Cahaba Prison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cahaba PrisonCastle Morgan |
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| Cahaba, Alabama, U.S.A. | |
"Castle Morgan, Cahaba, Alabama, 1863–65. Drawn from memory by the author." From Jesse Hawes' Cahaba, A Story of Captive Boys in Blue.
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| Type | Confederate Prison Camp |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1863 |
| In use | 1863–1865 |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Cahaba Prison, also known as Castle Morgan, was a special camp during the American Civil War. It was a prisoner of war camp where the Confederate army kept Union soldiers. This camp was in a small town called Cahaba in Alabama. It was near where the Alabama and Cahaba rivers meet.
Cahaba Prison was known for having one of the lowest death rates of any Civil War prison. This was mostly because the Confederate leader treated the prisoners kindly.
What Was Cahaba Prison?
Cahaba Prison was built by the Confederate Army in 1863. They built a fence, called a stockade, around a large building. This building was a cotton warehouse near the Alabama River.
The prison was meant to hold about 500 prisoners. But as the war went on, more and more soldiers were sent there. By March 1865, over 3,000 prisoners were held at Cahaba.
Who Was in Charge?
The main officer in charge of Cahaba Prison was Captain H. A. M. Henderson. He was a Methodist minister. Many people believe his kind beliefs helped make the prison a more humane place.
Life Inside the Prison
The main prison building was a brick cotton warehouse. It was built in 1860 and was quite large. Inside, there was only one fireplace and 432 bunk beds. This meant many prisoners had to share or find other places to sleep.
Health and Conditions
Even though it was crowded, Cahaba Prison had a very low death rate. Only about 2% of the prisoners died there. This was much lower than other Civil War prisons, where death rates could be over 12%. Most deaths were from diseases.
One big problem at the camp was constant flea outbreaks. But historians think the low death rate was mainly because Captain Henderson treated the prisoners well.
Sadly, after surviving the prison, many of these freed prisoners faced another tragedy. They died in the Sultana steamboat disaster. The Sultana sank while taking them north after they were released.
