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 :: Castle Thunder Prison ::
Information about Castle Thunder Prison in Richmond, VA during the Civil War.

A large tobacco warehouse that was located on the north side of Cary Street between 18th & 19th Streets. Mainly used for civilian prisoners, it was generally packed with murderers, cut-throats, thieves and other desperadoes. Males suspected of disloyalty, spies and Union sympathizers were incarcerated here. A large number of its inmates were under sentence of death. A few women were held here, including the famous Dr. Mary E. Walker. Used by the Federals for Confederate civilian "war criminals" after the surrender. Formerly the (William) Greanor's, Palmer's, & Whitlock's Tobacco factories.

RG 109, Ch. 6, Vol. 151, p. 10 9/1862 - 3/1863; Statistics of Eastern District Hospital (Castle Thunder) - hospital closed after March, 1863

Images

Castle Thunder, Richmond, Looking up Carey Street, April 7, 1865. Alexander Gardner, No. 859
“Castle Thunder,” Richmond, Va. Published by E. & H. T. Anthony, No. 3160
“Castle Thunder.” Richmond, Va. Published by E. & H. T. Anthony, No. 3362
Castle Thunder stereoview; Kilburn Brothers, Littleton, N. J. #892
Castle Thunder from Cary Street looking west.
Carte de visite of Castle Thunder looking east.
Castle Thunder Military Prison, looking west.
Castle Thunder looking west on Cary Street
Engraving of view from window of Libby Prison that shows Castle Thunder.
Castle Thunder compound, looking east on Cary Street.
Detail of an Alexander Gardner photograph, taken in April 1865, showing the Crew & Pemberton building in ruins, looking west. Castle Thunder is in the distance.

Written Accounts

Rules and Regulations of the C. S. Military Prisons, 1863(?). Signed by Thomas P. Turner. National Archives, RG249.

Richmond Dispatch 7/6/1861; officers for the Maryland Zouaves are elected; G. W. Alexander is 1st Lieutenant (later Castle Thunder commandant)
Richmond Examiner 7/27/1861; slave of Wm. Greanor was arrested for throwing a rock
Richmond Dispatch 10/3/1861; Ad to Marylanders from Adjt. G. W. Alexander, proposing to form the Zarvona Zouaves
Richmond Dispatch 10/5/1861; Report of G. W. Alexander's MD meeting, Convened at Adam's Bldg, 10th St. betw. Main & Cary. Meeting brought to order by "Capt. Dugan, a fine specimen of a Marylander." Details on GWA
Richmond Dispatch 10/9/1861; Ad for G. W. Alexander's Zarvona Zouave guerilla
Richmond Dispatch 10/21/1861; update on recruiting for Zarvona Zouaves. G. W. Alexander back in town.
Richmond Dispatch 10/23/1861; short letter of thanks to donors from G. W. Alexander
Richmond Dispatch 11/26/1861; Short note to 4 little girls from G. Washington Alexander, thanking them on behalf of Zarvona Zouaves
Richmond Dispatch 2/22/1862; Capt. George W. Alexander of Baltimore arrived 2/21, and is staying at the Powhatan Hotel
Richmond Dispatch 2/25/1862; Wind storm: slate blown off steeple of Broad Street M. E. Church, also adjacent scaffolding; 100 yards of Petersburg RR bridge track and flooring blown into the river; 50 old pines at Howard’s Grove fall – smash into half dozen houses formerly used by 57 VA; tin roof at Greanor’s Factory (future Castle Thunder), 18th St., blown off.
Richmond Dispatch 3/6/1862; 21 prisoners at military prison – Samuel Maccubbin Chief of Provost Marshal police & Baldwin T. Allen clerk of the prison
Richmond Whig 3/6/1862; Samuel Macubbin has been appointed Chief of Police, and Baldwin T. Allen has been appointed clerk of the "prison in Lumpkins' Alley" [Castle Godwin]
Richmond Dispatch 3/7/1862; Charles Palmer has been released from custody
Richmond Dispatch 3/18/1862; Capt. Geo. W. Alexander appointed Assistant Provost Marshal; he has not recovered fully from his injuries
Richmond Whig 3/18/1862; Capt. Geo. W. Alexander has been appointed Assistant Provost Marshal of Richmond
Richmond Dispatch 3/20/1862; G. W. Alexander raids house near corner of Cary & 13th. Arrested “some 12 or 15 persons of bad character.”
Richmond Dispatch 3/21/1862; nice details on G. W. Alexander raid, 17th & Cary. Lts. Turner, Emack & Semple assisted. Arrested every male on the block – 89 in all.
Richmond Dispatch 3/26/1862; paragraph lauding energy & judgment of G. W. Alexander
Richmond Whig 4/3/1862; description of Capt. Godwin and his police detectives. Godwin has his office on "Broad, corner of Ninth street." Macubbin is "Chief of Confederate States Military Police"
Richmond Dispatch 4/8/1862; T. P. Turner and G. W. Alexander make dawn raid on bars, Cary between 17th and 18th.
Richmond Dispatch 4/24/1862; Lt. R. M. Booker has become one of the Assistant Provost Marshals of the city – he had previously been one of the officers in charge of the C.S. Military Prison on Main street
Richmond Whig 4/28/1862; A. C. Godwin has resigned as Provost Marshal, and G. W. Griswold is appointed in his place
G. W. Alexander letter 5/3/1862; letter from Alexander to Godwin, containing a breakdown of the numbers of guards detailed at the various prisons
Richmond Dispatch 5/20/1862; George W. Alexander carried the dispatches from Drewry’s Bluff to Richmond; Lt. James H. Rochelle manned “gun No. 2” during the fight
Richmond Dispatch 5/21/1862; Castle Godwin update. Frederick Shaffer replaces Geo. Frebmyer as warden - 60 prisoners, neat, clean, well-run, etc. G.W. Alexander praised
Richmond Dispatch 5/22/1862; kindly-treated poor woman names son after G. W. Alexander
Richmond Dispatch 5/22/1862; Alexander arrests fake officer at American Hotel
Richmond Dispatch 5/22/1862; G. W. Alexander says men are impersonating his officers
Richmond Dispatch 5/27/1862; account of shooting in front of Exchange ends fatally. Victim belonged to G. W. Alexander
Richmond Dispatch 5/27/1862; Richard Barry, Caskie’s Mounted Rangers, shot by Provost Guard in front of Seabrook’s Warehouse. Taken to Alexander Hospital on Franklin St.
Richmond Enquirer 5/27/1862; body servant of G. W. Alexander died from an accidental gunshot wound
Richmond Dispatch 6/2/1862; Extravagant story about detective Cashmeyer killing Yanks at Seven Pines
Richmond Dispatch 6/6/1862; City Arms Hotel Hosp., 15th St., established by Capt. Alexander; McDaniel’s Jail known as Castle Godwin
Richmond Dispatch 6/7/1862; poem by G. W. Alexander, "The Dying Alabamian"
Richmond Dispatch 6/12/1862; 2 men discharged from Castle Thunder (first mention of Castle Thunder?)
Richmond Dispatch 6/17/1862; Capt. Bossieux’s Co doing provost duty. Arrested more than 50 AWOLs on Saturday
Richmond Dispatch 6/17/1862; paragraph on G. W. Alexander, now AAG to Winder by late promotion
Richmond Enquirer 6/17/1862; Praise for Capt. G. W. Alexander, and notes his promotion to Assistant Adjutant General to Gen. Winder. Notes that he is one of the "handsomest men in the Confederate service."
Richmond Enquirer 6/26/1862; man makes a donation to Captain G. W. Alexander for the benefits of the patients in the "Alexander Hospital."
Richmond Dispatch 7/3/1862; G. W. Alexander at Castle Godwin says negro of Jas. Bates now confined there
Richmond Dispatch 7/3/1862; “Strong-minded female” captured and interrogated by G. W. Alexander
Richmond Dispatch 7/8/1862; excellent details on Richmond prisons: Libby, Barrett's, Greanor & Palmer's factories, Officer's prison on 18th street.
Richmond Dispatch 7/12/1862; Description of the guards of the bridges over the James River (J. H. Greanor, commanding, owner of the Greanor building of Castle Thunder)
Richmond Dispatch 8/2/1862; 600 Yankees have been exchanged, including women from Castle Thunder; the sickest men from Belle Isle and Libby are sent first; 4,100 remain on Belle Isle, and 400 at Libby Prison
Richmond Dispatch 8/6/1862; it is contemplated to remove prisoners from Castle Godwin to Greanor's factory (Castle Thunder)
Richmond Enquirer 8/8/1862; escaped federal officers have been recaptured and put in Greanor prison
Richmond Enquirer 8/12/1862; Castle Thunder to be HQ of provost-marshal; Castle Godwin to fade "into oblivion"
Richmond Dispatch 8/14/1862; Castle Godwin contains 250 prisoners - it is hoped that Greanor's factory (Castle Thunder) will hold 1,000
Richmond Dispatch 8/18/1862; Castle Godwin will be evacuated today, the prisoners being removed to Greanor's factory (Castle Thunder)
Richmond Enquirer 8/18/1862; Prisoners to be moved from Castle Godwin to Greanor's Tobacco Factory (Castle Thunder)
Richmond Dispatch 8/19/1862; German woman thrown into Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 8/19/1862; all Castle Godwin prisoners (500-600) were removed to Castle Thunder yesterday
Richmond Enquirer 8/21/1862; movement of prisoners from Castle Godwin to Castle Thunder. Lengthy description of Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 8/22/1862; C. S. deserters have been moved to Castle Thunder from Libby Prison - now Libby has only Yankee prisoners
Richmond Dispatch 8/22/1862; guards for Castle Thunder and Libby Prison are quartered at the Friends' Meeting House, corner of 19th and Cary streets
Richmond Enquirer 8/22/1862; 15 unionists put in Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 8/25/1862; prisoner at Castle Thunder is shot while trying to escape, though not killed
Richmond Dispatch 8/28/1862; Wm. Hines, arrested near Drewry’s Bluff & sent to Castle Thunder for trading with Yankees
Richmond Dispatch 8/28/1862; B. Wardwell, ice dealer, exonerated of disloyalty & released from Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 8/29/1862; A. B. Martin, private in Washington Artillery, arrested at Spotswood for stealing 120 letters from post office. Sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 8/29/1862; Dr. Rucker still at Castle Thunder, under heavy guard
Richmond Dispatch 9/3/1862; Blossingham the counterfeiter sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/5/1862; Loafers at corner of 14th and Main sent to Castle Thunder by Winder
Richmond Dispatch 9/5/1862; Slave of J. E. Johnston arrested for selling liquor to soldiers – sent to Castle Thunder. Also a local white woman named Mary Gleason
Richmond Dispatch 9/5/1862; 2 North Carolina soldiers jailed at Castle Thunder for disloyalty.
Richmond Dispatch 9/5/1862; Jacob Goldstein sent to Castle Thunder – passing bogus money
Richmond Enquirer 9/5/1862; Castle Thunder items
Richmond Dispatch 9/6/1862; prisoner shot by guard at Libby Prison; guard put in Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/6/1862; loafers from 14th Street & one other discharged from Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/8/1862; List of new Castle Thunder inmates, & their offenses. 50 inmates sent under guard to rebuild a bridge over Rapidan, recently destroyed
Richmond Dispatch 9/8/1862; Augustus Godfrey, King William Artillery deserter, caught and sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/10/1862; 12th Va. soldier dies in Castle Thunder hospital and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery
Richmond Dispatch 9/10/1862; no new prisoners at Castle Thunder or the cage
Richmond Dispatch 9/10/1862; no changes 9/9 at Castle Thunder – said to be unusually quiet
Richmond Enquirer 9/10/1862; slave of James H. Grant breaks into the house of a slave of William Greanor
Richmond Dispatch 9/11/1862; 26 POWs arrive, plus laundress of 26 Pa., who was sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/12/1862; list of commissioned officers POW at Williamsburg & arrived at Richmond. Two “vivandiers” also caught & put into Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/12/1862; Fauquier resident sent to Castle Thunder for refusing to take CSA currency
Richmond Dispatch 9/13/1862; General Winder appoints “Lt. Early” to investigate cases of imprisoned CSA soldiers & expedite their return to army.
Richmond Dispatch 9/15/1862; 3,300 prisoners, including 61 officers, have been exchanged at Aiken's Landing. Some of the prisoners were women and deserters held in Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/15/1862; prisoner in Castle Thunder has death sentence "respited" by President Davis
Richmond Dispatch 9/15/1862; 41 inmates arrive yesterday at Castle Thunder, 10 at Libby
Richmond Dispatch 9/16-17/1862; deranged man shot at Castle Thunder while trying to escape and later dies
Richmond Dispatch 9/17/1862; Patrick McGowan, E59VA, at Castle Thunder awaiting execution for desertion
Richmond Dispatch 9/17/1862; Geo. Lindsey jailed at Castle Thunder as a spy
Richmond Dispatch 9/18/1862; more than 600 prisoners at Castle Thunder. 5/6 are soldiers
Richmond Dispatch 9/18/1862; Wm. A. White, soldier, put into Castle Thunder – has bogus money
Richmond Dispatch 9/18/1862; 3 disloyal Virginians at Castle Thunder traded for 3 loyal Virginians in Yankee hands
Richmond Dispatch 9/20/1862; brief notices on recent Castle Thunder prisoners
Richmond Dispatch 9/20/1862; 84 Castle Thunder inmates have been taken to Winchester to be returned to their units
Richmond Dispatch 9/20/1862; 3 others jailed at Castle Thunder for various offenses
Richmond Dispatch 9/20/1862; Three men at Castle Thunder to be executed – named. To occur next week at Camp Lee, under G. W. Alexander’s supervision
Richmond Dispatch 9/22/1862; 2 soldiers in Castle Thunder for robbing citizen. Mayor forced to contemplate extent of his authority in city over military personnel. Slave items and prostitution as well.
Richmond Enquirer 9/22/1862; three deserters, confined at Castle Thunder, to be shot at Camp Lee
Richmond Dispatch 9/23/1862; Davis postpones three executions at Camp Lee (prisoners are at Castle Thunder) for 10 days
Richmond Dispatch 9/24/1862; soldier dies in Castle Thunder and buried in Oakwood cemetery
Richmond Dispatch 9/25/1862; 15 deserters put in Castle Thunder – 130 to be released tomorrow
Richmond Dispatch 9/25/1862; G. W. Alexander providing men to help collect firearms in city, for army use
Richmond Dispatch 9/26/1862; 18 deserters from Critcher’s Battn. sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/26/1862; most of men in Eastern District prison to be discharged & sent to army
Richmond Dispatch 9/27/1862; Jno. Pendergrast (soldier) apprehended as thief – sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/27/1862; Geo. T. Twells, ex-Lieut. McCulloch Rangers, released from Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/29/1862; 101 men from Castle Thunder have been escorted to Winchester to be returned to their regiments. Notes that the deserters will forfeit 3 months pays
Richmond Dispatch 9/29/1862; Dr. Rucker is placed in close confinement in Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 9/29/1862; among next batch of northbound prisoners will be A. McMillen & John May, ex-Castle Godwin men now in Castle Thunder. Also Yankee females
Richmond Dispatch 9/30/1862; enormous list from Winder of “negroes now confined in the Military Prisons, in Richmond” – where from, who owned by (if slave)
Richmond Dispatch 10/1/1862; Jason Brightwell, C10BnHA, into Castle Thunder for stealing a weapon from Mrs. Miles Ambler, 10 miles below city.
Richmond Dispatch 10/2/1862; 42 soldiers sent back to ANV from Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 10/2/1862; 4 prisoners at Castle Thunder on bread and water, for theft
Richmond Dispatch 10/2/1862; 2 brawling sailors, 17th & Main, taken to Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 10/2/1862; B. W. Rogers, soldier to be shot for desertion at Camp Lee, pardoned on account of previous bravery. Two others, Patrick McGowan & John Kellaher, still to be shot.
Richmond Enquirer 10/2/1862; one deserter, confined at Castle Thunder, pardoned from death sentence. His two rap buddies will be hung soon at Camp Lee
Richmond Dispatch 10/3/1862; Dr. Wm. P. Rucker, at Castle Thunder with treason, murder, arson charges brought before Judge on habeas corpus
William A. Carrington CSR (M331) (no. 16) 10/3/1862; inspection report for Castle Thunder Hospital and Libby Prison Hospital
Richmond Dispatch 10/4/1862; more on Dr. Rucker’s case – back to Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 10/4/1862; 51 Castle Thunder inmates returned to army
Richmond Dispatch 10/4/1862; D. W. Rogers, pardoned from execution, has been respited only. Maybe same as John Roach, crew of CSS Virginia
Richmond Dispatch 10/6/1862; John Connors, La. soldier, sent to Castle Thunder for trespassing at Columbia Hotel
Richmond Dispatch 10/6/1862; long description of 10/4 execution of two 14th Va men: Patrick McGowan & John Kelleher. Taken from Castle Thunder to Camp Lee in “large omnibus” of Exchange Hotel, escorted by Wrenn’s Henrico cavalry. Part of Cyrus Bossiuex’s Co. did the executing. G. W. Alexander in charge. D. W. Rogers, 1 Va., respited 14 days, & Owen Maguire, 1 Va gets 50 lashes. Whipping performed by volunteer from Wrenn’s Co.
Richmond Dispatch 10/7/1862; Patrick Fagan kills James Morrissey with single punch. Both in Whitingham’s Battery. Fagan taken to Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 10/7/1862; 735 USA prisoners sent from Libby for exchange, leaving 212. The prison hospital, lately at Palmer’s factory, will be moved “back to the west end of the Libby building.”
Richmond Dispatch 10/7/1862; Mayor’s Court: James Williams, drunk soldier, sent to Castle Thunder;  Hoenniger charges men with burglary, room #44 Spotswood Hotel; slave charged with stealing money from guest at the Ballard House (discharged); free negro without papers ordered whipped for smoking a cigar in the street; another free negro threatens boy in Second Market & used “indecent language” – ordered to be whipped.
Richmond Dispatch 10/8/1862; Castle Thunder hospital closed 10/7 & 60 plus patients there moved to Libby
Richmond Dispatch 10/9/1862; escaped Castle Thunder prisoner has been recaptured in the city
Richmond Dispatch 10/10/1862; Great description of failed escape attempt, Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 10/10/1862; 50 CSA prisoners – presumably Castle Thunder – to be sent to ANV today
Richmond Dispatch 10/11/1862; Frances F. Jannison, of NY, arrested in Culpeper Co. as spy. Sent to Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 10/11/1862; Federal commandant of the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C. has inspected Castle Thunder and finds it favorable; alludes to Capt. Alexander's escape from Federal authorities early in the war
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. IV, p. 917 10/13/1862; Mrs. Webster argues for her release
Richmond Dispatch 10/15/1862; D. W. Rogers, G1Va at Castle Thunder, to be shot at Camp Lee, 10/18
Richmond Dispatch 10/16/1862; friends of G. W. Alexander present him with “splendid” horse, saddle, bridle
Richmond Dispatch 10/16/1862; 2 Castle Thunder escapees recaught. – John Toley & Patrick Donviere
Richmond Dispatch 10/16/1862; 6 new prisoners recd. 10/13 – Jas. Lynch, Barney McNamee & Wm. Rogers of Whittingham’s Arty. (bread & water); F. L. Smith of Culpeper (disloyalty) & J. H. Weeks/Wm. Weeks of Culpeper (piloting enemy)
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. IV, pp. 654-655 10/17/1862; reprint of Richmond Dispatch, October 17, 1862 article regarding an escape attempt.
Richmond Dispatch 10/17/1862; Escape attempt at Castle Thunder foiled. To benefit Rogers, the 1Va soldier due to be shot.
Richmond Dispatch 10/17/1862; 9th Pa. Cavalry Colonel moved from Libby to Castle Thunder – under accusations of bad behavior in Tennessee. Also 17 deserters arrived there from South & 4 1st Md. (US) Cavalry charged with murder
Richmond Dispatch 10/18/1862; 3 Henrico citizens put in Castle Thunder for stealing govt. wood: Jno. Kilgrove; Thos. & Robt. Oakley
Richmond Dispatch 10/18/1862; James M. Levert sent to Castle Thunder – impersonating Provost Guard
Richmond Enquirer 10/21/1862; member of the 1st VA Inf. escapes from Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 10/22/1862; 17 deserters & stragglers added Castle Thunder yesterday
Richmond Dispatch 10/23/1862; T. P. Turner has been promoted to Captain and will return to be commandant of Libby Prison. In the meantime, Capt. Alexander will command both Libby and Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 10/23/1862; 42 deserters from NC put into Castle Thunder on 10/22. 100 inmates to head for ANV today. J. T. Smith, robbery, to Castle Thunder yesterday. Also a bogus Provost officer.
Richmond Dispatch 10/23/1862; G. W. Alexander adv – found stray mule
Richmond Enquirer 10/23/1862; Capt. G. W. Alexander has been ordered to take charge of the Yankee prisoners in the city
Richmond Enquirer 10/23/1862; 64 deserters arrived at Castle Thunder yesterday
Richmond Whig

10/23/1862; Capt. G. W. Alexander has been ordered to take charge of the Yankee prisoners in Richmond; 61 deserters arrived at Castle Thunder yesterday

Richmond Dispatch 10/25/1862; List of 5 women now at Castle Thunder. Also Wm. Patterson & Wm. Morris, 15 Va., deserters & Geo. H. Munford/Jos. Bradford, Dabney’s Hvy. Artillery, to be court martialled
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. IV, pp. 660-661 10/27/1862; Major Jordan, 9th PA Cavalry sent from Libby to Castle Thunder under charge of atrocities
Richmond Dispatch 10/27/1862; two Yankee soldiers moved from Libby to Castle Thunder, to be tried as spies
Richmond Dispatch 10/27/1862; Jas. Meaghan, 2nd Miss. Battn receives 50 lashes at Castle Thunder on 10/25
Richmond Dispatch 10/27/1862; J. W. Sanderson (5VaCav) to Castle Thunder for having forged furlough
Richmond Dispatch 10/27/1862; elderly countryman sent to Castle Thunder from Fredericksburg, charged with smuggling negroes
Richmond Dispatch 10/27/1862; Rev. T. V. Moore preached at Castle Thunder on 10/26, from “impromptu pulpit” in main room
Richmond Dispatch 10/28/1862; S. W. McCammon, escapee from Castle Thunder, recaptured in Petersburg
Richmond Dispatch 10/28/1862; Mayor's Court: many slave items; Jno. Flinn, of Castle Thunder, before Mayor for theft in prison
Richmond Enquirer 10/28/1862; Mayor refuses to rule on a thief from Castle Thunder
Richmond Enquirer 10/28/1862; notes that the neighborhood of Castle Thunder is a very rowdy one, and that the vagabonds in Richmond could make  a "good-sized regiment"
Richmond Dispatch 10/29/1862; new deserters confined at Castle Thunder – James Conway and H. Williams, F5Va. Jno. Collins 13VaBn, & Wm. Conley, 18Va
Richmond Dispatch 10/30/1862; escape attempt at Castle Thunder; notes on those admitted
Richmond Dispatch 10/30/1862; George Rollins into Castle Thunder for breaking and entering
Richmond Dispatch 10/31/1862; Jno. F. Parke, 44Va, at Castle Thunder, announced to be shot 11/3 at Camp Lee
Richmond Dispatch 11/1/1862; Lt. Samuel H. Wyvill, forger, moved into city jail from Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 11/1/1862; James Tyrer & Chas. Green into Castle Thunder for fighting. Tyrer then beaten up in Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 11/1/1862; Other new Castle Thunder inmates: 7 members of 42Miss., pretending to be members of provost guard; six deserters from E6Va; 2 deserters from Johnson’s Battery; 20 N.C. soldiers; Wm. H. Boice (drunk); Samuel H. Martin, F58Va, AWOL; & Wm. E. Disney, forger.
Richmond Dispatch 11/3/1862; prisoners in NE wing Castle Thunder attempt to blow it up
Richmond Dispatch 11/3/1862; list of new Castle Thunder inmates. 9 unnamed deserters from Camp Lee; some disloyal Loudoun county men, & a few others
Richmond Dispatch 11/3/1862; member of the 44th Va (Richmond Zouaves) reprieved from being shot at Camp Lee
Richmond Dispatch 11/3/1862; 50 Castle Thunder inmates to be returned to regiments
Richmond Dispatch 11/4/1862; list of 8 men arrested by Capt. Wren’s cavalry for stealing Government wood. All sent to Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 11/4/1862; 6 deserters taken to Castle Thunder, including Jas. Knight, 13 Va; Lewis Hall, Montague’s Battery
Richmond Dispatch 11/5/1862; list of comings and goings at Castle Thunder. Some names & details: 13 deserters received from Camp Lee.
Richmond Dispatch 11/5/1862; Prisoner totals as of Nov. 4 – Libby has 224 POWs, 196 citizens, 36 Confederates, 68 Yankee deserters, 57 negroes. Total is 571. Castle Thunder – 290 total.
Richmond Dispatch 11/6/1862; 3 patients at GH#7 (named) jailed at Castle Thunder for robbing a comrade
Richmond Dispatch 11/6/1862; Names & units of 6 deserters thrown into Castle Thunder, including E. J. Henry, 6th Va. Also 3 Yankee deserters & 2 civilians.
Richmond Dispatch 11/6/1862; Mrs. Tabb of Portsmouth, jailed as Yankee spy, released on parole
Richmond Dispatch 11/7/1862; list of 10 new inmates at Castle Thunder & their offences. Includes Jas. Howard, deserter from Woolfolk’s Battery, & 3 CSN men, all drunk.
Richmond Dispatch 11/8/1862; 7 new prisoners at Castle Thunder, including 2nd SC man from GH#18 for misdemeanor, and a soldier recognized as a crewman of CSS Patrick Henry
Richmond Dispatch 11/8/1862; proprietor of “Wayside Inn” Franklin St. to Castle Thunder for stealing liquor
Richmond Dispatch 11/10/1862; two mean acquitted for role in robbery at GH#7, released from Castle Thunder.
Richmond Examiner 11/10/1862; Castle Thunder details; Hospital reviewed
Richmond Dispatch 11/10/1862; list of 4 new inmates at Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 11/11/1862; Patrick Reardon arrested near Old Church smuggling tobacco. Sent to Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 11/11/1862; List of 12 new admittances to Castle Thunder; 20 new POWs at Libby, many of them citizen prisoners.
Richmond Dispatch 11/11/1862; death notice for C. H. L’Esteange of England, d. 11/9/1862 at Castle Thunder. Column inserted “by his fellow prisoners of the citizens’ room” at Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 11/12/1862; 31 POWs arrive at  Libby, 21 of them USN. Also deserter from Wheat’s Bn. put into Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 11/12/1862; Daniel Wilson, deserter from N. C. unit, d. 11/11 at Castle Thunder, pneumonia
Richmond Dispatch 11/12/1862; Luther Libby chairman of Shoes Campaign for Jefferson Ward; Wm. Greanor and Cornelius Crew are also mentioned
Richmond Dispatch 11/13/1862; John Haley, 1SC, drunk, sent to Castle Thunder; John Norman, free negro, ordered a “thrashing” for disturbing the peace near the “new Alms-House.”
Richmond Dispatch 11/14/1862; Charles Grace, 18 Va., deserter, put into Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 11/14/1862; L. L. Moore adv for his planning mill, corner 19th and Cary
Richmond Dispatch 11/15/1862; 6 deserters added to Castle Thunder from Petersburg and two others, named – total now 390 on 11/14
Richmond Dispatch 11/15/1862; G. W. Alexander adv for 3 hardened deserters, ex-Castle Thunder inmates
Richmond Dispatch 11/17/1862; list of newest Castle Thunder accessions & changes.
Richmond Dispatch 11/17/1862; Richard Barry in Castle Thunder for shooting Samuel Crump, soldier, on Cary between 17th and 18th, area known as Dublin.
Richmond Dispatch 11/18/1862; 40 men to go back to army from Castle Thunder today. New accessions listed.
Richmond Dispatch 11/19/1862; list of new Castle Thunder inmates and their offenses including a gang of women transferred in from Libby. Sentinel also shot at Castle Thunder prisoners, missed.
Richmond Dispatch 11/19/1862; Wm. Weeks, Castle Thunder, Culpeper resident who piloted Yankees at Cedar Mountain, sues for writ to habeas corpus.
Richmond Enquirer 11/19/1862; detailed account of bribery and attempted escape at Castle Thunder
RG 109, Ch. 9, Vol. 199.5, p. 33 11/19/1862; T. P. Turner enlists the help of G. W. Alexander to catch an escaped Libby prisoner. E. Ross signs as clerk
Richmond Dispatch 11/20/1862; deserter from 15VA Cav Battn  has head shaved, is branded, and drummed out of service. Ceremony took place at Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 11/20/1862; new inmates at Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 11/20/1862; Ira Parker, Castle Thunder deserter, arraigned for theft. Gets 3 years
Richmond Dispatch 11/21/1862; 3 deserters from Fayette Arty and one Federal deserter into Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 11/22/1862; 4 Yankees escape from Libby on blanket rope. Three men of 25VaBn put into Castle Thunder for negligence as guards.
Richmond Dispatch 11/22/1862; new Castle Thunder accessions
Richmond Dispatch 11/24/1862; new Castle Thunder arrivals
Richmond Dispatch 11/24/1862; 2 drunk soldiers to Castle Thunder; 3 rowdy soldiers at Varieties sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 11/24/1862; Mayor’s Court items: 2 soldiers fighting on theatre steps sent to Castle Thunder;  Michael Rourke, 1TX, thief, sent to Castle Thunder; T. W. Hoenniger (keeping billiard tables without license) charges dropped
Richmond Dispatch 11/25/1862; list of new Castle Thunder inmates; including the watchman of Chimborazo Hospital, for being drunk and disorderly.
Richmond Dispatch 11/27/1862; Lewis Beckham, 1st Va. Bn deserter, caught and sent to Castle Thunder. 28 deserters, mostly NC, arrive at Castle Thunder. Prison now using “corporeal punishment” instead of bucking. Eight Castle Thunder prisoners rob fellow inmate. They each got 25 lashes.
Richmond Dispatch 11/27/1862; R. B. Richardson, Keen Hospital, corner Main & 13th adv for negro escaped from Castle Thunder
Richmond Enquirer 11/27/1862; description of the punishment of "bucking" at Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 11/28/1862; three drunk soldiers sent to Castle Thunder, including Francis Fields; also John P. Usher, H9La, drunk & disorderly patient at GH#13, & 13 men from Petersburg provost marshal. New punishment at Castle Thunder for misconduct “has had a most salutary effect on the manners of the inmates.”
Richmond Dispatch 11/29/1862; 245 Federal soldiers to be paroled at City Point today – officers named, including Col. Thos. J. Jordan, 9th PA, who for some time was in Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 11/29/1862; new arrivals at Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. V, pp. 774-775 12/1/1862; Letter from prisoner in Castle Thunder arguing for his release
Richmond Dispatch 12/1/1862; New arrivals at Castle Thunder, including one federal soldier, charged with rape
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. V, pp. 776-777 12/2/1862; Yankee soldier, alleged to be a spy, argues for his exchange
Richmond Dispatch 12/2/1862; Frederick Lindsey, 1TX & Mathew Pitman, 1GA, both arrested for drunken fracas at Rockett’s. Pitman to Castle Thunder, Lindsey left behind, “having had his skull broken by a skillet in the hands of a female whose house he had entered.”
Richmond Dispatch 12/3/1862; 23 new NC arrivals at Castle Thunder, including one from Libby Prison
Richmond Dispatch 12/4/1862; list of new Castle Thunder inmates. Includes Mike O’Bryan, AWOL fireman from CSS Jamestown and Jno. Govan, AWOL from CSS Richmond
Richmond Dispatch 12/4/1862; 3 Castle Thunder prisoners whipped for assaulting fellow prisoners
Richmond Dispatch

12/5/1862; enormous list of court martial results

Richmond Dispatch 12/5/1862; long list of Castle Thunder arrivals
Richmond Dispatch 12/8/1862; huge list of Libby & Castle Thunder POW increases
Richmond Dispatch 12/9/1862; escaped Libby prisoner arrested for something else & returned to Libby; Kile Norton, “a South Carolina darkey” employed at Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 12/10/1862; new Castle Thunder accessions include citizen from near Winchester; Henry Hall, 1GA; & also one suspicious civilian
Richmond Dispatch 12/10/1862; Jackson Triplett, 54NC, died 12/8 at Castle Thunder – typhoid pneumonia; unnamed sentinel at Camp Lee supposedly froze to death, 12/7
Richmond Dispatch 12/10/1862; 50 soldiers sent to ANV 12/9 from Castle Thunder
Richmond Enquirer 12/10/1862; Castle Thunder will be a general depot for all deserters and State prisoners in the Confederacy
Richmond Dispatch 12/11/1862; 2 of Tim Webster’s accomplices, Lewis & Scully, sent North
Richmond Enquirer 12/11/1862; Scully and Lewis, confined at Castle Thunder as spies, are to be released and sent North
Richmond Dispatch 12/12/1862; flag of truce exchange expected soon, to include 3 women spies (named) now at Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 12/12/1862; 5 deserters arrive at Castle Thunder, plus 2 of Co. D, 16VA
Richmond Dispatch 12/13/1862; very long list of Castle Thunder accessions, giving name, unit, offense. Includes man sent from GH#20 for bad conduct. 3 females there sent North yesterday
Richmond Enquirer 12/13/1862; escape attempt from Castle Thunder - perpetrators were in "Cell No. 1, first floor, north side."
Richmond Dispatch 12/15/1862; long list of new Castle Thunder inmates, units and charges
Richmond Dispatch 12/16/1862; G. W. Alexander & 50 men to Fredericksburg to help the wounded
Richmond Dispatch 12/16/1862; new inmates at Castle Thunder
Richmond Enquirer 12/16/1862; more disloyalists confined in Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. V, p. 787 12/16/1862; political prisoner J. G. Anderson ordered released by the CS Sec. of War
Richmond Dispatch 12/18/1862; Yankee captain named A. C. Webster, WVa unit, put in Castle Thunder, on 12/17 for murder of CS prisoner in western VA
Richmond Dispatch 12/18/1862; large list of new Castle Thunder inmates
Richmond Enquirer 12/18/1862; details on four new arrivals at Castle Thunder
Richmond Enquirer 12/18/1862; man who had escaped from Castle Thunder twice before is recaptured in Rocketts
Richmond Dispatch 12/19/1862; drunk woman falls into the canal near Castle Thunder – infant drowns, she put in the cage
Richmond Dispatch 12/20/1862; Michael Kearns in Castle Thunder., British subject, but recognized as deserter from Letcher Artillery
Richmond Dispatch 12/20/1862; R. A. Slaughter, E53Va., died 12/19 at Castle Thunder Hospital, disease
Richmond Dispatch 12/20/1862; Capt. Cyrus Bossieux of prison guard still in command at Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 12/20/1862; 3 deserters arrive at Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 12/20/1862; Patrick Golding of Richmond into Castle Thunder for disloyalty
Richmond Enquirer 12/20/1862; man dies in Castle Thunder of "camp disease"
Richmond Enquirer 12/24/1862; G. W. Alexander returns to his post at Castle Thunder after some time at Fredericksburg with the Letcher Artillery
Richmond Whig 12/27/1862; Castle Thunder described briefly - hospital is in the upper story, Dr. Coggin is in charge
Richmond Enquirer 12/29/1862; a plot by 150 prisoners in Castle Thunder to assassinate the guard and escape is thwarted, and the ring-leader is placed in irons and fed bread and water
Richmond Enquirer 12/31/1862; all but the ringleaders of the Castle Thunder "mutiny" have been released and sent back to camp
Richmond Dispatch 1/5/1863; five inmates of Castle Thunder have gotten sick with small pox, and taken to Howard's Grove
Richmond Dispatch 1/12/1863; lime is spread on the floor at Castle Thunder and prevents Smallpox
RG 109, Ch. 9, Vol. 199.5, p. 50 1/13/1863; T. P. Turner is ordered to be on a board of inquiry to investigate an escape from Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. V, pp. 212-213 1/25/1863; Ould addresses charge that Fourth Regiment East Tennessee and other Tennessee and Ohio regts held in Castle Thunder
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.
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. V, pp. 833-834 2/19/1863; supplies received
Richmond Examiner 3/14/1863; two Confederate deserters put in Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 3/25/1863; two soldiers, charged with shooting two men, have been sent to Castle Thunder to await Court-Martial
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. X/1, p. 634 3/27/1863; captured yankee raiders confined in Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 3/30/1863; Capt. Webster, under sentence of death, attempts to escape from Castle Thunder, but sprains his ankle in the jump, and doesn't get far before being recaptured
Ohio boys in Dixie..., pp.24-25 3/1863; description of the author's imprisonment in Richmond. Gives a rare description of the interior of Castle Thunder
RG 109, Ch. 6, Vol. 151, p. 10 9/1862 - 3/1863; Statistics of Eastern District Hospital (Castle Thunder) - hospital closed after March, 1863
Richmond Examiner 4/3/1863; hospital at Castle Thunder moved to 21st between Main & Cary
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. V, p. 866 4/4/1863; CSA House Resolution to investigate Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 4/4/1863; Castle Thunder items
Richmond Daily Whig 4/6/1863; escape attempt at Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 4/6/1863; the Richmond City Battalion (25th Bn VA Inf) is understood to be leaving the city for active service due to unsavory types infesting its ranks
Richmond Sentinel 4/7/1863; prisoner shot at Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 4/7/1863; deserter from the 54VA shot and killed while trying to escape from Castle Thunder
Richmond Daily Whig 4/8/1863; prisoners killed
Richmond Examiner 4/8/1863; prisoner at Castle Thunder was shot at and wounded after verbally abusing a guard
Richmond Examiner 4/8/1863; two Yankee POWs, who had taken an oath of allegiance to the CSA, attempted to escape back to Union lines and were recaptured and sent to Libby, then to Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 4/9/1863; Castle Thunder items; notes that two members of the city battalion (the guards for the Richmond prisons) have been imprisoned for sleeping at their posts
Richmond Examiner 4/9/1863; a portion of the detective force stationed at Castle Thunder has been sent to work for the Provost Marshal
Richmond Sentinel 4/11/1863; details of the execution of Captain Webster, a Castle Thunder prisoner, at Camp Lee
Richmond Sentinel 4/15/1863; two prisoners escaped from the City Jail; five men escaped from Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 4/18/1863; Two artillerists, including a man from Battery #2, who escaped from Castle Thunder have been recaptured
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. V, pp. 518-520 4/24/1863; mentioned
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. V, pp. 871-924 April, 1863; Evidence taken before the committee of the House of Representatives of the Confederate States appointed to inquire into the treatment of prisoners at Castle Thunder (very large)
Richmond Dispatch 5/1/1863; prison items; notes on Castle Thunder and Libby Prison recent arrivals
Richmond Sentinel 5/6/1863; prisoners arrive at Castle Thunder and Libby Prison; 554 prisoner sent by flag of truce to City Point; Libby now has very few inmates "except political prisoners"
Richmond Examiner 5/7/1863; prisoner is shot and killed while trying to escape Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 5/11/1863; Castle Thunder admittees; 1300 Yankees arrived yesterday - if this rate keeps up, Belle Isle will be re-opened
Richmond Examiner 5/11/1863; two prisoners at Castle Thunder die of Small Pox
Richmond Sentinel 5/19/1863; prisoners try to tunnel out of Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 5/20/1863; more escape attempts at Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 5/21/1863; escape attempt at Castle Thunder
VHS 5/28/1863 5/28/1863; Sidney Smith Lee, commandant at Drewry’s Bluff writes to enquire whether 3 Castle Thunder prisoners who wrote to him might be released and allowed to enlist in the Navy. All three were in prison for desertion.
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. V, pp. 736-737 6/3/1863; mentioned
Richmond Whig 6/7/1864; details on a woman who told "Beast" Butler that Mayor Mayo had been thrown into Castle Thunder (false rumor)
Richmond Enquirer 6/12/1863; 600 prisoners at Castle Thunder; prison has been improved lately.
Richmond Sentinel 6/27/1863; Castle Thunder escapee has been recaptured
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VI, pp. 62-63 6/30/1863 - 7/2/1863; A flurry of dispatches from Stanton regarding civilian prisoners
Richmond Sentinel 7/2/1863; attempted escape from Castle Thunder
Richmond Dispatch 7/2/1863; two deserters "lodged" in Castle Thunder; mentions escape attempt by tunneling.
Richmond Dispatch 7/6/1863; military prisoners form the Castle Thunder Battalion.
Richmond Dispatch 7/16/1863; Lt. Buford, aka Alice Williams, sent to Mississippi from Castle Thunder.
Richmond Sentinel 7/16/1863; Lieut. Bufurd, aka Alice Williams, has been released from Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 7/21/1863; A member of the Washington Artillery, a four-time escapee from Castle Thunder has been recaptured and put back in Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 7/22/1863; an enormous bird is brought to Castle Thunder - wing amputated, still manages to gouge out the eyeballs of one of the Castle Thunder dogs
Richmond Examiner 7/28/1863; prisoners at Castle Thunder now have access to the "large plaza" attached to it
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VI, pp. 161-162 7/31/1863; Spencer Kellogg, charged with being a spy and a deserter is held at Castle Thunder.
Richmond Dispatch 8/6/1863; patient at Winder Hospital detained at Castle Thunder with no charge and eventually released
Richmond Sentinel 8/8/1863; 100 prisoners arrive at Libby Prison, 65 negroes incarcerated in Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VI, p. 196 8/12/1863; more on Spencer Kellogg
VHS 8/12/1863 8/12/1863; Isaac Carrington asks Lieut. Turner at Libby for charges on Yankee prisoners who were sent to Castle Thunder from there. One has been there since 9/25/1862 and was "Sent by Capt. Wirtz"
Richmond Enquirer 8/14/1863; details on a creative escape attempt from Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 8/21/1863; list of imprisoned slaves at Castle Thunder and Libby Prison
Richmond Daily Whig 8/24/1863; purported letter from prisoner
VHS 8/24/1863 8/24/1863; two patients in the 1st Division of Howard’s Grove Hospital are taken to Castle Thunder for "exciting a mutiny"
Richmond Sentinel 8/28/1863; another slave list from Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 9/1/1863; Commandants of Libby and Castle Thunder have been called back for duty, after leave of absence of 15 days
VHS 9/8/1863 9/8/1863; four soldiers sent from Chaffin’s Farm to Castle Thunder for attempting to desert to the enemy
Richmond Sentinel 9/12/1863; Castle Thunder praised
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VI, pp. 294-295 9/16/1863; questions of "horrible treatment" at Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 9/26/1863; details of the execution of Spencer Kellogg (convicted as a spy) at Camp Lee 
Richmond Sentinel 10/1/1863; inmates are attempting to tunnel out of Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VI, p. 339 10/2/1863; details on certain prisoners
Richmond Sentinel 10/3/1863; Gen. Winder wants to move all POWs to from Castle Thunder to the Alms House (GH#1)
VHS 10/4/1863 10/4/1863; Confederate Guard at Libby Prison is imprisoned in Castle Thunder for "leaving his post without permission..& trading with Yankee prisoners"
Richmond Examiner 10/5/1863; Guard at Belle Isle put in Castle Thunder for trading with prisoners
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VI, pp. 348-349 10/5/1863; Pennsylvanians from Gettysburg confined in Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 10/5/1863; city wants Almshouse (GH#1) back for the poor; Winder wants Almshouse for Castle Thunder prisoners
Richmond Sentinel 10/5/1863; guard at Castle Thunder shoots three other members of the City Battalion in a fight. Mentions a parade ground near Libby Prison
Richmond Enquirer 10/9/1863; 3 guards at Libby Prison put in Castle Thunder for trading with the prisoners
Richmond Daily Whig 10/23/1863; prison break from Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 10/23/1863; murder at Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VI, p. 431-432 10/27/1863; Meredith sends counterfeit CS notes to be distributed amongst the prisoners; Ould foils the plan
Richmond Daily Whig 11/3/1863; escapee from Castle Thunder reaches yankee lines
VHS 11/3/1863

11/3/1863; J. R. Anderson requests that one of his workers who is confined in Castle Thunder be "returned to his employment." Apparently, this man attempted to desert to the enemy

Richmond Sentinel 11/10/1863; case of G. W. Alexander (Castle Thunder) for "defiant contempt of the authority" of the Confederate States District Court, will be heard today
Richmond Sentinel 11/11/1863; details of trial of Commandant G. W. Alexander (Castle Thunder)
Richmond Sentinel 11/14/1863; six Yankee prisoners in Castle Thunder take the oath of allegiance and are released
Richmond Sentinel 11/16/1863; Yankees escape from Castle Thunder
Richmond Daily Whig 11/25/1863; defenders of Battery #9 assault a negro and are put in Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 11/26/1863; brief description of the escape of a Yankee from Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 12/16/1863; man claims he was illegally detained by George W. Alexander, and is released
Richmond Sentinel 12/18/1863; G. W. Alexander, commandant of Castle Thunder, is arrested for "malpractice in office"
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VI, pp. 1086-87 12/16-18/1863; General Hospital #10 is ordered to be closed as hospital and used as quarters for guards at Castle Thunder.
Richmond Daily Dispatch 1/6/1864; two soldiers tried for breaking into a warehouse near Castle Thunder to steal "yankee clothing."
Richmond Dispatch 1/12/1864; escape from Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 1/16/1864; 18 yankees escape from building across street from Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 1/20/1864; most of escapees from building across street from Castle Thunder caught
Richmond Whig 1/21/1864; large number of Castle Thunder prisoners will be removed to Salisbury, N. C., under charge of the Ambulance Corps
Richmond Whig 1/22/1864; the departure of Castle Thunder prisoners was put off for a day due to a railroad "hitch." Notes that one of the prisoners got out of his ball and chain
VHS 1/23/1864 1/23/1864; Letter from Jno. L. Ligon, Clerk at Castle Thunder, writing on behalf of a man whom Ligon was accosted by and later shot. Ligon believes the man accosted him because the man thought that Ligon was a Yankee deserter. Ligon appeals for his immediate discharge from prison
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VI, p. 917 2/4/1864; Butler requests an exchange
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XXXIII, p. 144 2/8/1864; mentioned
Richmond Examiner 2/11/1864; good description of the "great escape" from Libby Prison. Castle Thunder mentioned.
Richmond Sentinel 2/15/1864; acquittal of Capt. Alexander
Richmond Whig 2/16/1864; G. W. Alexander has been acquitted by the board of inquiry that looked into his conduct at Castle Thunder
VHS 2/20/1864 2/20/1864; Surgeon at GH#9 writes on behalf of a convalescent soldier from Castle Thunder who claims to be "guiltless of any crime" and seeks a hearing in order to go home
Richmond Sentinel 2/23/1864; more escapees from prison across street from Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 2/24/1864; description of the fire and explosion of the Confederate Coffee factory on Cary and 17th
Richmond Whig 2/25/1864; man committed to Castle Thunder for piloting Averill on his raid
Richmond Whig 2/26/1864; robbery of a hogshead of tobacco at the factory of David C. Mayo, corner 19th and Cary
Richmond Whig 2/27/1864; list of Castle Thunder (7) and Libby Prison (8) inmates sent off by special exchange, including a woman found in men's clothes on Belle Isle, and a correspondent of the New York Herald
Richmond Whig 3/1/1864; three men, who were caught while attempting to go north, are taken to Castle Thunder
Richmond Daily 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 Sentinel 3/3/1864; detective mistakenly shot at Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 3/3/1864; six negroes, recaptured from the Yankees, are taken to Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 3/3/1864; Detective Wooters, shot accidentally at Castle Thunder, died yesterday
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. LI/2, p. 832 3/9/1864; Yankee raider placed in Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 3/9/1864; detective Cashmeyer arrested for treason on a flag of truce boat while escorting Yankee prisoner and put in Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 3/10/1864; female spy taken to Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 3/10/1864; more details on Detective Cashmeyer's case - he was not behaving treasonously, just stupidly.
Richmond Whig 3/11/1864; more on Cashmeyer's case
Richmond Whig 3/12/1864; Detective Cashmeyer is released from Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 3/14/1864; Cashemeyer was NOT released from Castle Thunder, and will be court-martialed
Richmond Whig 3/15/1864; Cashmeyer has been released from Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 3/16/1864; soldier dies in Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 3/17/1864;  two Spotsylvania men are taken to Castle Thunder under charge of piloting Kilpatrick on the recent raid
Richmond Whig 3/19/1864; five guards at the Arsenal are picked up while trying to get to the Yankee lines and are taken to Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 3/29/1864; Detective Cashmeyer has been reinstated, and a Detective who was in the Penitentiary for shooting a woman has been pardoned by the Governor
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VI, pp. 1086-87 3/29-31/1864; Unionists captured by Gen. Imboden in the Shenendoah Valley are sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 4/5/1864; Mr. Thomas W. Doswell has been appointed Asst. Provost Marshal, succeeding G. W. Alexander
Richmond Sentinel 4/9/1864; notes on three new soldiers confined in Castle Thunder with details of their transgressions
Richmond Daily Whig 4/14/1864; Castle Thunder items
Richmond Sentinel 4/14/1864; Castle Thunder items
Richmond Sentinel 4/22/1864; Dr. Mary Walker, captured in the west, arrives in Richmond (in male attire) and conveyed to Castle Thunder, Libby having no female accommodations
Richmond Sentinel 4/22/1864; a deserter confined in the "soldier's home" on 7th and Cary streets (probably the former Castle Lightning) leaps out of a three story window, and escapes. He is recaptured and sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 4/22/1864; Dr. Mary Walker arrives in Richmond, and is taken to Castle Thunder. She is "about thirty years old and quite ugly"
Richmond Sentinel 4/28/1864; 31 Yankee deserters in Castle Thunder say they want to go back to the North, and are moved to the Libby Prison
Richmond Whig 4/28/1864; 31 Yankee deserters desire to be considered prisoners of war and are taken from Castle Thunder to Libby Prison
Richmond Sentinel 5/2/1864; Dr. Mary Walker's appearance in Richmond causes quite an excitement - she is taken to Gen. Winder's office, then to Castle Thunder.
Richmond Whig 5/2/1864; Mary Walker is marched from Castle Thunder to Gen. Winder's office, still in male attire, and creates quite a stir
Richmond Examiner 5/7/1864; 78 prisoners at Castle Thunder sent to Salisbury, NC
Richmond Examiner 5/16/1864; "The Winder Guards," a unit made up of prisoners from Castle Thunder are on duty "at the front"
Richmond Dispatch 5/17/1864; foreigners who refuse to do military duty are confined in Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 5/21/1864; 300 prisoners in Castle Thunder, from the "Winder Legion" will be released
Richmond Enquirer 5/23/1864; Castle Thunder admittances; several Libby guards confined
Richmond Sentinel 5/26/1864; Castle Thunder admittances
Richmond Examiner 5/28/1864; The Winder Legion, a unit comprised of prisoners from Castle Thunder, has acquitted itself well in the field; Davis granted them amnesty, and they are now seeking permanent status
Richmond Examiner 5/30/1864; AAG for Gen. Bragg inspects Libby Prison and Castle Thunder and finds them pleasing
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XXXVI/3, p. 415 5/31/1864; Butler passes on a rumor that the mayor of Richmond had been confined in Castle Thunder.
Richmond Examiner 5/31/1864; Confederate deserter (4th VA Cav, Co. A) found amongst the prisoners at Libby Prison and taken to Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 5/31/1864; man from Lynchburg taken to Castle Thunder, charged with being a spy
Richmond Sentinel 6/2/1864; 10 prisoners released from Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 6/4/1864; new arrivals at Castle Thunder, including one supposedly insane man
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XXXVI/3, p. 582 6/4/1864; Comments on Butler's previous dispatch
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VII, pp. 204-205 6/6/1864; report on conditions at Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VII, pp. 205-207 6/6/1864; inspection report for week ending 5/31/1864 of Castle Thunder and Libby Prison.
Richmond Examiner 6/9/1864; persons shirking duty are sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Enquirer 6/10/1864; Dr. Mary Walker, prisoner in Castle Thunder, wants to go home
Richmond Enquirer 6/13/1864; ex-prisoner at Castle Thunder, member of the Arsenal Battalion, deserts to enemy near Bottom's Bridge
Richmond Sentinel 6/15/1864; details of three new inmates at Castle Thunder
New York Times

6/16/1864; extract of letter from Dr. Mary Walker in Castle Thunder. Notes that she has a clean bed, kind officers, and a (named) roommate.

Richmond Examiner 6/17/1864; describes the beneficial use of tobacco warehouses as prisons and hospitals to the Confederacy
Richmond Examiner 6/17/1864; few new prisoners at Castle Thunder, list of those who have been admitted recently
Richmond Sentinel 6/17/1864; two soldiers are taken to Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 6/17/1864; soldier from Cutts' artillery committed to Castle Thunder for stabbing a member of his company
Richmond Daily Whig 6/22/1864; Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 6/23/1864; Confederate deserter (former Lt. Col. of 18th TN) is found amongst Yankees at Libby Prison and taken to Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 6/29/1864; description of boxing match at Castle Thunder and reception of new prisoners
Richmond Examiner 6/29/1864; Details of the imprisonment of Dr. Mary Walker in Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 6/30/1864; notes that no money is taken from the prisoners at Castle Thunder - the quartermaster keeps it for them
Richmond Examiner 7/1/1864; Sutler's post at Castle Thunder has been abolished
Richmond Examiner 7/5/1864; Richmond prisons, except Castle Thunder and Belle Isle, are nearly empty
Richmond Dispatch 7/6/1864; attempted escape from "Palmer's building, opposite Castle Thunder"
Richmond Dispatch 7/6/1864; notes on federal deserters in Castle Thunder; 68 federal deserters moved from Castle Thunder to Libby Prison
Richmond Sentinel 7/9/1864; five workmen at Tredegar are captured while attempting to escape to the Yankees and are put in Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 7/9/1864; five operatives at the Tredegar Iron Works are caught while attempting to go over to the Yankees and are taken to Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XL/3, p. 765 7/11/1864; Gen Ewell complains about Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 7/15/1864; "particular class" of prisoner from Castle Thunder will be sent to Salisbury, NC
Richmond Examiner 7/19/1864; department at Castle Thunder is reserved for "depraved and abandoned women"
Richmond Sentinel 7/20/1864; female spy is received at Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 7/20/1864; attractive female spy is committed to Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 7/26/1864; Dr. Mary Walker is taken to Gen. Gardner's office, desiring to be released
Richmond Whig 7/26/1864; notes on Dr. Mary Walker parading the streets, on the way to Gen. Gardner's office seeking a parole. Also remarks on her lack of good looks and elicit correspondence while here
Richmond Whig 7/29/1864; Detective Boyd has been thrown in Castle Thunder for trying to bribe another detective not to mention that he had seen a prominent member of the treasury department go into a faro bank [probably R. C. Elmore]
Richmond Whig 7/30/1864; a Castle Thunder escapee and a Yankee deserter are both committed to Castle Thunder
Richmond Examiner 8/4/1864; 53 prisoners at Castle Thunder have been sent to Salisbury, N. C.
Richmond Dispatch 8/10/1864; wounded negroes from Burnside's Corps sent to Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 8/12/1864; member of the Crenshaw battery committed to Castle Thunder for "desertion, robbery and attempting to shoot some one"
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VII, pp. 610-611 8/18/1864; complaint of yankee (Doran) about his lengthy imprisonment without charge.
Richmond Sentinel 8/22/1864; alleged spy from the Maryland line and a free negro are committed to Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 8/22/1864; Maryland soldier and free negro committed to Castle Thunder, the latter on charge of piloting Hunter in Amherst county, and the former for being a spy
Richmond Sentinel 8/26/1864; 80 negro POWs, taken at the Battle of the Crater, are brought to Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLII/2, p. 629 9/1/1864; 19th Regt., Va. Militia is doing guard duty at Libby, Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 9/9/1864; Man sent to Castle Thunder for being a spy and recruiting negroes for federal service
Richmond Sentinel 9/10/1864; former keeper of "the Rebel House," under the Exchange Hotel and a free negro escape from Castle Thunder and are recaptured
Richmond Whig 9/10/1864; two Castle Thunder escapees caught
Richmond Sentinel 9/19/1864; an employee of the Arsenal named Taylor, along with two others, are captured while going to the enemy. Taylor is placed in Castle Thunder, the others released
Richmond Sentinel 10/5/1864; member of 3rd S.C. knifes a patient at Stuart Hospital and sent to Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLII/3, p. 119 10/8/1864; prisoners from Castle Thunder have been put into the Richmond defenses in front of Butler
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VII, pp. 987-988 10/14/1864; Turner reports on negro soldiers at Libby Prison and Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 10/25/1864; six Irish conscripts arrested while attempting to get to Yankee lines and put in Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 10/25/1864; a deserter from the 28th Alabama is arrested while in Yankee uniform and put in Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 10/26/1864; two men caught trying to "cut their way out" of Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 10/31/1864; two females who had been serving for two years under Gen. Early were found out and put in Castle Thunder; details on two other prisoners: one male slave and one white female
Richmond Sentinel 10/31/1864; man attempts an escape while being taken to Castle Thunder and is shot and killed
Richmond Whig 10/31/1864; two women, masquerading as soldiers, brought to Castle Thunder. They had served with General Early for two years
Richmond Whig 10/31/1864; female spy from Isle of Wight is brought to Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 10/31/1864; man shot and killed while trying to escape from the guards who were taking him to Castle Thunder

Richmond Sentinel

11/1/1864; details on the killing of the soldier who tried to escape while being taken to Castle Thunder

Richmond Sentinel

11/1/1864; deserter taken from Castle Thunder and shot in the presence of Fields' Division. He was from the 4th Alabama and had been recaptured in Yankee uniform

Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLII/3, pp. 1202-1203 11/5/1864; "Six or seven of the Castle Thunder battalion have deserted to the enemy"

Richmond Sentinel

11/10/1864; details on three recent Castle Thunder inmates

Richmond Sentinel

11/11/1864; detective Caphart, "one of the detectives attached to the Castle Thunder prison" died yesterday

Richmond Whig 11/11/1864; Detective Caphart, "one of the police of Castle Thunder," dies
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLII/3, pp. 608-609 11/12/1864; mentioned; negro US soldiers used for menial labor

Richmond Sentinel

11/12/1864; NC woman committed to Castle Thunder for being a suspicious character

Richmond Whig 11/12/1864; good-looking woman put in Castle Thunder as a "suspicious character"

Richmond Sentinel

11/14/1864; three workers from Tredegar arrested while attempting to go over to the enemy and are put in Castle Thunder

Richmond Whig 11/14/1864; employees of Tredegar Iron Works jailed for desertion

Richmond Sentinel

11/21/1864; Three people (one of whom was a Tredegar worker) arrested on Williamsburg road for attempting to go to the enemy. They said they were going to visit friends at Chaffin's Bluff

Richmond Sentinel

11/21/1864; one of the "street guards" who checks papers was arrested and sent to Castle Thunder for letting a person escape

Richmond Sentinel

12/21/1864; details on two new Castle Thunder inmates; one a "Yankee deserter" who is really a soldier from the 21st Miss., and the other a patient at Jackson Hospital who is charged with larceny

Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VII, pp. 1268-1269 12/24/1864; report on certain prisoners
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLVI/2, p. 171 1/18/1865; Union intelligence report; Colonel Fry is being held in poor conditions
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VIII, pp. 93-94 1/19/1865; Chaplain of Camp Lee and Carrington write to Sec. of War regarding conditions at Castle Thunder and Libby.
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VIII, p. 236 2/16/1865; U. S. Grant writes about citizens held as hostages
Richmond Sentinel 3/3/1865; attendant at the Libby Prison hospital is caught at the theater with one of the POWs from the prison hospital. He is sent to Castle Thunder and the POW is sent back to Libby.
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VIII, p. 368 3/8/1865; Ould says a list has been made of prisoners in order to determine which are prisoners of war.
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLVI/2, p. 905 3/9/1865; report of a Confederate deserter, recently a prisoner at Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLVI/3, p. 79 3/22/1865; report from "our agent in Richmond," has items on Castle Thunder
Richmond Sentinel 3/30/1865; slave put in Castle Thunder for helping soldiers desert
Guard Report 4/2/1865; report of guard mounted at Castle Thunder and Mayo's Bridge by 1st VA reserves
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLVI/3, p. 574-575 4/5/1865; Dana's report on the capture of Richmond
New York Herald 4/6/1865; Details on the Federal occupation of Richmond - notes that the furniture in the White House of the Confederacy was left behind, and that Tredegar survived the fire. Libby Prison and Castle Thunder are now full of Confederate prisoners
Richmond Whig 4/6/1865; account of the escape of two unionists from Castle Thunder on evacuation night
Richmond Whig 4/10/1865; Confederate prisoners housed in Libby, civilians in Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 4/12/1865; account of the escape of a Castle Thunder prisoner on evacuation night and his subsequent work for the US authorities
New York Herald 4/13/1865; excellent letter from Richmond describing the Federal occupation of Richmond, mentions Tredegar, former slaves, Rocketts, former rebel hospitals (Chimborazo, Jackson, Stuart) - All patients now at Jackson, Stuart Hospital is now a US Post Hospital. Dahlgren's body found and is being returned to Washington. Castle Thunder and Libby Prison are now holding Confederates. Also notes veneration of Robert E. Lee in Richmond
Richmond Whig 4/18/1865; former Castle Thunder officials turn themselves in
Richmond Whig 4/19/1865; former Castle Thunder officials NOT confined in Libby, but released on their parole
New York Times

4/20/1865; the key to Castle Thunder is in New York and will be auctioned for charity

Richmond Whig 5/1/1865; person in the North claims to have the key to Castle Thunder, but this cannot be the main key as Castle Thunder is still used as a prison
Richmond Whig 5/1/1865; What happened to "the big black dog" (Hero) who used to guard Castle Thunder?
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLVI/3, p. 1084 5/4/1865; Union armies marching through Richmond are ordered to pass by Castle Thunder and Libby Prison
Richmond Whig 5/9/1865; Libby Prison and Castle Thunder have new signs
Richmond Whig 5/16/1865; Isaac Carrington, former CS Provost Marshal of Richmond, has been put in Castle Thunder
Richmond Whig 5/19/1865; Hero, the dog formerly used as a guard dog at Castle Thunder has been shipped North
Dedham Gazette 5/20/1865; "Libby Prison Now and Then"- notes how Libby Prison has changed, and offers a general history. Notes that Libby Prison and Castle Thunder are now run by two Captains from the 24th Mass.
New York Times 5/24/1865; The guard-dog of Castle Thunder is in New York City now – a huge, black, “Russian blood-hound.” Notes that G. W. Alexander formerly made money off him by having him fight bears.
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLVII/1, p. 605 5/27/1865; report of the march through Richmond
Richmond Whig 5/31/1865; very few prisoners are left in Libby or Castle Thunder
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VIII, pp. 764-767 10/12/1865; post-war account of conditions at Libby Prison, Castle Godwin and other prisons during the war.
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VIII, p. 783 11/3/1865; letter to Stanton names Alexander and Turner as being guilty of cruelty to prisoners.
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VIII, pp. 815-816 11/23/1865; testimony from one of Winder's policemen - Libby & Castle Thunder mentioned.
Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLVI/1, p. 1292-1295 12/20/1865; Ewell's report on the fall of Richmond and the retreat to Appomattox
Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. VIII, pp. 883-885 2/1866; deposition regarding the supposed plot to kill Abraham Lincoln. Castle Thunder mentioned.
Southern Opinion 11/23/1867; “Castle Thunder in Bellum Days;” gives an outstanding account of Castle Thunder, prominent prisoners (including Mary Walker) and its’ staff (including physical descriptions); mentions Oakwood Cemetery, Castle Godwin
New York Times

9/6/1879; Castle Thunder has burned down, and brief history of the building

R. A. Brock notes 1880; notes on various Richmond sights and their current condition - mentions Libby Prison, Castle Godwin, Castle Thunder (recently destroyed by fire), Robertson Hospital (great physical description), Drewry's Bluff, and the Union Hotel (now used to train missionaries)
Southern Historical Society Papers 11 (1883), pp. 83-92. 1883; Burrows, J. L. "Recollections of Libby Prison." Mentions Mary Walker, Captain Gibbs being commandant of Castle Thunder, and the big dog who guarded the prison. Burrows says that this dog was a very gentle animal, contrary to popular opinion.
National Tribune 9/13/1883; description of prison life at Castle Thunder and "Royster House" (GH#20)
New York Times 3/1/1891; part four of serialized account of life in Libby. Notes that 1864 began poorly - the Confederates cut off supplies from the North in order to compel the US Government to resume exchanges; author went to Belle Isle to help distribute last batch of supplies; mentions Castle Thunder; he was glad to be in Libby rather than Belle Isle - notes on the "dog-slaying incident" and confirms it. Further notes the presence of negroes on Belle Isle and their negative treatment by their fellow prisoners. Describes Gen. J. H. Morgan's visit to Libby and begins description of the Libby tunnel and says he was one of the diggers.
Richmond Dispatch 6/30/1894; great description of Richmond for the Confederate reunion, focusing on how much has changed since the war
Baltimore Sun 2/22/1895; G. W. Alexander obituary, describes in great detail his early service in the Confederacy, imprisonment and escape from Fort McHenry, and service in Richmond
Richmond Dispatch 3/3/1895; G. W. Alexander obituary, excellent and lengthy description of his wartime service and Castle Thunder details, with engraving of Alexander
National Tribune 10/4/1900; "The Fall of Richmond" Part two of Hiram Peck's memoir. Describes Lincoln's visit to Richmond, details of the evacuation fire, the reopening of the Richmond Theater, and response to Lee's surrender in Richmond. Mentions Castle Thunder detectives being locked in Libby, and gives a description of Hollywood Cemetery.
National Tribune 10/30/1902; letter describes the fire in Richmond threatening Libby Prison and Castle Thunder, and the author broke open the door to let prisoners out.
National Tribune 11/16/1905; account of a civilian's stay in Castle Thunder in 1862. Gives a good physical description of the prison, and describes meeting Timothy Webster while there
VHS no date no date; Union prisoner in "Room No. 10" of Castle Thunder requests to be moved to Libby Prison, as he considers himself a POW
G. W. Alexander CSR no date; summary of George W. Alexander's Confederate Service

 

Page last updated on 07/17/2008