Thomas Worthington Camp Morton papers
Collection — Folder: S1524
Identifier: S1524
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of a photocopy of the submission “Civil War Letters of Confederate Cavalryman and Dallasite, Thomas Payne Worthington,” a contribution of 9 pages in length, excerpted from the June 1980 issue of The Quarterly of the Dallas Genealogical Society (specifically, pages 91-99). The items in the compilation include 3 diary entries and 15 letters, most of the letters having been written by Thomas Payne Worthington from Camp Morton in Indianapolis, Indiana during the U.S. Civil War. A commentary by the compilers, Hazael W. Beckett and Edward W. Samuell, Jr., introduces the parts of the collection.
Dates
- 1980
Creator
- Worthington, Thomas P. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Historical Note
Governor Oliver P. Morton--for whom Camp Morton was named--selected what was, in 1861, the Indiana State Fairgrounds as the grounds for a military training camp, a 36-acre tract just north of the city of Indianapolis (bounded by present-day Indianapolis by 19th and 22nd streets, Central Avenue, and Talbott Street).
In 1862, Governor Morton answered the need for facilities to house captured Confederate soldiers by offering the use of Camp Morton. Prepared to accept 3,000 prisoners, it held 3,700 prisoners within its first month as a prisoner-of-war camp. Administration of the camp alternated between the benign (under Colonel Richard Owen) to the more severe (under Colonel David Garland Rose). Many Confederate soldiers died of exposure, unaccustomed northern winters. In all, over 1,700 prisoners died during the war, a mortality figure appreciably less than those recorded by other northern prisons.
In 1862, Governor Morton answered the need for facilities to house captured Confederate soldiers by offering the use of Camp Morton. Prepared to accept 3,000 prisoners, it held 3,700 prisoners within its first month as a prisoner-of-war camp. Administration of the camp alternated between the benign (under Colonel Richard Owen) to the more severe (under Colonel David Garland Rose). Many Confederate soldiers died of exposure, unaccustomed northern winters. In all, over 1,700 prisoners died during the war, a mortality figure appreciably less than those recorded by other northern prisons.
Biographical Note
Thomas Worthington enlisted in the as a private in the 1st Mississippi Cavalry of the Confederate army during the American Civil War. He fought mainly in the Western Theater, but was captured on November 15th, 1863 at Deer Creek, Mississippi and transported to Prison No. 1 near Vicksburg. Worthington was eventually transported to Camp Morton in Indianapolis, Indiana where he remained until June of 1864 when his release was ordered after he took a loyalty oath.
Sources
Items in the collection.
Fold 3. "Thomas P. Worthington." Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Mississippi. Accessed August 13, 2018. https://www.fold3.com/image/64711344?terms=Worthington,%20Thomas%20Mississippi&pqsid=NVeuciYC8Iwl30c10FFMEg:1191000:249979011.
Sources
Items in the collection.
Fold 3. "Thomas P. Worthington." Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Mississippi. Accessed August 13, 2018. https://www.fold3.com/image/64711344?terms=Worthington,%20Thomas%20Mississippi&pqsid=NVeuciYC8Iwl30c10FFMEg:1191000:249979011.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Dallas Genealogical Society Quarterly.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 1988 by Philip N. Williams. Collection reprocessed 2018/08/13 by Abby Currier. EAD finding aid created 2018/08/13 by Abby Currier.
Creator
- Worthington, Thomas P. (Person)
- Title
- Thomas Worthington Camp Morton papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
