Camp Berry (1)

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Camp Berry (1) (1862-1865) - A Union U.S. Civil War Camp initially established as Camp King (2) in 1862 in South Portland, Cumberland County, Maine. Initially used to train volunteer regiments and later draftees. Renamed Camp Abraham Lincoln and temporarily moved to Mackworth Island to discourage deserters in August 1863, The camp returned to the original location three months later as Camp Berry (1) named after Union General Hiram G. Berry, 4th Maine Infantry, who was mortally wounded at Chancellorville, Virginia on 3 May 1863. The camp was abandoned at the end of the war in 1865. Assigned Location ID ME00042.

History

First established in 1862 as Camp King (2) in South Portland Maine. Temporarily moved to Mackworth Island in August 1863 and returned to South Portland in November 1863. Closed in September 1865.

The original camp was said to have occupied some 72 acres of land known as Cape Trotting Park in an area known as Ligonia between Kerosene Corner and the shoreline of South Portland. The Camp reportedly contained some 10 single story barracks, each housing about 100 soldiers. Eleven duplex sets of family style houses served as officer's quarters.

While the camp was at Mackworth Island in the summer of 1863 the original camp cantonment area was surrounded by a high stockade 800 by 200 feet to deter deserting draftees. The garrison returned to South Portland in November 1863.

Hospital records for the camp indicate that a hospital was established in August 1863 at the Mackworth Island location and that it moved back to the South Portland site in November 1863. In February 1864 the post garrison reached a high of 465 soldiers. The hospital occupied a barracks building until it closed in September 1865 signalling the closing of the camp.

Current Status

The site is overbuilt several times and has no remaining historical features. The site is currently a tank farm. GPS Coordinates are approximate.


Location: The end of Lincoln Street in South Portland, Cumberland County, Maine.

Maps & Images

Lat: 43.638735 Long: -70.287873

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