of capre at the site ford, the largest prisoner of war camp west of the mississippi river during the civil war. as a prison cap from august 1863 through may 1865. the last prisoners were exchanged may 20 7, 1865, six weeks after appomattox. there were somewhere around 5400 37t all told, prisoners can be identified as having come through this facility. theou happened to be prisoner of war during the civil war, this probably was one of the best camps existing. it started as a camp for officers in the summer of 1863. wereg that winter, they able to build reasonably substantial log quarters. at the southwest corner of the stockade, when large numbers of prisoners started to be dumped in 1864, this camp had a sense of internal order and discipline. officers quarters were above the spring and they could control the water supply. thing is they kept the water supply good and clean and pure. member ofn a longtime the cook county historical society and have been working for 30 pluscility years, in terms of researching and developing it. the part of the grant application where he received the g