POWs in the Boston Harbor Islands

HUB History - Our Favorite Stories from Boston History

Since the earliest days of the Bay Colony, prisoners of war have been held on the islands of Boston Harbor. This week, we’re sharing two classic stories of the Harbor Islands POWs from past episodes. One of them is about the Confederate prisoners who arrived at Fort Warren on Georges Island in the fall of 1861, fresh from the field of battle in North Carolina. They’d be joined by Maryland politicians who supported secession, the supposed diplomats Mason and Slidell, and eventually even Confederate vice president Alexander Stephens, who didn’t seem to much appreciate Boston hospitality. 81 years later and a mile away on Peddocks Island, a group of unruly Italian prisoners were confined at Fort Andrews after starting what may have been the only soccer riot in Boston history at a South Boston prison camp.

Full show notes: http://HUBhistory.com/231/

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The Prisoners of Peddocks Island

• House Committee on Military Affairs report (page 21-22)
• “Petting with bathing-suited girls outside the wire fence,” Dec 1, 1944 DC Evening Star
• Attempted escape from Camp McKay, June 10, 1944 Boston Globe
• A brawl between prisoners and beachgoers, June 14, 1944 Boston Globe
• A second brawl prevented, June 16, 1944 Boston Globe
• Second fence added at Camp McKay, June 17, 1944 Boston Globe
• ISU prisoners moved to Peddocks Island, June 30, 1944 Boston Globe
• Thomas Morton describes an indigenous attack on French traders at Peddocks Island
• John Adams writes to Thomas Jefferson asking what “anckies” are.
• A general description of Fort Andrews
• Rumors that the military will fortify Peddocks Island, Jan 21, 1898 Topeka State Journal
• Rumors that the military will fortify Peddocks Island, March 13, 1898 DC Times
• A description of the cottage community on Peddocks Island, Aug 22, 1909 Boston Globe
• Passamaquoddy seal hunters, July 19, 1906 New Haven Daily Morning Journal and Courier
• Passamaquoddy seal hunters, Aug 10, 1907 Marion Daily Mirror
• Mortar round falls on Nantasket Ave, Aug 1, 1913 Essex County Herald
• Mortar fire damages Fort Andrews, Nov 28, 1941 DC Evening Star
• Research paper explaining how Italian POWs’ status changed, where prisoners came from
• Once Upon an Island, Matilda Silvia
• ISUs are overly coddled, July 24, 1944 DC Evening Star
• Plan to evict cottage residents, Nov 17, 1991 Baltimore Sun (via NYT)
• ISU strike, December 26, 1944 Boston Globe
• ISU strike near Toledo, July 13 1944 DC Evening Star
• ISU strike in Utah, June 1, 1945 DC Evening Star
• ISU strike in England, May 25, 1944 DC Evening Star

Camp McKay via past podcast guest Earl Taylor

Camp McKay via the National Archives

Fort Andrews as it appeared during WWII

Live fire exercise in 1941, via the Washington DC Evening Star

The real pier at Peddocks Island, with a massive mountain digitally inserted behind it for Shutter Island.

Peddocks Island stands in for Shutter Island. Most of these officers’ quarters were demolished in 2011-2013.

Arriving on Peddocks Island

Welcome to Peddocks Island

Fort Andrews enlisted barracks

The base chapel where Italian Service Units worshipped

The gym and Post Exchange, where Matilda Silvia’s family shopped

Battery Frank Whitman

“Portuguese Cove” with the Boston Skyline behind

An abandoned cottage

Sunset behind Boston from Peddocks Island

The Confederates on Boston Harbor

• John Adams writes to Abigail in 1776, saying “I can think of nothing but fortifying Boston Harbor.”
• The diary kept by Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens while he was a prisoner at Fort Warren.
• Captain JW Alexander’s escape from Fort Warren.
• Debunking the Lady in Black, Fort Warren’s ghost story.
• Baltimore’s chief of police is locked up at Fort Warren.
• An overview of the Maryland secessionists arrested by Union officials.
• Philadelphia secessionist William Winder comments on conditions at Fort Warren.
• May: New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu explains why his city removed its Confederate monuments.
• June: Governor Baker supports removing Boston’s Confederate monument.
• August: The monument is boarded up.
• August: A descendant of one of the Confederates urges removal.
• October: The monument will be moved into storage.