Investigating Alexandria's Civil War Prisons: Confinement & Justice During Union Occupation
Sat, Sep 19
|National Museum of Civil War Medicine
During the Civil War, Alexandria was home to five military prisons. Discover what life was like in these institutions for both Confederate and Union prisoners and how this disrupted the daily lives of Alexandria residents. This event will be held in-person and virtually on YouTube.
Time & Location
Sep 19, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 E Patrick St, Frederick, MD 21701, USA
About the event
During the Civil War, Alexandria was home to five military prisons. Discover 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 Grosvenor Branch - 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 beginnings of Reconstruction.
Madeline Feierstein is an Alexandria, VA historian specializing in psychiatric institutions, military hospitals, and prisons. A native of Washington, D.C., her work has been showcased across the Capital Region. Madeline is the founder of Rooted in Place, LLC, a project dedicated to telling stories of historic sites and the people once bound to them. She continues to lead efforts to document the sick, injured, and imprisoned soldiers that passed through Civil War Alexandria. Additionally, she supports the…