Lights and Shadows in Confederate Prisons
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About this book
Homer B. Sprague recalls life as a Union officer held in Confederate prisons during 1864 and 1865. Drawing on a diary kept throughout his captivity, he begins with the Battle of Winchester and the prisoners' long march through the Shenandoah Valley. His account follows their transfers between prisons and records the daily pressures of confinement, from food rations and crowded rooms to hopes of an exchange.
At Danville, the officers try to establish order with rules for cleaning, conduct and quiet at night. They also rehearse the first act of Hamlet, with Sprague cast as the Ghost, until cold weather and difficulties obtaining costumes and props bring the effort to an end. Such scenes give the memoir its interest as a record of how prisoners organized their lives. Sprague also acknowledges kindness from Confederate officers and questions the military decisions and moral reasoning that shaped their suffering.
About the author
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Book facts
- Author
- Homer B. Sprague
- Pages
- 89
- Language
- English
- Genre
- American Civil War
- Formats
- PDF, EPUB, Read online