Imprisoned at Camp Douglas

Samuel Bell Palmer's diary offers a rare and intimate window into the early years of the Civil War and the divided loyalties of East Tennessee. A native of Knoxville, Palmer served as a Confederate soldier during the opening phase of the war, experiencing firsthand the uncertainty and tension that defined a region being pulled in opposing political and military directions. This duality would shape Palmer's fate: while home on furlough—and while Knoxville was under Federal control—he was captured and subsequently sent north to Camp Douglas in Chicago, one of the largest Civil War prison camps where thousands of Confederate prisoners remained until the end of the war. Palmer's diary chronicles daily life in captivity, reflecting on illness, boredom, despair, and resilience among the imprisoned soldiers.

Most striking are Palmer's beautiful and detailed sketches and drawings, created during his service and imprisonment, which vividly portray camp life, fellow prisoners, military scenes, and East Tennessee landscapes. Drawn from materials held in the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection at Knox County Public Library, Imprisoned at Camp Douglas combines historical documents and visual records to unsettle and enrich our memory of the American Civil War.