Lecture: Escape!: The Story Of The Confederacy's Infamous Libby Prison And The Civil War's Largest Jail Break

Join historian Robert P. Watson for a discussion of his new book about the Confederacy’s infamous Libby Prison and the Civil War’s largest jail break.

Robert Watson provides the definitive account of the Confederacy’s infamous Libby Prison, site of the Civil War’s largest prison break. Libby Prison housed Union officers, high-profile foes of the Confederacy, and political prisoners. Watson captures the wretched conditions, cruel guards, and the story of the daring prison break, called “the most remarkable in American history.”

Robert P. Watson, Distinguished Professor of American History at Lynn University in Boca Raton, is the author of many books on American history and politics, including The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn: The Untold Story of the American Revolution; George Washington's Final Battle: The Epic Struggle to Build a Capital City and a Nation; and Escape!: The Story of the Confederacy's Infamous Libby Prison and the Civil War's Largest Jail Break.

The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

Program Notes:

• Due to current limitations on capacity, in-person tickets are available for VMHC members only. VMHC Members, please log in to reserve an in-person ticket.
• As a reminder, the VMHC is still undergoing construction. The parking lot will be open for this lecture. Please enter using the door on the south side of the building at the bottom of the steps leading to the VMFA.
• Please note that the restrooms closest to the event space will be one floor above the Robins Family Forum, near the museum galleries
• The lecture will be also streamed live on Facebook and YouTube for public viewing.
• Signed copies of the book will be available soon at ShopVirginiaHistory.org.