Life Among the ‘Wrecks’: The Convalescent Camp at Fort McHenry

As the thundering sounds of the battles of South Mountain and Antietam echoed in the dim distance, Lieutenant Henry Ayres of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry, lying sick at a convalescent camp in Baltimore, called it “slow torture. We felt like the leviathan of old that smelt the battle afar off and wished to be in it.”

          "Convalescent I am informed means a wreck- the leavings of a body that fever, diarrhea, wounds, and army surgeons have seen fit to let remain," he continued. "Some 800 non-commissioned officers and privates with about 40 commissioned officers make up this camp. The men are from all parts of the army and of every branch of the service; cavalry, artillery, and infantry all mixed up together. The convalescents went under the name and style of the “Cripple Brigade.”

          Lieutenant Ayres’ description of life at the Fort Henry convalescent camp first appeared in the October 2, 1862, edition of the Berlin City Courant published in Berlin, Wisconsin.

 

Lieutenant Ayres spent his mornings and afternoons teaching the men of Co. A, 18th Connecticut the nuances of drill at their camp within the enclosure at Fort McHenry. "The location of the camp was delightful," recalled Chaplain William C. Walker. "The duty was not heavy though constant and regular. Reveille and roll call at 5 a.m., breakfast at 6, guard mounting at 8, drill at 10, dinner call at 12, drill again at 3, dress parade at 5, supper at 6, tattoo at 9 and taps at 10 p.m." This depiction of that camp was included in the 18th Connecticut's regimental history penned by Chaplain Walker. 

Camp of Convalescents, Baltimore, Maryland

September 19, 1862

          Have you heard of the Camp of Convalescents at Fort McHenry? Well, supposing you have, some of your readers have not and may like to hear all about it. It is a place or camp where the good, kind, and very indulgent government at Washington places under Major General John E. Wool all those enlisted men and commissioned officer who are unable to return to their regiments directly from discharge from hospitals in cities where they have been and recovered partially. Others come in daily to take a turn to quinine, the knife, and unwelcome air. Here they have to go into tents and have grounds to exercise upon not found in the cities with fresh, delightful sea breezes which come up the Chesapeake, the Patapsco, and Severn, for their especial benefit I suppose.

          Convalescent I am informed means a wreck- the leavings of a body that fever, diarrhea, wounds, and army surgeons have seen fit to let remain. Some 800 non-commissioned officers and privates with about 40 commissioned officers make up this camp. The men are from all parts of the army and of every branch of the service; cavalry, artillery, and infantry all mixed up together. There is a system, however, by which this camp is governed. Brevet Brigadier General Morris has command of the fort and all therein. The ranking convalescent is Major D.T. Everetts, 39th New York Volunteers. General Morris put him in command of all the convalesced as we are sometimes called. The major divided up the 800 men into companies lettered from A-S, putting officers over them as in regular regiments. The convalescents, when this was done, went under the name and style of the “Cripple Brigade.”

          The hospital tents are large and supplied with good iron bedsteads. All the tents have platforms in them and mattresses or ticks filled with good clean straw. The food is good, what there is of it. I am sorry to say that complaints are made that the rations are not full. Someone must be taking a spec somewhere…

Fort McHenry's fame stems from it being the origin of our national anthem. By the time of the Civil War, Fort McHenry had been expanded considerably from its War of 1812 appearance and was armed with large caliber Columbiads for defense. 

          Fort McHenry is situated on a peninsula that extends down to the bay between the Patapsco Basin and Severn River and about 1-1/2 miles from Baltimore. The point on which the Fort is erected is made ground. There has been a sort of earthwork on this point since the times of the Revolution, but this fort was built in 1831. In 1814, the British shelled the earthworks and drove the soldiers out.

          There could be no healthier spot selected than this for a camp. We can procure any delicacy our appetites may crave, Peaches, pears, plums, apples, melons, and every kind of fruit is daily brought into camp by the hucksters. The water is good and the bathing facilities are splendid.

          Large squads of men leave nearly every day for their regiments and large numbers come in daily from the different hospitals. About 30 are discharged daily and leave for home. It would do you good to see the poor fellows faces brighten up when they get their discharge. Fathers and wives come here from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, the eastern states, and in fact all the states, seeking their husbands and sons to hasten their discharge.

          The days drag slowly away. This convalescent camp is no place for an uneasy man. To be sick just enough to keep one from doing field duty, able to walk about one day, and abed the next, is slow torture. Last Sunday, we heard the cannonading at Frederick, a distance of 40 miles, very plainly. We felt like the leviathan of old that smelt the battle afar off and wished to be in it.

          Within the enclosure a wall runs across the peninsula. Some 50 rods above the fort are several buildings filled with secession sympathizers and political prisoners, nabbed by the police and lodged here for a cooling spell. We have some of Ashby’s cavalry and spies, too. Within the fortress are a few dungeons, inside of whose walls the biggest rascals are kept. These no one are allowed to see; their friends often come to see them, but in vain.

          One artillery company of regulars is stationed within the fort and some of the volunteer companies, also. Without the fort but within the enclosure the 18th Connecticut Volunteers are encamped, doing the guard duty principally. This is a new regiment and some eight officers of the convalescent brigade are regularly detailed to teach them the drill. Your humble servant has Company A of that Nutmeg Battalion to instruct. It is a splendid regiment and commanded by a very fine set of intelligent officers who need but little practice to make them adept in military drill.

          I hope soon to be leaving these quarters for those in the field. My health has greatly improved. The glorious news received today puts new enthusiasm in us all and we wish to leave drilling for the scene of action. The 5th Wisconsin has been in again in its usual happy style, using up Howell Cobb’s brigade against whom they had some scores. That brigade was doing picket duty on the Yorktown defenses just opposite the 5th Wisconsin. Amasa Cobb took Howell as the boys used to say he would, only give him a chance.

          The weather is quite cool and agreeable. Little rain has fallen lately. The roads are splendid. Today, minute guns were fired from the fort and flags flew at half mast for General Reno. General Wool is at Harrisburg on business. The city of Baltimore, one week ago on the eve of a riot, has subsided. Most of Porter’s gun fleet is laying off the city with the 13-inch mortars all sound on the goose. There are only 6-8 men from our Wisconsin regiments in this camp.

Source:

Letter from Second Lieutenant Henry K.W. Ayres, Co. G, 5th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Berlin City Courant (Wisconsin), October 2, 1862, pg. 2

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