Camp Alton

Date: 1862 to 1865
Location: Alton, Illinois
Surname/tag: us_civil_war

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Alton POW Camp

The Alton penitentiary was the first state prison built in Illinois in 1830-31. It was opened in 1833, a city on the Mississippi River. It was too near the river and in an undrained and ungraded area, and the prison aroused much criticism and was therefore closed. Because of overcrowding a decision was made that the prison could be used to hold confederate detainees.

The abandoned Alton Prison was taken over by authorities early in 1862 for use as a 'military detention camp". The first prisoners arrived at Alton Prison on February 9, 1862 and members of the 13 th U.S. Infantry were assigned as guards, with Lt. Col. Sidney Burbank commanding. By February 12, the prison was already overcrowded. [1]

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• Alton Military Prison on wikipedia.org