July 11, 1865---To "Hellmira" and back

JULY 11, 1865:          

“Camp Chemung” the notorious Civil War Prison Camp in Elmira, New York, often referred to as “Hellmira” is closed, and dismantling begins. Once a Union training center, “Camp Rathbun,” the P.O.W. Camp held at its fullest capacity about 13,000 prisoners, of whom nearly 3,000 died (about 25%). This was comparable to Andersonville (29%) where the prisoners also lived in tents.