"The Federal troops present at Camp Douglas when the decision to send the POWs there was made were unarmed, but that was quickly rectified before the Confederate POWs arrived."
Hugh,
I am wondering if the above is correct. The first POW's to arrive at Douglas arrived after Ft. Donelson and that was in February of 1862 or maybe early March. According to the history of the 90th Illinois their first mission was guarding prisoners at Camp Douglas and that was in September of 1862. I would think that they had their Lorenz's by then.
Frank