Unlikely Allies

"Mr. Fetzer and Mr. Mowday's broad knowledge of the Civil War and their engaging style have succeeded in providing a close and personal look at Fort Delaware's creators and inhabitants."--Leland C. Jennings' Jr. Fort Delaware State Park

During the American Civil War, Fort Delaware housed more than 30,000 Confederate prisoners over the course of three years. In this first-ever study of the POW camp, the authors delve into the issues that everyone on the island confronted: poor drainage, lack of provisions, overcrowding, boredom, disease, and worse. But the men and women forced to endure the harsh conditions also determined to carve out a community--to not only survive, but perhaps even thrive. This remarkable story of that community will shatter all previously held ideas about life in a Civil War POW camp.

Dale Fetzer Jr. has been a technical adviser for numerous films, including Gettysburg, Glory, and Andersonville. He is the lead historical interpreter for Fort Delaware State Park.

Bruce E. Mowday, a contributing editor to Military Images magazine, is a journalist with more than 25 years of experience, having written thousands of newspaper and magazine articles.