York Civil War Round Table

On January 19, 2022 Dr. Bradley M. Gottfried will present “Hell Comes to Southern Maryland: The Story of the Point Lookout Civil War Prisoner of War Camp”
This program will be held online only through Zoom and streamed live on the York County History Center’s Facebook page.
To register for the Zoom program, please click here.
The Point Lookout Civil War Prisoner of War Camp was the largest in the North. Over 52,000 men were imprisoned there from 1863 through 1865 and at the end there were over 20,000 men occupying a small 20 acre pen. The abrupt creation of the camp in mid-1863, coupled with the influx of Confederates captured at Gettysburg taxed the logistics of the Union high command and created a hellish environment for the prisoners. Some have called Point Lookout the “Andersonville of the North.”
This presentation will explain why the camp was located so close to Washington, the logistical issues surrounding the camp, how the men lived and died, and why its story is so important.
Founded as the White Rose Civil War Round Table, the York CWRT holds monthly meetings the third Wednesday of every month except December at 7:00 p.m.  Each meeting features a guest speaker talking about a Civil War topic of local or national interest. Meetings are FREE and open to the public. Click here for more information on upcoming programs.