As part of my research for THE REBEL WIFE, my wonderful husband took me on a field trip to Point Lookout, Maryland. We toured the site where the Union prison once stood. What an unforgettable experience it was to soak in the sights, the sounds. I was overcome with sadness just imagining the thousands of men crammed into such a small space. While the below pictures don’t capture the sense of oppression surrounding the site, they do depict the stark reality of imprisonment.
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The reconstructed prison entrance.
It must have looked like the maw of a beast to the incoming prisoners. |
The outside wall with a catwalk where Union soldiers patrolled.
Originally built to house 10,000 men, that number swelled to 20,000
when the exchange of prisoners was placed on hold.
That’s quite a crowd of men feed and watch over. |
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An inside corner with a marker indicating the “dead-line”.
Any prisoner crossing that line was shot, without warning. |
Prisoners either lived in shacks like this, or in tents.
Imagine fifteen to twenty men living in such tiny quarters. |
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One of the barracks that housed the Union guards.
Better housing than the prisoners had, but not by much. |
The interior of the guards barracks with shelf beds.
No comfort here, it appears. |
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A view of the Chesapeake Bay from the point. That day, the weather was lovely.
Imagine the prisoners, wearing little more than rags, suffering through harsh winter weather. |
Congratulations to Colleen, the winner of my February contest!!!!!
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