Johnson's Island Civil War Military Prison - Archaeological Field School

The Johnson's Island Civil War Prison has been under investigation since 1989 by Dr. David R. Bush of Heidelberg University. This site is located on a small island in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie near Marblehead, Ohio. From April 1862 until the end of the war, Johnson's Island Civil War Military Prison held over 10,000 soldiers captured at hundreds of battles during the Civil War. In comparison to the thirty-one Union prisons, Johnson's Island is unique in its purpose (it housed only Confederate Officers), in its military garrison (recruited specifically for guard duties) and in its condition (as an archaeological site). The Johnson’s Island Civil War Prison archaeological resources are certainly unique. Nowhere else does there exist time capsules (in the form of latrines) from the American Civil War, giving us a few months at a time of how prisoners were treated. Nowhere else does there exist such a wealth of primary documents, giving us a day to day account of how these prisoners saw their predicament. Combined, this provides the best field laboratory for demonstrating not only the science of archaeology, but also a chapter of American history as seen through prisoners of war. Past research has allowed us to specifically locate many of the special use areas of the prison. The 16.5 acre Johnson’s Island Prison Compound contained 13 Blocks (12 as prisoner housing units and one as a hospital), latrines, sutler’s stand, 3 wells, pest house, 2 large mess halls (added in August, 1864) and more. There were more than 40 buildings outside the stockade (barns, stables, a lime kiln, forts, barracks for officers, a powder magazine, etc.) and two major fortifications (Forts Johnson and Hill). Investigations have been undertaken within the Prison Compound at various locations. In 2006 we began investigation of the actual location of Block 6, the Prison Hospital. This coming summer (2009) we will be conducting our last year of excavation of this block. We are anxious to understand what the daily experiences were for those that found themselves confined to the hospital as only the very sick were usually placed into the hospital. The hospital block had specific areas designated for cooking, treatment, storage of the deceased; and we hope through our investigations we may be able to discern some of these. We will also be exploring Feature 40, one of the latrines behind Block 6. We will also be searching for additional latrines associated with the Prison Hospital during the summer. The prisoners on Johnson’s Island endured harsh winters, food and fuel shortages, disease, along with the mental anguish of uncertainty about their families and their own futures. Current research suggests that close to 250 prisoners died on Johnson’s Island during the war. In 1990, Johnson’s Island was designated as a National Historic Landmark recognizing its significance in the Civil War as one of the premier Union prisons. The Confederate Cemetery, located on Johnson’s Island is currently the only publicly available part of the prison. We are offering a five week field school, held Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m. No previous experience is required. The program is designed for undergraduate college students, graduating high school seniors, or adults/graduate students interested in gaining intensive field experience. The field school can be taken for college credit (6 undergraduate credit hours) or it can be audited (no college credit earned), but registration must be for the full five week/full day session. Enrollment in the program is limited to 12 and admission to the field school is based on the order in which applications are received. This is an excellent opportunity to gain archaeological experience as well as learn about the American Civil War and the prison system. In addition to the field experience, there will be laboratory sessions at the archaeological laboratory at Heidelberg University. Participants in the field school will gain experience in basic excavation techniques, on-site photography, the recording of archaeological data, and identification and conservation of historic cultural materials.