These mistakes are more of a reflection of the lack of information and the contradictory nature of a lot of the information that does exist about the camp.
1 & 2: "Camp Cameron occupied a 140-acre tract along Massachusetts Avenue between Shea Road and Claredon Avenue that extended up the hill to Holland Street in Somerville."
The first mistake is the 140 acre statistic. This comes from the Cambridge Chronicle. (1) It has also been quoted as 40 (2) & 50 acres. The 40-50 acre number is the right range when you compare it to other places. Look at the map of Cambridge. Compare it to Danehy Park that is 50 acres(3) it is very close. This may not be exact but it is not one third the size of the camp neighborhood. Also if you use one of those internet sites that measure the length of you walk/run and trace the outline of the camp you come out with the 40/50 acre measurement.
The second is that the northern boarder is Holland Street in Somerville. The road shows up on the period map of the camp. Holland St did not exist yet. Also The History of the 1st Light Battery described the road on the northern border as the "the Old Lexington Pike, which crosses Winter Hill and thence over the ridge in Somerville to Arlington." This describes Broadway.(4)
3: "Thirty wooden barracks sheltered about a 1,000 recruits." Fifteen of the building where barracks for enlisted men. The others where a gate house, brig, stables, hospital, cookhouses, and officer barracks. The barracks for just the troop barracks held 100-125 men. Hard Tack And Coffee quotes the 100 number. (5)
A report from the Sanitary Commission quotes 125 enlisted men and non-commissioned officers. It is a very detailed description of the barracks. (6) This puts the troop barracks alone at 1500-1875, then add the commissioned officers.
4: "So Late in 1862 operations were transferred to the security of Fort Independence." The final troops did not leave (by then) Camp Day until 1/22/63. (7)
(1) Cambridge Chronicle, June 15, 1861
(2) Boston Evening Transcript, June 10, 1861, pg. 2
(3) http://www.cambridgema.gov/CityOfCambridge_Content/documents/danehy.pdf
(4) (3) Story of the First Massachusetts Light Battery, Attached to the 6th Army Corp. , Andrew J. Bennett, 1886, Press of De Land & Barta, Boston, Ma
(5) Hardtack and Coffee, Billings, John D., 1888, George M. Smith & Co. Boston
(6) Report on condition of troops in the Bostom area. July 25, 1861, S. G. Howe of the U. S. Sanitary Commission
(7) Boston Evening Transcript, 1/22/63, pg. 3
DAN SULLIVAN
1 & 2: "Camp Cameron occupied a 140-acre tract along Massachusetts Avenue between Shea Road and Claredon Avenue that extended up the hill to Holland Street in Somerville."
The first mistake is the 140 acre statistic. This comes from the Cambridge Chronicle. (1) It has also been quoted as 40 (2) & 50 acres. The 40-50 acre number is the right range when you compare it to other places. Look at the map of Cambridge. Compare it to Danehy Park that is 50 acres(3) it is very close. This may not be exact but it is not one third the size of the camp neighborhood. Also if you use one of those internet sites that measure the length of you walk/run and trace the outline of the camp you come out with the 40/50 acre measurement.
The second is that the northern boarder is Holland Street in Somerville. The road shows up on the period map of the camp. Holland St did not exist yet. Also The History of the 1st Light Battery described the road on the northern border as the "the Old Lexington Pike, which crosses Winter Hill and thence over the ridge in Somerville to Arlington." This describes Broadway.(4)
3: "Thirty wooden barracks sheltered about a 1,000 recruits." Fifteen of the building where barracks for enlisted men. The others where a gate house, brig, stables, hospital, cookhouses, and officer barracks. The barracks for just the troop barracks held 100-125 men. Hard Tack And Coffee quotes the 100 number. (5)
A report from the Sanitary Commission quotes 125 enlisted men and non-commissioned officers. It is a very detailed description of the barracks. (6) This puts the troop barracks alone at 1500-1875, then add the commissioned officers.
4: "So Late in 1862 operations were transferred to the security of Fort Independence." The final troops did not leave (by then) Camp Day until 1/22/63. (7)
(1) Cambridge Chronicle, June 15, 1861
(2) Boston Evening Transcript, June 10, 1861, pg. 2
(3) http://www.cambridgema.gov/CityOfCambridge_Content/documents/danehy.pdf
(4) (3) Story of the First Massachusetts Light Battery, Attached to the 6th Army Corp. , Andrew J. Bennett, 1886, Press of De Land & Barta, Boston, Ma
(5) Hardtack and Coffee, Billings, John D., 1888, George M. Smith & Co. Boston
(6) Report on condition of troops in the Bostom area. July 25, 1861, S. G. Howe of the U. S. Sanitary Commission
(7) Boston Evening Transcript, 1/22/63, pg. 3
DAN SULLIVAN
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