Castle Thunder (prison)
| Company type | Prison |
|---|---|
| Industry | Detention |
| Founded | August 1862 |
| Founder | John Winder (as provost-marshal) |
| Headquarters | Richmond, Virginia , United States |
Area served | Confederate States of America |
Key people | Captain George W. Alexander (commander, Oct 1862 – Feb 1864) |
| Products | Prison facility for civilian detainees, Union spies, deserters, political prisoners, accused traitors |
Castle Thunder, located between what are now 17th and 18th Streets along E Cary Street in Richmond, Virginia, was originally a tobacco storage facility on Tobacco Row that was transformed into a prison by August 1862 under the direction of Richmond’s provost-marshal, John Winder. The Confederate States of America utilized this site to incarcerate civilian detainees, including captured Union spies, deserters, political prisoners, and individuals accused of treason during the American Civil War.
It is said that President Jefferson Davis pledged to execute a Union soldier for every Confederate sailor put to death, selecting inmates by random draw from the tobacco warehouse. Numerous prisoners faced death sentences. Guards at the facility gained notoriety for their harsh treatment, though inmates occasionally received medical care and supplies.
The prison’s most notorious leader was Captain George W. Alexander, who commanded Castle Thunder from October 1862 until February 1864. He was removed following an investigation by the Confederate House, which officially cleared him. Alexander had been a former Confederate soldier captured by Union troops in 1861 but avoided execution and returned to Richmond to oversee the prison. Although built to hold 1,400 inmates, by January 1863 the population exceeded 3,000. Under Alexander’s administration, security measures were stringent amidst outbreaks of smallpox and dysentery. Prisoners recounted frequent brutal lashings and intimidation tactics involving Alexander’s dog Nero. Alexander defended his severe disciplinary approach by citing the hardened disposition of the inmates.
Among notable detainees was Union officer William Jackson Palmer, apprehended in civilian attire after the Battle of Antietam while conducting reconnaissance for General George B. McClellan. Though suspected, he was not officially identified as a spy and was confined at Castle Thunder until his release in a prisoner exchange in February 1863.
About 100 women were also held at Castle Thunder because nearby Libby Prison housed only male prisoners. One prominent female prisoner was Dr. Mary E. Walker, a Union surgeon arrested on spying charges in April 1864 and detained until her exchange in August of that year. Despite claims of adequate care, she weighed only 60 pounds upon her release. Walker later became the sole woman awarded the Medal of Honor.
After the Petersburg siege in March 1865, some inmates were relocated from Castle Thunder to Danville. When Union forces seized Richmond in April 1865, they converted the facility into a detention center for individuals accused of disorderly conduct. Among those held was Mollie Bean, who had disguised herself as a man to serve two years in the Confederate Army but was suspected by Union captors of espionage.
Following the war, ownership of the property reverted to its original holders until a fire in 1879 completely destroyed both the tobacco warehouse and Castle Thunder prison.