Reminiscences of a Prisoner of War and His Escape

A vivid first‑person memoir traces the journey of a young New York physician turned Union officer, captured after the fall of Plymouth, North Carolina, and shipped deep into the Confederate heartland. He recounts the harsh conditions of prison camps, the bewildering moves from Richmond to Savannah and finally to Andersonville, where overcrowding, heat and scarce water tested every soldier’s endurance.

From this bleak backdrop emerges a daring escape, driven by ingenuity and the aid of a few trusted companions. Using a compass, a knife, a fork and even a hickory stick, the group slips past guards and embarks on a perilous trek northward, navigating hostile terrain and constantly shifting rail lines. Along the way, the narrator’s reflections on duty, friendship, and the moral stakes of the war give the narrative a personal, human dimension that brings the Civil‑War era to life for modern listeners.