Transforming Civil War prisons : Lincoln, Lieber, and the politics of captivity / Paul J. Springer and Glenn Robins.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Springer, Paul J., author.

Robins, Glenn, author.

Series:

Critical moments in American history

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Prisoners of war.

History.

Military prisons.

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Prisoners and prisons.

United States.

Military prisons--United States--History--19th century.

Military prisons--Confederate States of America--History.

Prisoners of war--United States--History--19th century.

Prisoners of war--Confederate States of America--History.

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865.

Lincoln, Abraham.

Lieber, Francis, 1800-1872.

Lieber, Francis.

War--Moral and ethical aspects.

War.

Military ethics.

Physical Description:

xiii, 184 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Routledge, 2015.

Summary:

"During the Civil War, 410,000 people were held as prisoners of war on both sides. With resources strained by the unprecedented number of prisoners, conditions in overcrowded prison camps were dismal, and the death toll across Confederate and Union prisons reached 56,000 by the end of the war. In an attempt to improve prison conditions, President Lincoln issued General Orders 100, which would become the basis for future attempts to define the rights of prisoners, including the Geneva conventions. Meanwhile, stories of horrific prison experiences fueled political agendas on both sides, and would define the memory of the war, as each region worked aggressively to defend its prison record and to honor its own POWs. Robins and Springer examine the experience, culture, and politics of captivity, including war crimes, disease, and the use of former prison sites as locations of historical memory. Transforming Civil War Prisons introduces students to an underappreciated yet crucial aspect of waging war and shows how the legacy of Civil War prisons remains with us today"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Prisoner of war policy and practice

The captivity experience

The culture of captivity

The politics of captivity

Honoring Civil War captives

Civil War prisons in history and memory.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780415833363

0415833361

9780415833370

041583337X

OCLC:

882738605