Wythe in Newport News, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Newport News POW Camp

Where Valor Proudly Sleeps

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 11, 2008

1. Newport News POW Camp Marker

Inscription. The monument that stands before you was erected in June 1900 by the members of the Magruder Camp No. 36, United Confederate Veterans, to honor the 163 Confederate soldiers reinterred at this site who had died in the POW Camp next to Camp Butler on Newport News Point.

Following the war’s end, the victorious Union army had thousands of Confederate troops to parole and return to their homes throughout the South. With Northern camps already filled with captured Confederates, a Newport News POW Camp to hold and process 10,000 to 20,000 prisoners was quickly built. The site, built next to Camp Butler on Newport News Point, was described as “twenty-five acres, enclosed by a fence twelve feet high, inside of which is a railing twenty feet from the fence, which prisoners are not allowed to pass. Outside of the fence a gallery has been erected for the sentinels, from which they can observe who approaches the railing and also any unusual disturbance among the prisoners.”

Other facilities, including a hospital, were constructed. The 122nd U.S. Colored Troops, Battery B, 2nd U.S. Colored Light Artillery, and the 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry were assigned to guard the camp. Col. J. Ham Davidson commanded the camp.

Union officials soon realized the futility of imprisoning former Confederates until they were formally

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paroled, and the Newport News POW Camp never reached its anticipated capacity. By July it was empty. The camp never held more than 3,490 prisoners, of whom 168 died during captivity and 12 escaped. The Federal authorities deactivated the camp in August 1865.

Erected by Virginia Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Notable Places • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Sons of Confederate Veterans/United Confederate Veterans, and the Virginia Civil War Trails series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1900.

Location. 36° 59.693′ N, 76° 24.28′ W. Marker is in Newport News, Virginia. It is in Wythe. It is on Parish Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located in Greenlawn Memorial Park, in front of the Confederat Dead Memorial. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2700 Parish Avenue, Newport News VA 23607, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Peninsula,

in Hampton Roads,

in Coastal Virginia,

and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Confederate Dead (a few steps from this marker); Pleasant Shade Cemetery (approx. 0.2 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Greenlawn Cemetery (approx. 0.3 miles away); Newsome House

Marker and Confederate Dead Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 11, 2008

2. Marker and Confederate Dead Monument

The monument honors Confederate prisoners who died in a nearby Union POW camp at Camp Butler, April - August 1865.

(approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named The Newsome House (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Winfield-Jones House (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Brown Center (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newport News.

More about this marker. The upper right of the marker contains a drawing of an “Encampment of U.S. Troops at Newport News, Virginia – Courtesy of Virginia War Museum.”
The lower left of the marker features a drawing by Frank Schell of “Fortifications at Newport News, a section of Breastworks at Camp Butler – Courtesy of Virginia War Museum.”

Also see . . . Tidewater Virginia, The 1862 Peninsula Campaign. Civil War Traveler. (Submitted on August 18, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)

Marker in Greenlawn Memorial Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 11, 2008

3. Marker in Greenlawn Memorial Park

Confederate Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 11, 2008

4. Confederate Memorial

The remains of 154 Confederate soldiers who died at Newport News between 1861 through 1865 are buried in the vicinity of this monument. It was constructed by Lee Camp No. 3 Confederate Veterans of Hampton, Va.

Photographed by Don Morfe, June 25, 2012

5. Newport News POW Camp Marker

Confederate Grave image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 11, 2008

6. Confederate Grave

The graves of many Confederate veterans are located in the vicinity of the marker and the Confederate Monument.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 18, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 8,005 times since then and 98 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 18, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 5. submitted on September 19, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 6. submitted on August 18, 2008, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.