Eli S. Glover   
Pvt. Co. F 1st Regiment Alabama Artillery

Captured at Ft. Morgan

(Fort Morgan State Historic Site)

Eli S. Glover joined the 29th Alabama Volunteers August 21, 1863 in Henry County, Al. and later  transferred to Co. F 1st Regiment Alabama Artillery. 

Eli was captured at Fort Morgan, Alabama on  August 23, 1864.  He was taken to New Orleans, La. his records show he was shipped  to New York Sept. 27, 1864 on Sept. 27, 1864.  [New Orleans, La., Register No. 4; page 47]

I have not found the records to show where he was shipped to from New Orleans but do know he  was placed onboard a train for Elmira "Hellmira", NY.   He was received at Elmira "Hellmira" on Oct. 8, 1864.  His arrival at Elmira was the day a successful escape was discovered. He also must have passed many troops being placed on trains to be shipped out for release.

 Eli arrived at this death camp when the death's were at it's highest.  He would have been in the thinnest of clothing since he lived and served on the Gulf coast.  The winter was one of the harshest on record for the area.  The men were not furnished clothing, blankets or adequate food even though these supplies were available and ample money was in the camp treasury to buy what was needed.

In addition to the shortage of clothing, severe winter weather, disease such as small pox, inadequate hospital facilities and  medicine, starvation still devastated the Confederates.  Contagious men were not isolated in a deliberate manner to spread the diseases.

A reduced rations of June 1, 1864 and the special Order 336 which reduced the daily supply of beef remained in effect during the following winter resulting  in starvation and severe weight loss. The men were sick and weak, scurvy continued. The smallpox hospital was nothing more than A tents with three men to a tent, one stove and a blanket each.  The ground was covered with snow and ice, the A tents only kept the snow and ice from falling on their faces, they did not keep them warm or protect them from the elements.

October 7, 1864 Col. Tracy and staff are processing between 1,200 and 1,400 prisoners in exchange for Union prisoners of war. Many prisoners selected for exchange are so sick they die and others have to be carried to the train.

Oct. 8, 1864 Eli S. Glover is received at Elmira, NY

October 8, 1864  Day of escape and death toll reaches 667

October 11, 1864 - 1,264 prisoners sick and wounded slowly travel to the depot, those too sick or wounded to walk. The journey of over 260 miles at 7 miles per hour for wounded and sick men  that crowded into these box cars had to be horrible. The train the left Elmira took over 40 hours to reach Baltimore. Not a single doctor was on board. (Elmira to Richmond)

October death toll for barracks No. 3, 276 death toll now reaches 857.  Elmira's death toll is the highest of all the northern camps.

Mid October- Major Sanger wrote Brig. Gen. John L. Hodsdon requesting a transfer in this letter he states "I now have charge of 10,000 Rebels a very worthy occupation for a patriot, particularly adapted to elevate himself in his own estimation, but I think I have done my duty having relieved 386  of them of all earthly sorrow in one month.

November death toll 207

December 6, 1864 - Intensely cold weather, snow and ice covers Hellmira until March 1865.

February was a very difficult month for the prisoners.  Eli would have know the extreme weakness, the harsh cold weather and disease that surrounded him. He would have seen others being selected to be shipped home while he grew weaker and sicker, suffering from the extreme elements, starving and sick.

Feb. 4, 1865  Col. Tracy receives orders from the War Department to make ready for the transfer from Elmira to points south 3,000 prisoners.

Feb. 13, 1864 General Hoffman orders the sutlers at all northern prison camps be allowed to sell vegetables to the prisoners of war.  This did very little if anything to solve the problem since most prisoners did not have money to purchase vegetables.  War criminal Gen. Hoffman also ordered the privilege not be abused.  Vegetables to prevent scurvy was considered a privilege.

Feb. 16, 1865  Eli S. Glover dies in Elmira.

Eli died in Elmira "Hellmira" on Feb. 16, 1865, the report stated he died from Chronic Bronchitis and his belongings were buried with him.  He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery at Elmira "Hellmira" grave number 2215, records at the National Archives indicated that he was in grave number 2220 but the cemetery said the correct grave site is 2215.  The cemetery is now a National Cemetery.   It is written in the log book that Eli S. Glover died of Chronic Bronchitis, the truth is the prisoners of Elmira "Hellmira"  were starved, poisoned, deprived of proper medical treatment and murdered. 

Elmira Story of Dr. G. T. Taylor Captured at Ft. Morgan with Eli S. Glover