Video
Guns Across the Lakes: Hopewell Culture- Camp Bull
Transcript
Hi my name is Ranger Sarah and today i'm standing in what is now Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. Around 2000 years ago this area was surrounded by miles of earthen walls built by the Hopewell Culture. A vast network of prehistoric American Indian groups practicing a religious tradition that spanned all across the eastern half of the United States. However, just 200 years ago during the War of 1812 this area was farmland and just down the road from where I'm standing now was a two-acre encampment on the bank of this Scioto River known as Camp Bull. This was one of a few prisoner of war camps in the United States during the War of 1812. Join me in this episode of Guns Across the Lakes to explore what life was like in a prisoner of war camp. Camp Bull gets its name from a figure similar to Uncle Sam called John Bull who was a personification of England. The camp served as one of few British prisoners of war camps in the United States of America during the War of 1812. Other camps were established in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New Orleans as well as several others along the east coast. Many of these camps were informal prisoners were housed in jails and warehouses. Private residences as well as any other establishment that would provide adequate housing for prisoners. Standard protocols and formal encampments for prisoners of war were not firmly established until late 1813. Camp Bull was hastily built followed following Commodore Perry's victory on Lake Erie and the American victory at the Battle of Thames which we learned about in the last installment of Guns Across the Lakes.The land that Camp Bull was built on was owned by Thomas Worthington one of Ohio's first governors. The land was located just outside the town of Chillicothe. Chillicothe has had close connections to federal military campaigns for most of its history. The city was Ohio's state capital during the War of 1812 and served as the staging ground for the 19th in regiment of the infantry during the War of 1812. Almost every family in Ross county had a son, father, or uncle go to battle against the British. Later on during World War One Chillicothe was also home to Camp Sherman, a large training camp that served over 40,000 soldiers but nearly 100 years before the Great War from 1813 to 1814 300 prisoners were held at Camp Bull as well as in the city of Chillicothe. After Commodore Perry's victory and the American victory at the battle of Thames the defeated British were ordered by General William Henry Harrison to march the nearly 200 miles from Sandusky, Ohio to Chillicothe. They finally reached Camp Bull in mid-October. The prisoners who made this long journey were primarily officers, privates, and seamen. Camp Bull enclosed roughly two acres of land. Four square wooden walls enclosed the prisoners detained in the camp. Their barracks were small wooden cabins that jutted up against the three of the four walls. A picketed wall that faced the Scioto River formed the fourth and final wall that completely enclosed the prisoners. Some British prisoners were able to work and roam freely around Chillicothe. Prisoners could receive parole if they were trained as craftsmen one British pow was trained as a glass maker and another as a carpenter. Officers often did not stay at camp at all. They had the privilege to live alongside Chillicothe families receiving three shillings a day for food and lodging. Captured British officers were often invited to dinner parties and had servants leading to mixed feelings among Chillicothe locals. While many Chillicothe locals enjoyed the company of the British others resented how well they were treated. The loose arrangement between the British and the Americans regarding prisoners of war led to very laxs rules. For instance escapes were common and repercussions were few and far between. Yet that did not hold true for American deserters. Before the British prisoners ended their time at Camp Bull they witnessed the execution of six American soldiers for desertion along the bank of the Sciota river. in 1814 following the end of the hostilities the British prisoners made their way back to Sandusky and then along the Niagara to make their way home. Camp Bull no longer stands in Chillicothe, Ohio but is commemorated in Pat Medert's book Raw Recruits and Bullish Prisoners Ohio's Capital in the War of 1812 and up until recently a commemorative marker on route 104. Join us for our next installment of Guns Across the Lakes where we join Lake Erie Maritime Museum and explore the campaign of 1814.
Description
This week we travel to Southern Ohio to learn what happen to the POW captured at the Battle of Lake Erie and the Thames.
Duration
7 minutes, 1 second
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