Tim, You might call or write the Hayner Public Library in Alton, Illinois. They have historical records there and I know there were quite a few books on the Alton Prison. I was visiting back in Alton last month and spent many days at the library doing genealogical research. While I was there, a couple came in to search the records looking for an ancestor who had been a guard at the prison too. I don't have the library address handy and I live in Florida, but Alton has a webpage and I believe the address is there, as well as an article about the prison and a list of confederate prisoners who died at the prison. The webpage is at: http://www.altonweb.com (They also put online the current obituaries for Alton and surrounding areas.) You might also find this of interest, I came across it while going through old newspapers in the library at Carrollton, Illinois and jotted it down: The Carrollton Gazette, Saturday January 18, 1862, Page 2, Column 1 of Volumn 16 No. 28: "The Alton penitentiary will be converted into a military prison, Gen. Halleck having notified parties at Alton to have the building prepared for the reception of the 1200 prisoners lately captured by Gen. Pope's command." Judy Clark-Wick JWick@compuserve.com Researching the Descendants of: John & Rebecca Clark of Rockbridge Co.VA c.1779-1831 1.Robert Clark & Phebe Beach of Rockbridge Co.VA c.1779-1836 2.Samuel Clark and Ann Reynolds of Rockbridge Co.VA & Greene Co.OH c.1809-1876 3.John M. Clark and Jennie Emma Howard of Greene Co., Rockbridge, IL c.1844-1905