The following letter was written by Van Buren Wintersteen (1836-1867), the eldest son of James and Sally (Roath) Wintersteen of Montville, Geauga county, Ohio.

Wintersteen mustered into Co. B, 88th Ohio Infantry as a private on 26 June 1862 and mustered out on 26 September 1862. During those three months of service he was on duty as a prison guard in Hoffman’s Battalion at Johnson’s Island Prison in Sandusky Bay. Most of Hoffman’s Battalion were enlisted for three years and consisted of four companies of men who not only served as guards but helped construct the camp; some of the men also participated in a military campaign in western Virginia during 1862. During the summer of 1862, however, Wintersteen and others were recruited to serve just three months to supplement the guard force.

The initial detainees at Johnson’s Island were captured at Fort Donelson and Island No. 10 in the spring of 1862. Generally, those first captured in 1862 experienced exchanges after approximately five months, while individuals arriving post-Gettysburg in July 1863 remained incarcerated for 12 to 18 months. Notably, the prisoners who came in April 1862 were released in September, prior to the onset of the severe winter winds that swept across Sandusky Bay. The regulations governing the prison mandated the extinguishing of lights and the requirement for prisoners to be in bed at specified times; they were expected to demonstrate prompt and unquestioning obedience to the guards’ directives, observing the demarcation line strictly. Fortunately, not all guards adhered to these rules rigidly. There are recorded instances of prisoners being shot at close range, with bullets missing so substantially that those imprisoned speculated whether the guard had intentionally missed or was merely inept as a marksman.

See also—1862: Walter Johnson Spaulding to Prior Spaulding of Spared & Shared 19.

Transcription

Johnson’s Island
Friday, July 25th [1862]

Having a little time this afternoon and not knowing when I shall have a chance again, I thought I would drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well & tough, and the rest of the boys are all well except Isaac [D. Nickerson] & he is as well as usual. He gets excused by the doctors so it don’t come very hard on him.

I received the [Cleveland] Plain Dealer and a letter some time ago but I had no news to write & so I did not write. I was sorry to hear that Lemuel had broken his arm and I hope that it has got well by this time. Tell Lemuel & Leverett & Theresa that they must be good children & learn all they can.

I was on guard last night & about half past one o’clock one of the prisoners skulked up within eight or ten feet of the parapet & one of the sentinels discharged his musket at him, and then the long roll beat & every man was on his feet in short meter & formed in companies ready for action. But come to nobody was hurt & so they all went to bed again. The boys had great times dressing themselves in the dark and finding their own guns and cartridge boxes but they got out in big shape & in short time. No man—only those that belong to the Island—is allowed to go near the prison. They are very strict here but I like the place.

Hay is ripe enough to cut here and some has been cut. It has been rather wet here along back but the weather is fine now. If you can’t get anyone to mow for you as we talked of & get cramped with your work, you had better let that grass out to somebody to cut by the acre & as soon as I get the money, I will pay for it. Like enough you can make a bargain with the houseware boys to put it up. I guess you hadn’t…[rest of letter is missing]

Direct to Johnson’s Island, Sandusky Bay, Ohio. In care of Capt. [Daniel] Brewer, V. B. [Van Buren] Wintersteen