David, can't say anything about that book having not read it. But I wanted to tell you I am about to sit down and read the last chapter of Rebels At Rock Island by Benton McAdams. I am very disappointed with this book. First off I noticed the same thing you did. Everybody, even the local folks, who had any sympathy for the south or even an interest in humanitarian issues were at best belittled and in many cases crucified.

I wasn't looking to read a book simply about atrocities but wanted to honestly take a glimpse into the everyday life at the prison. But in the process of reading this book I have noticed the writer falls back on the same old excuses and issues. He tells of the massacre by Forrest, the treason of Clement Vallandigham and local newspaper editor J.B. Danforth's deception and lies for calling out the Lincoln administration for it's treatment of prisoners. He repeatedly uses the "What happened to our boys at Andersonville" excuse for everything. He brushes over the fact that many records were lost or simply not reported when he himself admits that the hospital records show many gunshot wounds to prisoners that were never recorded or reported. One day alone shows seventeen (17) gunshot prisoners that no report was ever made about. His lessening of the shooting of prisoners by the USCT and the other guards sickens me. If a southerner, even my family, brushed off these events in this manner when discussing they way the south treated prisoners I would feel ashamed. I also found the writer using one fact to cover two different interpretations of the same events when it suited his taste. To judge his opinions I would say he felt the prisoners were living in luxury, especially considering how little the life of a man was worth if he were a Southron. He seems to almost rigidly reject the post war writing of former prisoners with a "The records of that don't exist" mantra.

I will finish the last chapter out of force of habit. But there are way better books than this out there on the subject of WBTS prisons. The book got rave reviews on Amazon. I wonder how many reviewers had grandfathers spend a little time at Rock Island.