By: Sam and Torrey Prison Camps

Confederate Camps Andersonville Camp Ford Castle Pickney Castle Thunder Danville Libby Salisbury Belle Isle Cahaba

Andersonville Located in Georgia Drinking water came from a creek called Sweet Walter Branch also served as a sewer. Officially named camp Sumter. Called Andersonville because it was located in the village on Andersonville, Sumter County No barracks Graves are still used today to bury veterans February 1864 to April 1865 Originally intended for 10,000 prisoners At one time held 33,000 49,485 entered the gates Superintendent was named Henry Wirz. He was hanged after the war for his harshness

Belle Isle Located west of Richmond, Virginia Were allowed to swim in James River but many were shot for trying to escape. Given tents to sleep with 3,000 per tent Originally an iron factory North claims high death rate where South claims low.

Cahaba Located in Cahaba, Alabama Held over 5,000 union soldiers Was originally a cotton warehouse Leader was a Methodist minister do to that there was a low death rate Today it’s a ghost town

Sultana Disaster The Sultana left New Orleans on April 21, Carrying Union soldiers Went to Vicksburg on April 24 to find the boilers were leaking. It made it 48 before it had its disaster Boilers exploded that was heard all the way back in Memphis Sleeping soldiers were blew up Hot coal blew from furnaces all over the midships section of the steamer 1,500 to 1,900 died men taken to local hospitals Few hundred survivors formed Sultana Survivors Society Some say a vengeful ex-Confederate put explosives in the coal

Castle Pickney Was captured by South Carolina’s federal militia after they seceded on December 20, 1860 Was not a death camp First prisoners were captured after the Battle of Bull Run They were treated very well Was declared a national monument in 1924

Castle Thunder Originally a tobacco warehouse Located in Richmond, Virginia Soldiers were treated very harsh At the end government used it to incarcerate Confederates who were charged with war crimes

Danville Located in Danville, Virginia Was originally a tobacco industry 6 buildings were used to house prisoners Only 1 building remains

Camp Ford Located in Tyler, Texas Prisoners were treated fairly Housed about 4,700 One of the lowest death rates of and Civil War prison Prisoners made novelties, musical instruments and other crafts Prison was destroyed Dead soldiers were put in Alexandria National Cemetery

Libby Located in Richmond, Virginia More than 50,000 men were held there Many escapes occurred General H. Judson Kilpatrick created one of the biggest escapes were 109 officers dug their way out, 59 were able to reach union lines, 2 drowned, 48 were recaptured

Salisbury Only confederate camp located in North Carolina First soldiers were captured after Battle of Bull Run At first prisoners were treated well, until the end of the war when it began to become overcrowded Dead prisoners were buried outside the walls in trenches. Which is now Salisbury National Cemetery Trenches were 18 foot deep trenches that were 240 feet long

Union Elmira Alton Camp Chase Camp Douglas Camp Randall Fort Delaware Fort Jefferson Fort McHenry Old Capitol Point Lookout Rock Island

Elmira Along the Chemung River Foster’s pond stood as a backwash Each day coffins of 9 were put on a buckboard and they walked a mile and a half John W. Jones made a wooden marker with soldiers number, name, and regiment Soldiers who survived were sent back to the South At the end of 1865 the camp was closed and torn down It was only there for 369 days but had the highest death rate of any prison North or South

Point Lookout In Saint Mary’s County, Maryland About 50,000 soldiers were kept there They had tents but then overcrowding occurred and they took them away About 14,000

Rock Island it’s now Arsenal Island Around 2,0000 soldiers died When soldiers first started arriving it was below 0 degrees Rock Island is compared to Andersonville It is the 2 nd highest death rate for Union camps

Fort McHenry Located in Maryland Prisoners were treated fairly Allowed to buy goods Sometimes would bribe guards to let them go into Baltimore for fun then came back undetected in the back in the morning

Old Capitol Located in Washington, D.C Many hangings occurred here including….  The Lincoln Assassination Conspirators  Spies  Political prisoners  Captain Henry Wirz, superintendent of Andersonville

Alton Soldiers first came in February 9, 1862 Cells were 4x7, 3 men to a cell 12,000 soldiers incarcerated here

Camp Chase First prisoners came on November 1861 Located in Ohio Captured officers were allowed to roam through Ohio Built for 3,500-4,000 men, once held 7,000

Camp Douglas Located in Chicago First prisoners came in February 1862 Punishment was cruel Prisoners clothes were taken to discourage escape Blankets were taken from those who had them 1,091 died in 4 months

Camp Randall Located in Wisconsin 139 men died Originally at the site of the Wisconsin State Fair 1,300 prisoners stayed there

Fort Delaware Little food supply Ate rats if they could find them 2,700 men died there

Fort Jefferson Located in Dry Tortugas-chain of islands in Florida Originally intended for rebellious Union soldiers Called “America’s Devil Island”

LEQ It still left tension between North and South after the war Many died from disease and starvation Disagreements on how many died

"War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over." General William Tecumseh Sherman