Alabama
Civil War Roots |
UNITED STATES
MILITARY PRISONS 1861 - 1865
Prison
Name |
State |
Facility |
1861 |
1862 |
1863 |
1864 |
1865 |
Maximum |
Most |
Escapes |
Deaths |
Atheneum
Prison |
WV |
3 |
See Wheeling
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Albany
Penitentiary |
NY |
1 |
- |
X |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Allegheny
City |
PA |
1 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
- |
? |
118 |
? |
? |
Alton |
IL |
1 |
- |
X |
X |
X |
X |
800 |
1,891 |
120 |
1,508 |
Arsenal Penitentiary |
DC |
1 |
X |
- |
- |
- |
- |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Baltimore
City Jail |
MD |
1 |
X |
X |
X |
- |
- |
? |
700? |
? |
? |
Bedloe’s
Island |
NY |
2 |
See Fort
Wood |
|
|
|
|
||||
Benton
Barracks |
MO |
3 |
X |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Bingham Building |
MO |
3 |
See
Guerrilla Prison |
|
|
|
|
||||
Camp Butler |
IL |
4 |
- |
X |
X |
- |
- |
2,100 |
2,186 |
203 |
866 |
Camp Chase |
OH |
4 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
4,000 |
9,423 |
37 |
2,260 |
Camp Dennison |
OH |
3 |
- |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Camp Douglas |
IL |
4 |
_ |
X |
X |
X |
X |
6000 |
12,082 |
317+ |
4,454 |
Camp Hoffman |
MD |
5 |
See Point
Lookout |
|
|
|
|
||||
Camp Morton |
IN |
3(FG) |
- |
X |
X |
X |
X |
2,000 |
5,000 |
150+ |
1,763 |
Camp Randall |
WI |
4(FG) |
- |
X |
- |
- |
- |
3,000? |
1,260 |
? |
142 |
Carroll
Prison |
DC |
3 |
- |
X |
X |
X |
X |
1,000 |
2,763 |
16 |
457 |
Castle
Thunder |
MD |
3 |
- |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Castle
Williams |
NY |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
250? |
713 |
? |
? |
Charleston |
WV |
1 |
- |
X |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Chester |
PA |
3 |
- |
- |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Chicago |
IL |
4 |
See Camp
Douglas |
|
|
|
|
||||
Cincinnati |
OH |
3 |
See McLean
Barracks |
|
|
|
|
||||
Columbus |
KY |
1 |
- |
X |
- |
- |
- |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Columbus |
OH |
4 |
See Camp
Chase |
|
|
|
|
||||
David’s
Island |
NY |
4&5 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
X |
1,800 |
3,000 |
? |
? |
Dry Tortugas
Islands |
FL |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
X |
900+? |
300? |
? |
? |
Duff
Green’s Row |
DC |
3 |
See
Carroll’s Prison (combined with Old Capitol |
|
|
|
|||||
Edward’s
Island |
NY |
5 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Elmira |
NY |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
X |
5,000 |
9,441 |
17 |
2,933 |
Evansville |
IN |
3 |
- |
X |
? |
- |
- |
? |
500 |
? |
? |
Forest Hall |
DC |
3 |
X |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Fort Columbus |
NY |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
250? |
? |
? |
? |
Fort Craig |
NM |
3 |
X |
? |
- |
- |
- |
? |
? |
? |
0 |
Fort Delaware |
DE |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
? |
12,600 |
52 |
2,460 |
Fort
Jefferson |
FL |
2 |
See Dry
Tortugas Islands |
|
|
|
|
||||
Fort
Lafayette |
NY |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
50 |
163 |
2 |
2+ |
Fort
Massachusetts |
MS |
|
See Ship
Island |
|
|
|
|
||||
Fort McHenry |
MD |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
600 |
6,957 |
37 |
33 |
Fort Mifflin |
PA |
2 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
- |
200 |
215 |
42 |
3 |
Fort Monroe |
VA |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
? |
50? |
? |
? |
Fort Norfolk |
VA |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Fort Pickens |
FL |
2 |
- |
X |
X |
X |
X |
? |
146 |
11 |
2 |
Fort Pulaski |
GA |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
X |
336? |
558 |
0 |
0? |
Fort Riley |
KS |
2 |
- |
X |
- |
- |
- |
? |
17? |
? |
? |
Fort Schuyler |
NY |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
X |
500 |
500? |
? |
? |
Fort Wayne |
IN |
3 |
- |
X |
? |
- |
- |
? |
500 |
? |
? |
Fort Warren |
MA |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
175 |
394 |
4 |
12 |
Fort Wood |
NY |
2 |
X |
- |
X |
X |
- |
? |
108 |
0 |
3 |
Georgetown |
DC |
3 |
See
Forest Hall |
|
|
|
|
||||
Governors
Island |
NY |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
500 |
|
1 |
47 |
Gratiot
Street |
MO |
3 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
500 |
1,800 |
109+ |
1,140 |
Guerrilla
Prison |
MO |
3 |
- |
- |
X |
- |
- |
? |
15 |
? |
5 |
Hart’s
Island |
NY |
4&5 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
X |
? |
3,446 |
4 |
235 |
Hilton Head |
SC |
1,3&5 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
X |
800? |
800 |
? |
? |
Hope Slater |
MD |
1 |
X |
X |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Indianapolis |
IN |
3
(FG) |
See
Camp Morton |
|
|
|
|
||||
Irving Block |
TN |
3 |
See
Memphis |
|
|
|
|
||||
Jefferson
City |
MO |
1 |
See
Missouri Penitentary |
|
|
|
|
||||
Johnson’s
Island |
OH |
4 |
- |
X |
X |
X |
X |
1,000 |
3,256 |
12 |
235 |
Kansas City |
MO |
3 |
- |
- |
X |
- |
- |
? |
15 |
? |
5 |
Knoxville |
TN |
1 |
- |
- |
X? |
X? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
4? |
Lafayette |
IN |
3 |
- |
X |
? |
- |
- |
? |
500 |
? |
28 |
Lexington |
KY |
1 |
- |
X |
X |
X? |
- |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Little Rock |
AR |
3 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
X |
? |
718 |
3 |
217 |
Louisiana
State House |
LA |
3 |
- |
X |
X |
- |
- |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Louisville |
KY |
1
& 4 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
X |
? |
6,737 |
25 |
343 |
Ludlow Street
Jail |
NY |
1 |
X |
- |
- |
- |
- |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Lynch’s
Slave Pen |
MO |
3 |
See
Myrtle Street Prison |
|
|
|
|
||||
Madison |
WI |
4
(FG) |
See
Camp Randall |
|
|
|
|
||||
Mare’s
Island |
CA |
4 |
- |
- |
X |
? |
- |
? |
20? |
? |
? |
Maxwell House |
TN |
3 |
See
Nashville |
|
|
|
|
||||
McLean
Barracks |
OH |
3 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
-
|
? |
179 |
10 |
4 |
Memphis |
TN |
3 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
X |
? |
582 |
1 |
3 |
Missouri
Penitentiary |
MO |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
- |
? |
15? |
0 |
0 |
Morris Island |
SC |
5 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
- |
558? |
558 |
0 |
3 |
Moyamensing
Penitentiary |
PA |
1 |
- |
- |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Myrtle Street |
MO |
3 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
100 |
150 |
? |
? |
Nashville |
TN |
3 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
X |
? |
7,460 |
36 |
359 |
New Albany |
IN |
3 |
- |
X |
? |
- |
- |
? |
500 |
? |
? |
New Orleans |
LA |
1 |
See
Parish Prison |
|
|
|
|
||||
Newport News |
VA |
5 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
X |
10,000 |
3,490 |
17 |
168 |
New York City |
NY |
1-5 |
Thirteen
Different Prisons |
|
|
|
|
||||
Ohio
Penitentiary |
OH |
1 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
- |
? |
68 |
5 |
0 |
Old Capitol |
DC |
3 |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
500 |
2,763 |
16 |
457+ |
Paducah |
KY |
3 |
- |
X |
X? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Parish Prison |
LA |
1 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
X |
? |
1,856 |
226 |
213 |
Pittsburg
Penitentiary |
PA |
1 |
Allegheny
Penitentiary |
|
|
|
|
||||
Point Lookout |
MD |
5 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
X |
10,000 |
22,000 |
50 |
3,584 |
Richmond |
IN |
3 |
- |
X |
X? |
? |
? |
500 |
500? |
? |
? |
Riker’s
Island |
NY |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
X |
1,000 |
1,000? |
? |
? |
Rock Island |
IL |
4 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
X |
10,080 |
8,607 |
41 |
1,960 |
St. Charles |
MO |
1 |
X |
? |
- |
- |
- |
? |
? |
? |
? |
St. Louis |
MO |
3 |
Four
Different Prisons |
|
|
|
|
||||
Schofield
Barracks |
MO |
3 |
X |
? |
? |
? |
- |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Ship Island |
MS |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
X |
X |
? |
4,430 |
5 |
103 |
Springfield |
IL |
4 |
See
Camp Butler |
|
|
|
|
||||
Springfield |
MO |
3 |
X |
? |
- |
- |
- |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Tennessee
State Penitentiary |
TN |
1 |
See
Nashville |
|
|
|
|
||||
Terre Haute |
IN |
3 |
- |
X |
? |
- |
- |
? |
500 |
? |
? |
Tombs Prison |
NY |
1 |
X |
X |
- |
- |
- |
300 |
40
(POW) |
0 |
0 |
Ward’s
Island |
NY |
4 |
- |
- |
X? |
X |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Washington
County Jail |
DC |
1 |
X |
? |
- |
- |
- |
100 |
240
(POW) |
? |
? |
Washington DC |
DC |
1
& 3 |
See
Old Capitol & Forest Hall |
|
|
|
|
||||
Western
Penitentiary |
PA |
1 |
See
Allegheny Penitentiary |
|
|
|
|
||||
Wheeling |
WV |
1
& 3 |
- |
- |
X |
X |
X |
? |
487 |
12 |
2 |
Prison Type
Definitions
Type 1 - Existing jails and Prisons. The first to come into use, these ranged in size from small city jails-such as those at Selma, Alabama; Savannah, Georgia; the Tombs prison in New York; and Castle Godwin in Richmond-to medium sized county 'ails such as the Parish Prison in New Orleans and the Henrico County Jail in Richmond to large state prisons such as those used in Virginia; Huntsville, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; and Western Penitentiary in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania.
Type 2 - Coastal Fortifications. Second to be pressed into use, mostly in the North, were forts along the Atlantic. Prime examples of these included Fort McHenry at Baltimore, Fort Warren in Boston, Fort Lafayette, Columbus and Castle Williams in New York, and Fort Delaware below Philadelphia. The South did, however, have one facility of this type-Castle Pinckney in Charleston Harbor.
Type 3 - Old Buildings Converted into Prisons. This type, used primarily in the South, included the Ligon and Libby Prisons in Richmond; Castle Thunder (11) at Petersburg, Virginia; and the six tobacco warehouses at Danville, Virginia. The North used a few of this type also, most notably Gratiot Street Prison and Myrtle Street Prison in St. Louis.
Type 4 - Barracks Enclosed by High Fences. These were groups of wooden buildings on a large plot of land previously used as basic-training camps or rendezvous points for recruits. High fences were later built around the camps to enclose and confine POWs. This type of prison existed mostly in the North: Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio; Camp Douglas at Chicago, Illinois; Camp Morton in Indianapolis, Indiana; and Elmira in New York. A number of these were originally fairgrounds before becoming troop rendezvous points. In the South, only two of this type were well-known-Raleigh, North Carolina, and Macon, Georgia. Johnson's Island Military Prison near Sandusky, Ohio, fits this category, but unlike the other facilities, it was built with the full intention of housing prisoners.
Type 5 - Clusters of Tents Enclosed by High Fences. This was one of the cheapest methods to confine prisoners, and it existed in both the North and the South. Examples included Point Lookout in Maryland and Belle Isle in Virginia.
Type 6 - Barren Stockades. By far the cheapest and worst of the seven types constructed, this was used exclusively in the South. These stockades were constructed around a number of acres that included no shelter except what individual prisoners could construct for themselves. Prime examples included Camp Asylum and Florence in South Carolina, Camp Sumter (Andersonville) in Georgia, Salisbury in North Carolina, Camp Ford in Texas, and Cahaba in Alabama.
Type 7 - Barren Ground. This last type was nothing more than the gathering of prisoners on barren land, surrounded with a guardline. Crossed sticks, branches, or several batteries of cannon directed at the gathering often marked the outer limits of the camp. Outside these markers, a line of sentries stood or patrolled back and forth. Mostly used by the South late in the war, this method was utilized by the North on some occasions after a major battle. Examples of this type included Camp Sorghum in South Carolina, Charlotte in North Carolina, and, on several different occasions, East Point outside Atlanta, Georgia.
The Alabama Civil War Roots' webmaster, James D. Allen, passed away February 5, 2003. His tireless dedication to making available information on all our Civil War ancestors will always be our inspiration. We dedicate the continuation of this site to him. Jimmy, we miss you.
Website Hosted by Carolyn Golowka
Website placed online: October 1998
Copyright© 2003-2007 Carolyn Golowka