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From: Donald McLatchie <>
Subject: Re: [IASCOTT-L] McCool's, Jacks
Date: Tue, 05 Oct 1999 17:25:53 -0500


Pat McCool wrote:
>
> Hi,
> b. JOHN CALVIN MCCOOL: HE WAS BORN ON DECEMBER 8, 1843. JC WHICH WAS
> HIS NICKNAME SERVED IN THE CIVIL WAR WHEN HE WAS CAPTURED IN TEXAS.
> THE STORY GOES HE AND ANOTHER FRIEND WHERE IN A LIBRARY WHEN THE
> CONFEDERATES FOUND HIM. HE WAS A PRISONER AT CAMP TYLER IN TYLER
> TEXAS. HE WROTE A DIARY WHILE HE WAS IN THE CAMP. HE WAS WITH THE 20TH
> IOWA COMPANY G. HE ENLISTED AUGUST 15, 1862.

Just for information -- Camp Ford in Tyler, Texas was the largest
Confederate prison in the Trans-Mississippi region. The camp had log
walls, 18 feet high and consisted of 10 acres of scrub land. The prison
had a population of 6000 men as of April, 1864. Streets were given
names of Waterstreet, Frontstreet, Broadway, 5th Avenue, 10-pin Alley,
and Mule Avenue. The men made their own shelters which were A-frame,
1/2 cabin, 1/2 cave and gave these shelters the name, "Shebangs" The
camp was guarded by 465 men from the 3rd and 15th Texas Cavalry. As the
end of the war came upon Camp Ford, the last days were of exchange and
parole for the Yankees waiting to go home. Whiskey was passed around by
the guards and the members of the Texas Cavalry escorted the remaining
Northerners to their lines. At Tyler, Texas, the only remembrance of
Camp Ford is a granite marker five feet high. {This description was
taken from the internet from an essay by a descendant of a Union
Soldier, William RYAN [160th New York], who was born in Ireland and
immigrated to New York in 1850. He was was wounded and captured in his
first real battle at Pleasant Hill, LA.}

Don McLatchie
Jefferson, Texas

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