Camp Curtin

Camp Curtin

Camp Curtin was a military training camp in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War.

When news of the bombardment and subsequent surrender of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina reached Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to join the Army to quell the rebellion of the Southern states. Across the North, eager recruits responded to calls from local governmental officials to join newly raised state regiments. Governor Andrew Curtin of Pennsylvania issued a proclamation asking for 13,000 able-bodied men to volunteer to help preserve the Union. Within three days, thousands of men had converged at Harrisburg to enlist, but they had no formal place to organize or drill. Dauphin County officials offered Governor Curtin the use of the County Agricultural Society on the northern outskirts of Harrisburg for these volunteers. Maj. Joseph F. Knipe officially opened the camp on April 18, 1861, and named it Camp Curtin in honor of the governor (the planned name had been Camp Union). From December 1861 to March 1862, the camp was commanded by Truman Seymour.

Over 300,000 soldiers passed through Camp Curtin, making it the largest Federal camp during the Civil War. Harrisburg's location on major railroad lines running east and west, and north and south made it the ideal location for moving men and supplies to the armies in the field. In addition to Pennsylvania regiments, troops from Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, and the Regular Army used Camp Curtin. The camp and surrounding area also saw service as a supply depot, hospital and prisoner-of-war camp. At the end of the war, Camp Curtin was used as a mustering-out point for thousands of troops on their way home. It was officially closed on November 11, 1865.

References

* [http://www.campcurtin.org/ Camp Curtin Historical Society]
* Miller, William J., "Training of an Army: Camp Curtin and the North's Civil War," White Mane Publishing, 1990, ISBN 0-942597-15-X


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Camp Curtin (Harrisburg) — Camp Curtin is a neighborhood in on Harrisburg, Pennsylvania s northern end bordering Uptown Harrisburg. Its zip code is 17110.HistoryDuring the American Civil War, over 300,000 soldiers passed through Camp Curtin, making it the largest Federal… …   Wikipedia

  • Andrew Gregg Curtin — Andrew Gregg Curtin. Cliché sur collodion humide pris aux alentours de 1860 par Mathew Brady ou Levin C. Handy. Andrew Gregg Curtin (22 avril 1817 7 octobre 1894) est un homme politique américain, 15e gouverneur de l État de… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Andrew Gregg Curtin — Infobox Governor name = Andrew Gregg Curtin order = 15th office = Governor of Pennsylvania term start = January 15, 1861 term end = January 15, 1867 lieutenant = predecessor = William F. Packer successor = John W. Geary title2 = Member of the… …   Wikipedia

  • John Curtin College of the Arts — Infobox Aust school name = John Curtin College of the Arts motto = Learning for life established = 1942 type = Public, Co educational principal = Mitchell Mackay city = Fremantle state = W.A country = Australia flag|Australia campus = Suburban… …   Wikipedia

  • Harrisburg in the American Civil War — Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War was the capital of the second largest state in the Union. [U.S. Census data, 1860.] Located at the intersection of important railroads, Harrisburg was an important supply and logistics… …   Wikipedia

  • 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry caption=Pennsylvania flag dates= August 1861 to June 30, 1865 country= United States allegiance= Union branch= Infantry size= command structure= nickname= motto= colors= mascot=… …   Wikipedia

  • Department of the Susquehanna — The Department of the Susquehanna was a military department created by the United States War Department during the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Its goal was to protect the state capital and the southern portions of the… …   Wikipedia

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania — Location of Dauphin County in Pennsylvania This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of… …   Wikipedia

  • 134th Pennsylvania Infantry — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 134th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry caption=Pennsylvania flag dates= August 1862 to May 26, 1863 country= United States of America allegiance= Union branch= Infantry size= command structure=1st Brigade, 3rd… …   Wikipedia

  • National Civil War Museum — The National Civil War Museum, located at One Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is a permanent, nonprofit educational institution created to promote the preservation of material culture and sources of information that… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”