Camp Lake Spring came to light in a post to this forum a few weeks back, and it surprised me to learn there was a Union garrison and convalescent center near the village of Lake Spring in northwest Dent County near the Phelps County line. I say this surprised me because 1) that neighborhood was the home of the agressive guerrilla leader Bill Lenox or Lennox, son of Hamilton Lenox, and 2) this was in an isolated location vulnerable to guerrilla attack, and there were a number of actions in this vicinity. I do see that having a post here makes some sense since it is on the road midway between the large Union base at Rolla and the smaller Yankee garrison at Salem.

Regarding J. A. Pond, I see that a man by that name enlisted in the 8th Missouri Cavalry at Lebanon, Laclede County in August 1862, and was subsequently promoted in Company B to first sergeant, then second lieutenant, then first lieutenant, then captain in Company F. He was mustered out of service at Little Rock in the summer of 1865.

I could not locate him in the 1860 Missouri Census, even though there were few Pond households or individuals then (or Pound, either).

I don't follow your question that "..was he connected to Alton Prison somehow?". Which side of the bars are you meaning? As I recall my reading, with some exceptions, the Federals usually used infantry to guard the St. Louis area military prisons, because, frankly, the limited number of cavalry units were in greater demand in counter-guerrilla work in the Missouri interior.

Eakin's "Missouri Prisoners of War" has an entry from the Union general ledger books for a Z. B. Robinson, citizen, of Laclede County, MO, captured in Marion County, AR 5 March 1863 who was sent to Alton IL military prison and who died of typhoid fever 3 July 1863.

This tends to match the 1860 census record in Osage Township of east-central Laclede County for the household of Zephaana B. Robinson age 45, born TN, farmer and blacksmith, moderate real and personal property, wife born in KY, and a lot of children from infant to 18 all born in MO including a girl age 15 with name like Ohitabel with occupation as "house" perhaps meaning "house work" as is noted by her mother's entry. I mention this because it seems unusual to me for a 15 year old to be so marked, making me wonder if she was married.

I hope this helps.

Bruce Nichols.