- Joined
- Jun 21, 2012
- Location
- Louisville, KY
Reading about Fort Warren tonight and thought I might share some of the information.
Construction on the fort began in 1833 and was finished in 1861. The fort is named for Maj. General Joseph Warren who was a prominent doctor in Boston and fought early in the American Revolution before being killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. During the war the fortress was used as a prison however its reputation was rather good compared to other ACW POW camps. According to one website around 2200 prisoners were kept at Fort Warren during the course of the war but only 13 died of disease during its time as a prison. One of my favorite stories of the fort is about how the commanding officer's son was leaving to go to the front and some of the Confederate officers sent a letter along with him asking Confederates to treat him well in case he was captured. Some of the more famous prisoners at Fort Warren included:
http://civilwarsources.blogspot.com/2008/01/escape-from-fort-warren.html
Today the fort is still open to the public. I had the chance to visit it in my younger years and remember it being very neat as a youngster.
http://fortwiki.com/Fort_Warren_(2)
http://home.comcast.net/~jay.schmidt/ft.warren/
Seacoast Fortifications of the United States: An Introductory History
Lewis, E. R.
Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1970
Construction on the fort began in 1833 and was finished in 1861. The fort is named for Maj. General Joseph Warren who was a prominent doctor in Boston and fought early in the American Revolution before being killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. During the war the fortress was used as a prison however its reputation was rather good compared to other ACW POW camps. According to one website around 2200 prisoners were kept at Fort Warren during the course of the war but only 13 died of disease during its time as a prison. One of my favorite stories of the fort is about how the commanding officer's son was leaving to go to the front and some of the Confederate officers sent a letter along with him asking Confederates to treat him well in case he was captured. Some of the more famous prisoners at Fort Warren included:
- James Mason & John Slidell - Of Trent Affair fame
- Francis Key Howard - Grandson of Francis Scott Key
- Alexander Stephens - CSA Vice President
- John Henninger Reagan - CSA Postmaster General
- General Richard Ewell
- General Simon Bolivar Buckner
- General Issac Trimble
- General John Gregg
- Col. Adam Johnson AKA "Stovepipe"
http://civilwarsources.blogspot.com/2008/01/escape-from-fort-warren.html
Today the fort is still open to the public. I had the chance to visit it in my younger years and remember it being very neat as a youngster.
http://fortwiki.com/Fort_Warren_(2)
http://home.comcast.net/~jay.schmidt/ft.warren/
Seacoast Fortifications of the United States: An Introductory History
Lewis, E. R.
Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1970