the majority of the 42nd Massachusetts remained until their discharge in the summer of 1863.