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"Prison Opposite Castle Thunder" :: |
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Information about the "Prison Opposite Castle Thunder"
in Richmond, VA during the Civil War. |
Often misidentified as Castle Lightning. This building was located across the
street from Castle Thunder, on the south side of Cary street, between 18th and
19th. Formerly the tobacco warehouse of Palmer & Allison. Used as a provost
prison (deserters, drunks, etc.) as well as a receptacle for Yankee deserters. Seriously threatened by fire which leveled the
Confederate Coffee Factory in February 1864.
Images
| 1865 photograph of a
commissary warehouse, prison opposite Castle Thunder, and Libby Prison in the distance. |
Written Accounts
|
Richmond Dispatch |
11/12/1860; Palmer & Allison’s tobacco factory, Cary St., "2d door above
19th st.," adv for lost money |
|
Richmond
Dispatch |
8/12/1861; Ad for Singer's Barrel
factory, Cary bw 18th & 19th |
|
Richmond
Dispatch |
12/23/1862; ice
house for sale at auction, Cary between 18th and 19th |
|
Richmond
Dispatch |
1/17/1863;
1600 prisoners arrive from the western theater; notes the number of
prisoners in the following prisons: Mayo's factory, prison opposite Castle
Thunder, and Libby Prison |
|
New York Times |
1/29/1863; prisoners at Castle Thunder attempt to burn it down. Alexander is
successful in putting the fire out. Mentions prison opposite Castle Thunder. |
|
Richmond
Examiner |
7/21/1863; Yankee prisoner at
"the prison opposite Castle Thunder" is shot by the guard for
leaning out the window. |
|
Richmond
Sentinel |
7/22/1863; Yankee prisoner in the building
opposite Castle Thunder is shot by a sentinel |
|
Richmond
Sentinel |
1/20/1864; most of escapees from building across street from
Castle Thunder caught |
|
Richmond
Whig |
1/16/1864; eighteen Yankee deserters
escape from the prison opposite Castle Thunder by cutting through the wall
into an adjacent commissary warehouse |
|
Richmond
Sentinel |
2/23/1864; more escapees from prison across street from
Castle Thunder |
|
Richmond
Whig |
2/23/1864; another jailbreak from
the prison opposite Castle Thunder - 22 escape, 16 recaptured. Says several
hundred deserters are held there, and gives a great physical description |
|
Richmond
Whig |
2/26/1864; robbery of a hogshead of
tobacco at the factory of David C. Mayo, corner 19th and Cary |
|
Richmond
Whig |
3/2/1864; detective killed by accident at Castle Thunder;
mentions "prisoners in the building across the street..." |
|
Richmond
Examiner |
3/2/1864; detective killed at "deserters'
prison" opposite Castle Thunder |
|
Richmond
Dispatch |
7/6/1864; attempted escape from "Palmer's
building, opposite Castle Thunder" |
Page
last updated on
11/03/2008
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