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Union soldiers being held at Andersonville, a Confederate prison.

Union Prisoners Confined at the Confederate Prison at Andersonville

Union soldiers being held at Andersonville, a Confederate prison.

Assyrians flaying prisoners alive.

Assyrians Flaying Prisoners Alive

Assyrians flaying prisoners alive.

The Bastille, a fortress-prison in Paris remembered by the storming of the Bastille in the French Revolution.

Bastille

The Bastille, a fortress-prison in Paris remembered by the storming of the Bastille in the French Revolution.

The storming of a medieval fortress and prison in Paris by revolutionaries, which represented royal authority.

Storming of the Bastille

The storming of a medieval fortress and prison in Paris by revolutionaries, which represented royal…

Castle Thunder, one of the Confederate prisons known for its abominable conditions.

Castle Thunder, Richmond, VA, Where Union Prisoners Were Confined

Castle Thunder, one of the Confederate prisons known for its abominable conditions.

Castle Thunder, located in Richmond, Virginia, was a former tobacco warehouse located on Tobacco Row, converted into a prison used by the Confederacy to house civilian prisoners, including captured Union spies, political prisoners and those charged with treason during the American Civil War.

Castle Thunder

Castle Thunder, located in Richmond, Virginia, was a former tobacco warehouse located on Tobacco Row,…

"Group of Confederate prisoners captured at Fort Donelson, on the morning after the surrender, clothed in bed blankets, pieces of carpeting, etc. The Confederate prisoners who lounged around the fort the day after its surrender presented a state of haggard misery which took all the romance out of rebellion and made it seem the horrible thing it was. The prisoners had the double aspect of wretchedness- that of the countenance and of the garb." — Frank Leslie, 1896

Confederate Prisoners

"Group of Confederate prisoners captured at Fort Donelson, on the morning after the surrender, clothed…

HM Prison Dartmoor is located in Princetown, high on Dartmoor in the English county of Devon. Its high granite walls dominate this area of the moor.

Dartmoor Prison

HM Prison Dartmoor is located in Princetown, high on Dartmoor in the English county of Devon. Its high…

A Christian philanthropist who was a major driving force behind new legislation to make the treatment of prisoners more humane.

Elizabeth Fry

A Christian philanthropist who was a major driving force behind new legislation to make the treatment…

An illustration of an iron furnace located at Iron Mountain, Missouri.

Iron Furnace

An illustration of an iron furnace located at Iron Mountain, Missouri.

A prison; a place for the confinement of persons arrested for debt or for crime.

Jail

A prison; a place for the confinement of persons arrested for debt or for crime.

One of the prisons used by the British at New York during the American Revolutionary War.

The Jersey Prison Ship

One of the prisons used by the British at New York during the American Revolutionary War.

"And Pharaoh was wroth against his two officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound." Genesis 40:2-3 ASV <p>Illustration of Joseph in the prison with two of Pharaoh's officers. Joseph leans against the wall between the two men, his left arm raised as he speaks. He wears only a tunic. One prisoner (right), sits on a bench and hides his face, leaning away from Joseph. The other man (left) sits on a bench and looks up at Joseph with hands clasped as if begging. Three small steps lead to a wooden door on the left.

Joseph in Prison with the Cup-Bearer and the Chief Baker

"And Pharaoh was wroth against his two officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief…

The King from "The Tinder-Box."

King

The King from "The Tinder-Box."

Libby Prison was a Confederate Prison at Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War.

Libby Prison, Richmond

Libby Prison was a Confederate Prison at Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War.

The gaol was a colonial prison building for York County, Maine and served as a jail from 1719 to 1879.

The Old Jail at York

The gaol was a colonial prison building for York County, Maine and served as a jail from 1719 to 1879.

Saint Paul and Saint Peter in prison, one seated, both bound in chains. One man has a book on his lap. Five prisoners come before the two apostles, kneeling or holding their arms out to them. A small fountain erupts from the floor when Peter prays. The prisoners are able to be baptized in the fountain.

Paul and Peter in Prison, Baptizing Other Prisoners

Saint Paul and Saint Peter in prison, one seated, both bound in chains. One man has a book on his lap.…

"And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Acts 16:27-30 ASV <p>Illustration of the jailer kneeling on one knee at Paul's feet in the jail. Paul stands above him with arms open and Silas is sitting on a bench leaning toward and reaching out for the jailer. A lamp is burning on the ground next to the jailer's sword. The door to the jail is in the corner.

Paul and Silas in Jail - the Jailer Kneels Before Paul

"And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was…

An illustration of Arkansas State Penitentiary as pictured in 1874. The prisoners housed were the main labor force behind Little Rock's capital building. The capital building was built on the prison grounds.

Arkansas State Penitentiary

An illustration of Arkansas State Penitentiary as pictured in 1874. The prisoners housed were the main…

"And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him." Acts 12:9-10 ASV <p>Illustration of Peter being led out of the door to the prison by a glowing angel with wings. Inside the door, soldiers and guards are asleep on the floor inside an arched, domed prison. The city street opens into the distance.

Peter Emerges from Prison after Being Saved by an Angel

"And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought…

"And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and guards before the door kept the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shined in the cell: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, saying, Rise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands." Acts 12:6-7 ASV <p>Illustration of Peter seated on the prison ground between two sleeping soldiers. An angel stands over him with his hand raised.

Peter Liberated from Prison Chains by an Angel

"And when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers,…

"And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed; and he knew not that it was true which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. And when they were past the first and the second guard, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and straightway the angel departed from him." Acts 12:8-10 ASV <p>Illustration of Peter being led out of prison by the hand of an angel. Both Peter and the angel have one hand raised to heaven in praise and celebration. Sleeping guards sit on the ground.

Peter Released from Prison by an Angel

"And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And he did so. And he saith unto…

An illustration of the story, Picciola by X. B. Saintine. Count Charney was imprisoned by the Emperor of France for allegedly planning to assassinate him. In this image, he is begging the guard to send a letter the the emperor to save a little flower that is growing in the stone. A girl delivers this letter and the emperor realizes that this man could not have him killed and releases him.

Picciola

An illustration of the story, Picciola by X. B. Saintine. Count Charney was imprisoned by the Emperor…

An illustration of a prison.

Prison

An illustration of a prison.

"The humors of a prison- scene in a station-house cell, Washington, D. C., after the appointment of the provost marshall, General Porter, October 1861. After the appointment of General Porter as provost marshal there was a marked improvement in the public thoroughfares of Washington. Till then too many officers imbibed at Willard's and other fashionable bars, while their men drank at the lower grogshops. The result was a saturnalia of drunkenness and military insurbordination which culminated at Bull Run. Our sketch represents the incongruous elements found one early morning the cell of a station house." — Frank Leslie, 1896

Prison

"The humors of a prison- scene in a station-house cell, Washington, D. C., after the appointment of…

Prisoners eluding capture.

Prison and Escape

Prisoners eluding capture.

The Gratiot Street Prison was an American Civil War prison located in St. Louis, Missouri and was the largest war prison in Missouri. Run by the Union Army, it housed Confederate prisoners-of-war. The prison building was previously a medical school named McDowell's College, which was confiscated by the Union Army and converted to a prison in December 1861. Its official capacity 1,200 but at times it had 2,000 prisoners.

Gratiot Street Prison

The Gratiot Street Prison was an American Civil War prison located in St. Louis, Missouri and was the…

An illustration of prisoners of Lachish.

Prisoners of Lachish

An illustration of prisoners of Lachish.

The New Jail was made a Provost Prison during the Revolutionary War and here officers and men of note were confined.

Provost Jail

The New Jail was made a Provost Prison during the Revolutionary War and here officers and men of note…

Firapell the Leopard reading the message from King Lion to pardon the wrongfully imprisoned Bruin the bear and Isegrim the wolf. The king pardons them after discovering Reynard's stories of treason were lies.

Reynard the Fox: Firapell the Leopard

Firapell the Leopard reading the message from King Lion to pardon the wrongfully imprisoned Bruin the…

"A prophetic birds eye view of Ruhleben Prison Camp when the war ends."-1916; Drawing by Hobart Egremont, one of the interned.

Ruhleben Prison Camp

"A prophetic birds eye view of Ruhleben Prison Camp when the war ends."-1916; Drawing by Hobart Egremont,…

The Soldier with the Princess and dog in "The Tinder-Box."

Soldier and Princess

The Soldier with the Princess and dog in "The Tinder-Box."

Soldier and Witch from "The Tinder-Box."

Soldier and Witch

Soldier and Witch from "The Tinder-Box."

Soup line at Ruhleben Prison Camp-1916

Soup line

Soup line at Ruhleben Prison Camp-1916

"Landing state prisoners at Fort Lafayette, New York harbor, in 1861. Fort Lafayette, New York harbor, by the state prison of the republic during the Civil War, is built upn a shoal abut four hundred yards from Long Island, and is entirely surrounded by water. In shape it is quadrangular, with the angles pointing to the sea and shore diamondwise; hence it was formerly called Fort Diamond." —Leslie, 1896

State Prisoners at Fort Lafayette

"Landing state prisoners at Fort Lafayette, New York harbor, in 1861. Fort Lafayette, New York harbor,…

Perhaps the worst of all the New York prisons during the American Revolution was the third Sugar House, which occupied the space on Liberty Street.

Sugar House in Liberty Street

Perhaps the worst of all the New York prisons during the American Revolution was the third Sugar House,…

Capital letter T above a prison ship.

T, Capital

Capital letter T above a prison ship.

A view of the prison-pen at Millen, Georgia.

The Prison at Millen

A view of the prison-pen at Millen, Georgia.

Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower), is a historic monument in central London, England, on the north bank of the River Thames. The Tower of London is often identified with the White Tower, the original stark square fortress built by William the Conqueror in 1078. However, the tower as a whole is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. The tower's primary function was a fortress, a royal palace, and a prison (particularly for high status and royal prisoners).

Procession to the Tower of London

Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically…

The name Traitors' Gate has been used since the early seventeenth century, prisoners were brought by barge along the Thames, passing under London Bridge, where the heads of recently executed prisoners were displayed on pikes. Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas More, Queen Catherine Howard, and Anne Boleyn's daughter, Elizabeth I, all entered the Tower by Traitors' Gate.

Traitor's Gate, Tower of London

The name Traitors' Gate has been used since the early seventeenth century, prisoners were brought by…

Van Cortlandt's Sugar House was a famous (or infamous) prison of the Revolution. It stood on the northwest corner of Trinity church-yard.

Van Cortlandt's Sugar House

Van Cortlandt's Sugar House was a famous (or infamous) prison of the Revolution. It stood on the northwest…