Shohola Train Wreck

[DannyW]

I was reading about unsolved disappearances in American History & I saw were in July of 1864 five Confederate POWs went missing & were never accounted for. It happened in this train wreck in the link below. I had never heard of this so I started researching & lot of information on it.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/npsgnmp.wor...d-cut/amp/

[L Verge]

(10-24-2017 12:37 PM)DannyW Wrote:  I was reading about unsolved disappearances in American History & I saw were in July of 1864 five Confederate POWs went missing & were never accounted for. It happened in this train wreck in the link below. I had never heard of this so I started researching & lot of information on it.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/npsgnmp.wor...d-cut/amp/

Thanks for following up on my Post #14 here, Danny. I wanted to mention the train wreck at the program this past Saturday, but there were so many other questions that I didn't get an opportunity. I think this might make a great article for the Surratt Courier. Interested in writing one??

[Steve]

The newspaper accounts at the time said 48 rebel prisoners and 17 Veteran Reserve Corp soldiers were buried at the site of the accident with an additional 15 rebel prisoners unable to be moved by train to Elmira and 8 VRC soldiers unable to be moved:

http://civilwar.gratzpa.org/2014/04/the-...r-reports/

48 + 17 = 65

The later number of 72 people killed may come from some of the 15 prisoners who were too injured to be moved to Elmira right away. Or alternatively 5 of those extra people could include the 5 escapees. Either way I can't imagine that all of the 15 severely injured prisoners survived. If the injured prisoners weren't included in the 72 numbers, some of them may be buried elsewhere in Pennsylvania.

In regards to the blog post's about J. S. Hatch's fate, Lillian Henderson's book is both comprehensive and full of errors. See this:

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/lillian...65.122424/

Here's an image of Hatch's POW roster, it lists him as "not identified died or escaped" on July 15, 1864 (11th name from bottom):
   
Even if Hatch did escape, I don't see how he could be listed as "Released 1865". I'm pretty sure it's just an error Henderson made.

[DannyW]

(10-24-2017 06:15 PM)Steve Wrote:  The newspaper accounts at the time said 48 rebel prisoners and 17 Veteran Reserve Corp soldiers were buried at the site of the accident with an additional 15 rebel prisoners unable to be moved by train to Elmira and 8 VRC soldiers unable to be moved:

http://civilwar.gratzpa.org/2014/04/the-...r-reports/

48 + 17 = 65

The later number of 72 people killed may come from some of the 15 prisoners who were too injured to be moved to Elmira right away. Or alternatively 5 of those extra people could include the 5 escapees. Either way I can't imagine that all of the 15 severely injured prisoners survived. If the injured prisoners weren't included in the 72 numbers, some of them may be buried elsewhere in Pennsylvania.

In regards to the blog post's about J. S. Hatch's fate, Lillian Henderson's book is both comprehensive and full of errors. See this:

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/lillian...65.122424/

Here's an image of Hatch's POW roster, it lists him as "not identified died or escaped" on July 15, 1864 (11th name from bottom):

Even if Hatch did escape, I don't see how he could be listed as "Released 1865". I'm pretty sure it's just an error Henderson made.

---

(10-25-2017 04:22 PM)DannyW Wrote:  

(10-24-2017 06:15 PM)Steve Wrote:  The newspaper accounts at the time said 48 rebel prisoners and 17 Veteran Reserve Corp soldiers were buried at the site of the accident with an additional 15 rebel prisoners unable to be moved by train to Elmira and 8 VRC soldiers unable to be moved:

http://civilwar.gratzpa.org/2014/04/the-...r-reports/

48 + 17 = 65

The later number of 72 people killed may come from some of the 15 prisoners who were too injured to be moved to Elmira right away. Or alternatively 5 of those extra people could include the 5 escapees. Either way I can't imagine that all of the 15 severely injured prisoners survived. If the injured prisoners weren't included in the 72 numbers, some of them may be buried elsewhere in Pennsylvania.

In regards to the blog post's about J. S. Hatch's fate, Lillian Henderson's book is both comprehensive and full of errors. See this:

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/lillian...65.122424/

Here's an image of Hatch's POW roster, it lists him as "not identified died or escaped" on July 15, 1864 (11th name from bottom):

Even if Hatch did escape, I don't see how he could be listed as "Released 1865". I'm pretty sure it's just an error Henderson made.

---

http://onetuberadio.com/2014/07/17/the-s...egligence/

http://www.elmiraprisoncamp.com/the-grea...ain-wreck/

Here are a couple more links. Many of the 833 Confederate POWs had been captured at Cold Harbor .

[RJNorton]

Many thanks to Rich Smyth for sending this information and image:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


"There is an old church sitting on a knoll overlooking the Delaware River in Barryville, New York. No longer a religious sanctuary it is now a private residence. Behind the church is a small graveyard with no more than 50 stones. Sitting together along one edge are two markers decorated with the Confederate stars and bars flags.

A little over 153 years ago a train headed north carrying prisoners collided with a southbound coal train at a blind curve just outside of the Pennsylvania town of Shohola directly across the river from Barryville. The dead were hastily buried alongside the wreck between the tracks and the river. Survivors were taken in and cared for by locals. After their passing, these two soldiers were given a proper burial.

You can visit the burial ground. The last time I was there it was a steep rutted road. You may wish to park at the bottom and walk up. If you would like to visit the site of the wreck, walk north along the tracks about a mile from the little town of Shohola. Take the picture with you for reference as there are many similar looking spots on the way. The graves of the dead buried along the river have long since been washed away."

[Steve]

65 initial fatalities + 5 escapees + 2 Confederate prisoners later dying of their injuries
___
72 total

This would seem to account for the descepencies in the number of people killed. The 60 number could come from somebody erroneously subtracting the five escapees from the initial number of people killed.

[L Verge]

Considering that these Confederates were bound for the prison in Elmira (Hellmira), perhaps death was preferable...