First published in 1962 as a special edition of Civil War History journal, Civil War Prisons remains the standard on the topic. Editor Hesseltine tackles the historiography of northern and southern prisons during the American Civil War. He attempts to bring closure to the legendary northern myth that the Southern government did its best to "exterminate" Union prisoners by calling the effective northern war propaganda a wartime "psychosis." Furthermore, the author offers his analysis over the much debated prisoner ...
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First published in 1962 as a special edition of Civil War History journal, Civil War Prisons remains the standard on the topic. Editor Hesseltine tackles the historiography of northern and southern prisons during the American Civil War. He attempts to bring closure to the legendary northern myth that the Southern government did its best to "exterminate" Union prisoners by calling the effective northern war propaganda a wartime "psychosis." Furthermore, the author offers his analysis over the much debated prisoner exchange system, and comes down hard on the North, especially its government and General Ulysses S. Grant, for their questionable approach to this issue. For all the serious scholarship and popular writing devoted to the American Civil War, the topic of prisoner-of-war camps, more than any other, retains the feeling of horror and passion that characterized the war years themselves, "Men held captive under such circumstances, guilty of no offense other than the deplorable misfortune of having been captured by the enemy, suffer tremendous psychological punishment as well as physical hardship. Monotony, estrangement and fear, along with privation and often brutality, combine to create nearly as wretched a quality of human life as is imaginable. The sufferings of Civil War prisoners (are) documented in this re-issue of an early number of the journal Civil War History ....Recounted there....are prisoner experiences in four Confederate installations: Andersonville, Georgia; Libby in Richmond, Virginia; Cahaba, Alabama; and Charleston, South Carolina. The remaining articles treat conditions in four Union prisons: Fort Warren in Boston harbor; Rock Island, Illinois; Elmira, New York; and Johnson's Island on Lake Erie....in addition to some examples of sparkling and vivid prose, this volume contains a number of excellent photographs as well as an introduction by the late William B. Hesseltine...."--Kenneth B. Shover, The Historian
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Add this copy of Civil War Prisons to cart. $17.11, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1972 by Kent State University Press.
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Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 124 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of Civil War Prisons to cart. $17.59, new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1972 by Kent State University Press.
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New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 124 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Add this copy of Civil War Prisons to cart. $14.00, very good condition, Sold by G. J. Askins - Bookseller rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from New Lebanon, NY, UNITED STATES, published 1989 by Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 1989.
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Small 4to. Tan pictorial wrappers. 123pp. Illustrations. Very good. A tad sunned; bookplate on inside front wrapper. Later printing of this 1962 compilation, featuring contributions from James I. Robertson Jr., Frank L. Byrne and other notables.
Originally published as Volume eight, Number 2 of the "Civil War History" under the editorship of James I. Robertson at the Kent State University Press in Kent, Ohio.
This work contains an introduction by William Best Hesseltine, one of the foremost and respected authors of works on Civil War-era prisoner of war camps, and seven subsequent chapters, each written by various authors. The chapters are:
"Prison Life at Andersonville" by Ovid Futch, "The Military Prison at Fort Warren" by Minor H. McLain, "Rock Island Prison Barracks" by T. R. Walker, "A General Behind Bars: Neal Dow in Libby Prison" edited by Frank L. Byrne, "The Scourge of Elmira" by James I. Robertson, Jr.,"Johnson's Island" by Edward T. Downer, and "Cahaba to Charleston: the Prison Odyssey of Lt. Edmund E. Ryan" by William M. Armstrong.
The works represent a cross section of stories of the Civil War prison camps of North and South, and are educative and worthwhile as a whole when examining some of the absolute worst failings of BOTH sides of the military and political enterprises involved.
I recommend the work, and, although fairly brief (123 pages), found it to be both an eye opener for those just learning about Civil War prison camps, as well as a well-chosen assemblage of articles for serious readers and researchers alike.
