Social Distortion in Prison Life: Life on the Inside for Civil War Prisoners of War

Understanding the day-to-day life of prisoners of war is crucial to understanding their experience. This study focuses on the experience of Union POWs as they struggled with extreme levels of physical deprivation, psychological abuse, and brutal treatment at the hands of guards and, in some cases, fellow prisoners. They often coped through engagement in everyday activities such as letter-writing, Bible-reading, playing sports, and other means.In the process, these survivors formed a strong bond that enabled them to endure these difficult conditions.