The highlighted in gray portion of this article erroneously placed Camp Olden over on North Olden Avenue beyond E. State Street. I have heard that there was Civil War activity in the area of the old RR yards off of Olden Avenue, but extended research has definitely placed the Camp over in Hamilton Township in the Kuser Road, Liberty Street, Hamilton Avenue area. As I recall, Trenton Historian Benjamin Franklin Lee also placed Camp Olden in the area of Camp Perrine. It is truly frustrating that there is no map extant that shows the historic Civil War boundary lines. However, even with Mr. Coffield's placement of the camp at the site of the old Hill's Brewery, the article gives an interesting look at Trenton during the war between the states.
Tom, that "easy money" was the price that the wealthy kept their dear lads from going to war. Yet a starving Irish lad off the boat would take that chance, of necessity to just survive and send a bit to the family. I have seen a few of the "honorable certificates of service" presented to those who bought their way out of the draft, almost making them out to be heroes. I have quite a different term for them.
ReplyDeleteEd Millerick
SO DO I, ED. I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY THE GOVERNMENT LET THOSE PEOPLE OFF, BUT IT WAS LEGAL BACK THEN.
ReplyDeleteTOM