Alexandria’s Civil War Prisons: Confinement and Justice During Union Occupation

During the Civil War, Alexandria was home to five military prisons. Speaker Madeline Fierstein will examine what life was like in these institutions for both Confederate and Union prisoners and how this disrupted the daily lives of Alexandria residents. Learn about the medical treatment of jailed soldiers and prisoners of war at hospitals like the confiscated Lee-Fendall House. You will hear first-hand accounts from those who experienced imprisonment within the city limits, from the earliest days of battle to the beginning of Reconstruction.

Madeline Fierstein is a historian of American history based in Alexandria, Va. She is the founder of “Rooted in Place”, LLC, which focuses on psychiatric institutions, military hospitals, and prisons. Madeline has developed popular guided tours in Alexandria and Washington, D.C. She leads significant projects documenting the soldiers who were treated in Alexandria’s wartime hospitals. Visit her website for past research and upcoming tours at www.madelinefeierstein.com