Camp Chase Ohio Internments
Soldiers from Campbell County, Kentucky
Submitted by
Martha Pelfrey 15 November 2015
Camp Chase Cemetery Monument
Named
for former Ohio Governor
Salmon P Chase, who was
Lincoln's
Secretary of the Treasury, it was a training
camp for Ohio volunteer army soldiers, a parole camp, a
muster outpost, and later a prisoner-of-war
camp. Located west of Columbus, Oh.
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Letter from the prisoners at Camp Chase to Governor Magoffin
Covington Journal, August 1862
To His Excellency, Governor of Kentucky
Hon. Beriah Magoffin
The undersigned would most respectfully represent to your Excellency that we are citizens of the State of Kentucky, and that we are now confined in prison at Camp Chase in the State of Ohio, and that we are brought here by the force of arms against our will and consent, in violation of the laws of Kentucky and the laws of the United States.
That we have been arrested by force that overpowered us without warrant or law while in the peaceful pursuit of our legitimate business and place in confinement in different prisons in Kentucky and then brought here (where many of us have been in confinement for a long time with no hope of being released or having any hearing before any tribunal) where we are now confined and restrained of our rights and liberty that we are justly entitled to. That we are law abiding citizens of Kentucky and the United States. That we have not violated the laws of either and that our imprisonment is unjust, both in law and in the eyes of God and man. That we are denied a trial by any tribunal known to the laws our common country, but are compelled to remain here in this prison, away from our homes, our wives, children, relations and all verbal communications refused us. That our confinement here is heart rending to us and our families, in as much that we are free and innocent of any crime whatsoever.
We therefore pray your Excellency to lay this before the Legislature of Kentucky that they may take some action in behalf of her citizens, that have been moved from their homes and cast in prison in another State contrary to law and order. We pray that we may have a trial before the peers of our State and be able to meet our accuser face to face, and be dealt with according to law.
We all further declare that we are law abiding citizens and have not done anything contrary to the laws of Kentucky or the United States; that our confinement is unjust and injurious to us, our wives, children, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers and friends, while also this confinement is ruinous to our business and our health. We pray that the Legislature may take a speedy action in our behalf and not allow her sons to rot in prison, without charge or crime of any kind and we shall ever pray, etc.
Signed (only Campbell County names listed here)
Geo D Allen-19 July 1862
S B Arnold-21 July 1862
Peter G Arthur-21 July 1862
A D Daniel-18 July 1862
Rev Thomas J Fisher-20 July 1862
A D Furnish-20 July 1862
A J Galbreath-20 July 1862
H D Helm-19 July 1862
Thomas P Herndon-9 June 1862
John P Jackson-18 July 1862
John Kiser-20 July 1862
John Lighfoot-19 July 1862
Robert Maddox-1 July 1862
Solomon McDade-19 July 1862
Jas McKibben-22 July 1862
Francis M Royse/Rouse-20 July 1862
James W Shanks-20 July 1862
G S Skilback-25 July 1862
Andrew C Spar-20 July 1862
Joseph Sphar-20 July 1862
Lewis Stearns-25 July 1862
Wilson Wiscer-20 July 1862
L W Woods-18 July 1862
Jesse Yelton-15 June 1862