Camp Chase opened in 1861 on the west side of Columbus as a training camp for Ohio volunteers. It was named for Salmon P. Chase, former Ohio governor and Lincoln’s treasury secretary.
The camp later became a major prison for captured Confederate soldiers, holding thousands at its peak.
Hard Conditions
Overcrowding and disease took many lives. The Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery in Columbus holds the graves of more than 2,000 prisoners.
Visit
The cemetery is maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and an annual memorial service is held there.
Explore More
Ohio is full of Civil War history. Visit the Ohio History Connection in Columbus, Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery, the Sherman House Museum in Lancaster, Grant’s birthplace in Point Pleasant, and Morgan’s Raid markers across southern and eastern Ohio. County historical societies often hold letters, photos, and flags from local regiments, so check with yours too.
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