Cahaba Prison
| Company type | Confederate military prison |
|---|---|
| Industry | Detention facility |
| Founded | 1863 in Cahaba, Alabama, United States |
| Defunct | 1865 |
| Headquarters | Cahaba , United States |
Area served | Confederate States of America |
Key people | Captain H. A. M. Henderson (commandant), Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Jones (regional district commander) |
| Products | Detention of Union prisoners of war |
Cahaba Prison, frequently referred to as Castle Morgan, functioned as a Confederate detention facility for Union captives during the American Civil War in Dallas County, Alabama. Situated in Cahaba at the junction of the Alabama and Cahaba rivers near Selma, the prison operated from 1863 until 1865 and was distinguished by one of the lowest mortality rates among Civil War detention centers, attributed to the comparatively humane management under its commandant.
History
The Confederate military established Cahaba Prison by enclosing a sizable cotton warehouse adjacent to the Alabama River with a wooden stockade. The facility commenced operations in June 1863 under the leadership of Captain H. A. M. Henderson, who was also a Methodist clergyman.[1] This brick warehouse, erected in 1860 on Arch Street, spanned approximately and was encircled by a timber stockade.[2] Although originally intended to house 500 prisoners, its population increased to 660 by August 1864 and surged beyond 3,000 by March 1865 following Union General Ulysses S. Grant’s suspension of prisoner exchanges.
Jesse Hawes, a former detainee, portrayed Captain Henderson as compassionate and often extending kindness toward prisoners. Conversely, Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Jones, who commanded the regional district, gained a reputation for harshness and frequent intoxication.[3]
Jacob Rush of the 3rd Ohio Cavalry, captured at age 15 on espionage charges, recounted planning an unsuccessful breakout with Union Captain Hanchette. The attempt failed due to prisoner discouragement and the arrival of Confederate reinforcements; those suspected of involvement were subjected to severe penalties. Captain Hanchette was subsequently killed during a transfer to Selma despite arrangements for his exchange.[4]
In March 1865, Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Jones arranged a prisoner exchange at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Following this agreement, Cahaba Prison was vacated on April 9, 1865, coinciding with the concluding phase of the conflict.
Conditions
R. H. Whitfield, serving as prison surgeon, documented unsanitary conditions within the camp, including inadequate access to clean water. The warehouse contained a single fireplace and provided 432 bunk spaces. Despite these constraints, mortality remained near 2%, significantly lower than the average death rates at other Civil War prisons—approximately 15.5% for Confederate camps and over 12% for Union camps—where disease predominated as the cause of death. Official records from both Federal and Confederate sources report between 142 and 147 fatalities at Cahaba Prison.
Recurring flea infestations represented the principal health challenge. Park historians credit the notably low fatality rate primarily to Capt. Henderson’s humane approach toward prisoners, influenced by his Methodist faith. Ironically, numerous inmates who survived incarceration at Cahaba later lost their lives in the Sultana steamboat disaster during their northbound transport.
See also
External links
Bibliography
- Hawes, Jesse. (1888) Cahaba: A Narrative of Captive Boys in Blue
- Reed, Charles B. (1925) The Curse of Cahawba
- Hasseltine, William Best. (1930) Civil War Prisons: An Examination of War Psychology
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedcahawbaprison - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedsultana - ↑ Cahaba – A Story of Captive Boys in Blue by Jesse Hawes, M. D., 1888
- ↑ Kelleys Island 1862-1866-The Civil War, the Island Soldiers and the Island Queen, by Leslie Korenko, 2009