A Northern Confederate at Johnson’s Island Prison

A college graduate at 16 and a founder of the Sigma Chi fraternity, Caldwell entered the Confederate Army as an artillery lieutenant. He fought at Shiloh, Port Hudson and other campaigns before being captured in 1863 and imprisoned on Johnson’s Island, in Lake Erie, near Sandusky, Ohio. He kept a daily diary for 18 months, describing the prison food and conditions, as well as his classical and intellectual interests. The book features letters, a poem, notes, and an index.

The late James Parks Caldwell was a lawyer, college instructor, and Confederate soldier.

Editor George H. Jones is retired and lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

James Parks Caldwell

Edited by George H. Jones

Introduction by James D. Hardy, Jr.

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 277
Bibliographic Info: 15 photos, appendix, notes, index
Copyright Date: 2010
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4471-7
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5619-2
Imprint: McFarland

Preface and Acknowledgments      1
Introduction (by James D. Hardy, Jr.)      3
Caldwell’s Life      7
Caldwell the Classicist (by Kenneth Kitchell)      49
“In Durance Vile”      68
The Diaries      71
Appendix: Letters, Poems and Essays      203
Notes      239
Bibliographic Essay      261
Index      267

“extensive research helps provide readers with an excellent perspective on one of the Union prisons…a very good reference”—Civil War News.