A fate worse than Hell : American prisoners of the Civil War / W. Fitzhugh Brundage.
"It is newly estimated that 750,000 soldiers died in the American Civil War. But less well known than the war's death toll are the roughly 400,000 who were captured and imprisoned-a milestone in the history of mass dehumanization. Many POWs died from starvation, dysentery, and exposure, and at the worst of the prison pens, more than 30,000 soldiers were caged in the equivalent of ten city blocks. A Fate Worse Than Hell contemplates the roots and consequences of this mass incarceration from America's bloodiest conflict. Based on first-person prisoner accounts, photographs, and contemporaneous journalism, historian W. Fitzhugh Brundage shows how POW camps were politicized by stalled negotiations and escalating retaliation between the Union and the Confederacy. Brundage also shows how prisons such as Andersonville, Elmira, and Point Lookout were the catalyst for the country's first formal laws of war, which became a bedrock for international law. A Fate Worse Than Hell exposes this national violence that imprisoned more Americans during wartime than ever before or since"-- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780393541090
- ISBN: 0393541096
- Physical Description: 446 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York, NY : W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., [2026]
- Copyright: ©2026
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Formatted Contents Note:
- A photographer visits Andersonville -- In accordance with the customs of war -- What is to be done with the prisoners? -- Where is General Buckner? -- Upon terms of perfect equality -- The accumulation -- A mixture of indifference and half-witted cruelty -- To be content in narrow limits -- On account of my color -- Alleviation? -- The winter of desolation -- Giving the history and whole truth -- Can these be men? -- The only true and correct picture -- Places of shadows.
Search for related items by subject
- Subject:
- Civil war.
Prisoners of war > Abuse of > United States > History > 19th century.
United States > History > Civil War, 1861-1865 > Prisoners and prisons.
United States > History > Civil War, 1861-1865 > Atrocities. - Genre:
- Informational works.
Available copies
- 5 of 7 copies available at NC Cardinal.
- 1 of 1 copy available at Madison County Public Library. (Show)
Holds
- 6 current holds with 7 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mars Hill Library | 973.771 BRU (Text) | 30229101318573 | Adult New Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Jackson County Public Library | 973.771 B (Text) | 39493109567356 | Adult New Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Murphy Public Library | NC 973.771 BRU (Text) | 80605000653609 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| North Regional Library | 973.771 BRU (Text) | 31781070089998 | Adult Nonfiction | Checked out | 08/25/2026 |
| Statesville Main Library | 973.771 BRU (Text) | 33114024766719 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Transylvania County Library | On Order (Text) | TRAN25222811521843 | On Order | On order | - |
| Wilkes County Public Library | 973.771 BRU (Text) | 50501011984453 | Adult New Nonfiction | Available | - |
Accessibility Features
Summary:
"It is newly estimated that 750,000 soldiers died in the American Civil War. But less well known than the war's death toll are the roughly 400,000 who were captured and imprisoned-a milestone in the history of mass dehumanization. Many POWs died from starvation, dysentery, and exposure, and at the worst of the prison pens, more than 30,000 soldiers were caged in the equivalent of ten city blocks. A Fate Worse Than Hell contemplates the roots and consequences of this mass incarceration from America's bloodiest conflict. Based on first-person prisoner accounts, photographs, and contemporaneous journalism, historian W. Fitzhugh Brundage shows how POW camps were politicized by stalled negotiations and escalating retaliation between the Union and the Confederacy. Brundage also shows how prisons such as Andersonville, Elmira, and Point Lookout were the catalyst for the country's first formal laws of war, which became a bedrock for international law. A Fate Worse Than Hell exposes this national violence that imprisoned more Americans during wartime than ever before or since"-- Provided by publisher.
