​​​​​​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

​

 

 

 

 

The name Point Lookout conjures images of suffering and despair, a notorious Federal prison camp where thousands of Confederate captives endured unimaginable hardships. As the exchange cartel collapsed and relentless campaigns swelled Northern prisons beyond capacity, Point Lookout emerged in July 1863 as a grim solution. Officially dubbed “Camp Hoffman,” this sprawling 45-acre compound on Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay opened in the shadow of Gettysburg and became the largest prison of the war, hosting more than 52,000 Confederate prisoners by August of 1865.

Join the Dan Sickles Civil War Roundtable, as we welcome Author Robert E. Crickenberger for a look at his meticulous and groundbreaking study that reexamines the prison and its place in Civil War history, with thought-provoking information that dismantles accepted assumptions, offering a balanced perspective that questions the validity of memoirs taken as gospel by earlier scholars.

​

Join us!

​