1863–1864
In late 1863, military officials ordered the 24th Ohio Independent Battery of Ohio Volunteer Artillery to Johnson's Island, a Northern prison camp in Lake Erie, near Sandusky, Ohio. Authorities feared a prisoner uprising on the island and hoped that the 24th could assist in preventing any disturbance.
In late 1863, military officials ordered the 24th Ohio Independent Battery of Ohio Volunteer Artillery to Johnson's Island, a Northern prison camp in Lake Erie, near Sandusky, Ohio. Authorities feared a prisoner uprising on the island and hoped that the 24th could assist in preventing any disturbance. Arriving at the prison on November 11, 1863, the 24th placed two gun crews on the island and four more at Cedar Point on the mainland to cover the entrance to the Sandusky Bay. After a few weeks, the 24th established Camp Hill, named for the battery's commander Captain J.L. Hill, near Sandusky, where the organization's members engaged in drill. The camp also served as a drill base for other military units assigned to Johnson's Island. The 24th remained at Camp Hill until August 6, 1864, when the organization transferred to Camp Chase, another Union prison camp located at Columbus, Ohio.
