Civil War
Prison Camps
North & South
Union Camps
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Alton Prison
Camp Chase
Camp Douglas
Camp Randall
Elmira
Fort Delaware
Fort Jefferson
Fort McHenry
Old Capitol Prison
Point Lookout
Rock Island
Confederate Camps
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Andersonville
Belle Isle
Cahaba Prison
Camp Ford
Castle Pinckney
Castle Thunder
Danville Prison
Libby Prison
Salisbury Prison
Alton
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Illinois (North)
Overcrowding fortress
During the 3 years of use during the
Civil War, almost 12,000
Confederate soldiers were
incarcerated at Alton Prison.
Disease, scurvy, fever and general
malnutrition plagued the prisoners
but it was the dreaded smallpox
which killed 6-10 prisoners per day
during an outbreak in Alton Prison.
The exact death toll is not known
but reports estimate 1500-2200
Andersonville
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Georgia (South)
overcrowding, starvation,
disease, scurvy, and
cruelty
Originally intended to
hold 10,000 men, Andersonville at one time held
over 33,000 men
Death rate at Andersonville was the highest of
all Civil War prisons.
 13,700 men died within thirteen months!
The superintendent of the prison was Captain
Henry Wirz
 Captain Wirz was tried and hanged by a
military court after the war
Andersonville
Captain Wirz’s Execution
Life & Death in Prison
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about 56,000 men perished in Civil War prisons
 greater than any battle during the war
this was a result of ignorance of nutrition and
proper sanitation on both sides of the conflict
shortages of food, shelter, and clothing
More than 150 prisons were established during the
war
Prison diets consisted of pickled beef, salt pork,
corn meal, rice, or bean soup. The lack of fruits or
vegetables often led to outbreaks of scurvy and
other diseases… so people ate RATS!