Libby Prison

Libby Prison was a Confederate Prison at Richmond, Virginia in the United States during the American Civil War. It was located in a three story brick warehouse on Tobacco Row, owned by Libby and Son tobacco company.

Libby Prison, used only for Union officers, opened in 1861. It contained eight rooms, each 103 by 42 feet (31.4 by 12.5 metres). Lack of sanitation and over-crowding caused the death of many prisoners between 1863 and 1864. Because of the high death toll, Libby Prison is generally regarded as second in notoriety only to Andersonville Prison. In 1864 the Union prisoners were moved to Macon, Georgia, and Libby Prison was then used for Confederate military criminals.

In 1889, the building was disassembled and moved to Chicago, Illinois, where it was rebuilt to serve as a war museum.