These collections include papers of prisoners, prison guards, military officials, and interested observers. The entries are arranged according to the prisons they discuss.

The Pictorial File includes images of prisons. An index to the Pictorial File can be found in the card catalog in MARBL.

Confederate Prisons

Andersonville (Georgia)

Libby Prison (Virginia)

Unnamed prison or camp

Union Prisons

Artifacts

Camp Douglas (Illinois)

Camp Morton (Indiana)

Fort Delaware (Delaware)

Fort Pulaski (Ohio)

Fort Warren (Massachusetts)

Governors Island (New York)

Johnson's Island (Ohio)

Point Lookout (Maryland)

Rock Island (Illinois)

Unnamed prison or camp

Confederate Prisons

Burdick, John M., d. 1865 (MSS323)
Diary, 1864; 1 reel microfilm
Burdick's diary, dated June 19 1864-October 24 1864, describes daily life in Andersonville Prison. Before his capture and the Battle of Lynchburg, Burdick served as a sergeant in Company I, 21st New York Cavalry. He died in 1864 after being transferred to Charleston, South Carolina. In his diary, he writes of the high prison mortality rate, escape attempts, rumors concerning transfers or prisoner exchanges, the weather, and construction of barracks and stockades at the prison. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Burton, James, d. 1865? (MSS120)
Diary, 1864; 1 folder
Burton's diary begins with his service as a lieutenant in Company F, 122nd Regiment of New York Volunteers while stationed in North Carolina in January of 1864. The diary then describes his capture and imprisonment in Andersonville Prison. The diary largely is devoted to his prison life at Andersonville where he remained five months. Burton was then transferred to Charleston, South Carolina. Soon after his release from Charleston and return home to New York, he died of consumption. Burton writes of conditions in the prison, escape attempts, prisoner exchanges, sickness, boredom and death. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Click on the image to see a copy of Burton's obituary and read two entries in the diary.

Confederate Memorabilia (MSS341)
These materials include "Bird's-Eye View of Andersonville Prison from the South[-east]" (lithograph, n.p., ca. 1890) and 2 lithographs of Andersonville during the summer of 1864 by John Burns Walker (Company G, 141st Regiment).

Harrold Brothers (Firm : Americus, Ga.) (MSS7)
Records, 1826-1964; 482 boxes, 2178 bound volumes, 1 oversized item
A portion of the correspondence concerns the fortunes of the Harrold Brothers Cotton Business in Americus Georgia during the Civil War. The papers include records of the purchase of supplies for Andersonville Prison by Uriah Harrold who served as commissary agent. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Hoster, John L. (MSS464)
Diary, 1862-1865; 1 bound volume
Hoster was a Union soldier from the Seneca Falls area in New York. He describes in his diary of his capture and imprisonment in Andersonville Prison. Hoster later was involved in a prisoner exchange in Wilmington, North Carolina.See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Nailer, George W., 1837-1864 (MSS359)
Papers, 1824-1864; 1 reel microfilm
Nailer served in the 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry. He was captured and imprisoned at Andersonville. The papers describe conditions of the army, Nailer's reactions to the war, and military activities. One letter describes life in Andersonville. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Smith, Jennie Safford (MSS415)
Correspondence, 1862-1868; 1 reel microfilm
Collection consists of letters written to Safford from several soldiers, including John R. Siperly who served in the 22nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Siperly worked in hospitals in the Atlanta area, and he wrote (1862-1864) on the treatment of civilians and prisoners coming from Andersonville Prison during the Atlanta Campaign. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Stout, Samuel Hollingsworth, 1822-1903 (MSS274)
Papers, 1847-1955 (bulk 1861-1865); 5 boxes, 1 oversized folder plus 1 reel microfilm
Stout served as a physician and medical director in Confederate hospitals. His papers include general and special orders and reports dealing with personnel, supplies, transportation of sick and wounded, and order books including correspondence with Andersonville Prison. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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Babb, John D. (MSS360)
Family papers, 1862-1865; 8 folders
John D. Babb, Jr., of Baltimore, served as a Sergeant in Company B, 5th Maryland Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, USA. He was near Baltimore, at Newport News, Fortress Monroe, Hyattstown and Keedyesville, Harper's Ferry, Maryland Heights and Point of Rocks until June, 1863 when he went to Winchester, Va., where he was captured on June 15 and sent to Libby Prison. He apparently was exchanged because he was later wounded in battle. The Babb papers include a list of officers that may be from Libby Prision. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

The Babb papers include a list of officers that may be from Libby Prision. Click on the image to see the entire list.

Pictorial Files
These materials include an image of Libby Prison as it appeared 23 August 1863. [Pictorial File, B V].

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Blackshear, James Appleton, 1841-1867 (MSS302)
Diaries, 1862-1867; 1 reel microfilm
For part of his time in the Confederate Army, Blackshear was an officer in charge of prisoners at places in Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina. His four diaries (1862-1867) document his experiences. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Chesnut, James, 1815-1885 (MSS118)
Letter book, 1864-1865; 1 item
During the Civil War, Chesnut served as an aide to General Beauregard, as chief of the military on the Executive Council of South Carolina, and as an aide on President Davis's staff. The copies of letters in this letter book concern the organization and duties of the reserve forces, including guarding prisoners.See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Peirson, Edwin C., b. 1840 (MSS360)
Papers, 1851-1906 (bulk 1861-1865); 1 reel microfilm
Peirson enlisted (1861) in the 85th New York Infantry where he served as an orderly sergeant, then as lieutenant (September 1863), and finally (December 1863) as a "Veteran Volunteer." He was captured at Plymouth, North Carolina (20 April 1864), escaped (30 October 1864), gave himself up, and was reimprisoned (until 7 March 1865) at Charleston. The papers include a letter from Capt. Samuel B. Adams of the 85th N.Y. pertaining to Peirson's escape and imprisonment and a membership certificate in the National Association of Union Ex-Prisoners of War. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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Union Prisons

A paroled prisoner pass was issued to Private J. L. Oxford at Appomattox Courthouse on April 10, 1865. Oxford was from near Dalton, Georgia, and served with Captain Welborn's Company, 9th Georgia Regiment, Company E, during the Civil War. (See EUCLID record for a more detailed description of the Oxford papers.) Click on the image to see the entire pass.

Davis, William H., 1841 (MSS301)
Papers, 1862-1865; 1 reel microfilm
Davis served with the 9th Tennessee Regiment and was captured at Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, (he had apparently been a prisoner at least once before). The collection includes letters from Davis to his sister and mother from camps and prisons in Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee. His diary gives a list of names of soldiers (patients and nurses) who were in the Camp Douglas, Illinois Hospital, Ward 11, in 1863. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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Farris, John K. (MSS343)
Diaries, 1861-1863; 1 reel microfilm
Farris, a Confederate physician, was captured at Ft. Donelson, Tennessee (February 1862), imprisoned at Camp Morton, Indiana, and exchanged (September, 1862). His diaries, written in the form of letters to his wife, document his imprisonment. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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McMichael, James Robert, 1835-1893 (MSS211)
Diary, 1864-1865; 1 folder
McMichael served in the Marion Guards. His diary describes his capture at Spotsylvania and imprisonment at Ft. Delaware and Ft. Pulaski. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Wren, George Lovick Pierce, 1836-1916 (MSS249)
Diaries, 1858-1864; 5 items
Wren was mustered into Company G, 8th Louisiana Infantry Regiment ("Minden Blues") on 23 June 1861, serving first as a private and later as a second lieutenant. He was captured at Port Republic on 9 June 1862, imprisoned at Fort Delaware, and exchanged on 5 August 1862. Returning to service in early 1863 after a lengthy furlough, he was captured again on 10 or 12 May 1864 at Richmond, re-incarcerated at Fort Delaware, and released after taking the Oath of Allegiance on 15 June 1865. His second diary (1861-1862) covers the time period of his first imprisonment. His third diary (1863-1864) describes his capture and conditions in prison. This diary contains "autographs" (signatures and regiments) of servicemen from a variety of units, possibly men imprisoned with him in 1864-1865. Especially in the third diary, entries are infrequent and lengthy, containing narrative about many events, with some observations apparently based on information received while he was in prison. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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McMichael, James Robert, 1835-1893 (MSS211)
Diary, 1864-1865; 1 folder
McMichael served in the Marion Guards. His diary describes his capture at Spotsylvania and imprisonment at Ft. Delaware and Ft. Pulaski. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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Stephens, Alexander Hamilton, 1812-1883 (MSS94)
Papers, 1821-1969, (bulk 1821-1899); ca. 3811 items and 9 microfilm reels
Stephens was the vice-president of the Confederacy. His diary documents his imprisonment at Fort Warren, Boston Harbor (1865). See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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Lear, J.L.J., b. 1845 (MSS352)
Diary, 1864; 1 microfilm reel
Lear served with Company L, 1st Regiment Tennessee Artillery during the Civil War. His diary describes his service at Fort Morgan and his imprisonment on Governors Island, New York. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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Norman, James T. (James Talmadge), 1830-1895 (MSS756)
Family papers, 1851-1897; 2 boxes
Norman was a lawyer and Confederate soldier from Columbus, Georgia. He was captured during the Battle of Port Gibson and imprisoned at Johnson's Island in Lake Erie, Ohio on June 18 1863 and paroled on February 24 1865. The papers include letters written while at Johnson's Island. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Stephens, William Anderson, d. 1865 (MSS324)
Correspondence, 1862-1865, 1891; 1 reel microfilm
Includes the wartime correspondence of William Stephens, who died 15 March 1865, in a Union prison camp, on Johnson's Island, Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie,Ohio. Stephens was a member of the 46th Alabama Infantry. The letters include information concerning his gravesite in Ohio. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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United Daughters/Confederacy. Ga. Div. A.H. Colquitt Chapter (MSS394)
Papers, 1860-1975; 3 folders
Included is a diary written by Basil Llewellin of the 12th Georgia Regiment while in prison at Point Lookout, Maryland, for six months in 1863-1864.

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Davis, William H., 1841 (MSS301)
Papers, 1862-1865; 1 reel microfilm
Davis served with the 9th Tennessee Regiment and was captured at Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, (he had apparently been a prisoner at least once before). The collection includes letters from Davis to his sister and mother from camps and prisons in Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee. His diary gives a list of names of soldiers (patients and nurses) who were in the Camp Douglas, Illinois Hospital, Ward 11, in 1863. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Edmondson, John, 1806-1887 (MSS441)
Papers, 1833-1885; 1 reel microfilm
Includes letters from his son Robert Paine Edmondson who served with Company B, 9th Tennessee Cavalry and was a prisoner at Rock Island. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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Birch, Thomas Stuart, 1840-1862 (MSS344)
Papers, 1861-1862; 8 items
Birch served with the 2nd Iowa Infantry, Company D, Tontowa Regiment, and first went to St. Louis, Missouri to drill and guard prisoners. Collection includes four diaries (November 1861 - August 1862) document Birch's activities and movements See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Davis, William H., 1841 (MSS301)
Papers, 1862-1865; 1 reel microfilm
Davis served with the 9th Tennessee Regiment and was captured at Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, (he had apparently been a prisoner at least once before). The collection includes letters from Davis to his sister and mother from camps and prisons in Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee. His diary gives a list of names of soldiers (patients and nurses) who were in the Camp Douglas, Illinois Hospital, Ward 11, in 1863. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Garrison, James P. (MSS409)
Papers, 1862-1863; 34 items and 1 microfilm reel
Garrison was an Alabama soldier in the Confederate Army who was wounded and captured in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and died in a prison in New York state. This collection includes letters (1862-1863) from Garrison to his wife and parents in which he describes his induction into the Army and his activities. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

Sewell, Aaron M., d. 1864 (MSS340)
Correspondence, 1862-1864; 1 microfilm reel
Sewell served as a private in the 39th Georgia Infantry. He aided in the defense of Vicksburg, was captured at Champion's Hill (May 1863), and remained in parole camps until exchanged. Collection includes letters from Sewell relating his experiences in the military. See EUCLID record for a more detailed collection description.

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Please contact MARBL at 404-727-6887 or marbl@emory.edu with questions regarding any of our collections.