Letter from a Union Officer from Libby Prison

Libby Prison, located in Richmond, Virginia, served as a Confederate prison for Union prisoners of war during the American Civil War (1861–1865). Originally a three-building complex that functioned as a tobacco factory and later a shipping supply and grocery store, it was converted into a prison in March 1862. Over time, it became an officers-only facility while also operating as a processing center for all Union captives. Enlisted men were typically sent to Belle Isle, another Confederate prison on the James River.

Conditions at Libby Prison were notoriously harsh. The overcrowded three-story building provided little protection from the elements, and prisoners suffered from extreme food shortages and poor sanitation. Confederate guards also struggled to maintain control over the growing number of captives. In February 1864, 109 Union prisoners managed to escape through a tunnel, with 59 successfully reaching Union lines. Shortly thereafter, an attempted rescue by Union cavalry led by General H. Judson Kilpatrick and Colonel Ulric Dahlgren ended in failure. In response, Confederate officials filled a mine beneath the prison with explosives, threatening to destroy the facility if another escape was attempted.

By mid-1864, Confederate authorities began transferring prisoners to Georgia, reducing Libby’s role to a temporary holding facility. After Richmond fell to Union forces on April 2, 1865, the prison was repurposed to hold former Confederate officials.