Hell on Belle Isle: Diary of a Civil War Pow

by Jacob Osborn Coburn

Coburn, Jacob Osborn, Allison, Don

Genres: Civil War

191 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1997

Reviews

[James Crabtree · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are very few reminisces written about the POW camp on Belle Isle in the James River, and part that may be partially because the camp was not overpopulated early in the war when it was used primarily as a holding area for Union soldiers waiting to be exchanged for Confederate prisoners. However, late in the war, when Coburn was imprisoned at the camp, it was a different story. Food was scarce and shelter extremely poor. The stockade was little more than a berm wall with mounted guards on top of it, backed by cannons with a clear field of fire. Yes, this book is a testament to one man's desperate effort to survive long enough to see the end of the war.

This book has issues in the way it is organized. However, as a primary source it is very valuable. Well-illustrated.

[David Engel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad story of a union soldier enduring the privations of Confederate captivity in Richmond, told through his diary. I like personal accounts and this one did not disappoint.