Confederate POWs’ audacious escape from Pea Patch Island at Fort Delaware

Confederate Masterminds Who Conquered Delaware’s Deadly Waters

Fort Delaware State Park sits on a tiny island where Confederate prisoners pulled off some of the Civil War’s wildest escapes.

Between 1862 and 1865, desperate men found creative ways to beat the Delaware River’s deadly currents and 300 Union guards. They hid in coffins, pretended to ice skate, and crawled through sewers.

One prisoner even convinced guards he couldn’t skate, then glided away like a pro once he got far enough from shore. Official records claim 54 escapes, but the real number was probably much higher.

These ingenious breakouts from America’s most escape-prone prison make for incredible stories you can explore today.

First Prisoners Got Stuck on a Tiny Island

In April 1862, Fort Delaware received 358 Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Kernstown on Pea Patch Island. The fort wasn’t built as a prison but to protect the harbor, creating many security gaps.

Just 300 Union soldiers had to watch nearly 12,000 prisoners.

The island sat in the middle of the Delaware River, which worked as both a natural prison wall and a possible escape route for clever inmates.

Desperate Men Broke Out During the Hot Summer

Summer 1862 saw at least 22 prisoners escape in the first year, though official records tried to claim none happened. The hot weather and calmer river waters pushed many to try their luck.

Prisoners lived crammed in brick rooms inside the main fort. The guards lacked training for prison duty and often missed things.

These early escapes showed how determined Confederate prisoners were to return home.

Gettysburg Battle Packed the Fort Beyond Limits

The prison population jumped in July 1863 after the Battle of Gettysburg, with over 12,000 Confederate prisoners arriving almost overnight. Officials quickly built wooden barracks outside the fort walls.

The death rate climbed as diseases spread through the crowded camp. Toilets backed up, food ran low, and medicine was scarce.

These terrible conditions made more prisoners willing to risk swimming across the dangerous Delaware River.

A Florida Soldier Pulled Off the Ice Skating Trick

Winter 1863-64 brought a new escape chance when the Delaware River froze solid. Jackson Wrigley from the 21st Georgia Infantry came up with a smart plan.

He talked the bored Union guards into letting Confederate prisoners ice skate on the frozen river. Wrigley, saying he was a Florida boy who’d never seen ice, told the guards he just wanted to try skating.

They laughed as he kept falling while slowly moving away.

The "Clumsy" Skater Vanished Across the Frozen River

Once Wrigley reached the point where guard guns couldn’t hit him, he showed his true skills. The supposedly clumsy Florida boy suddenly took off down the frozen Delaware River like a pro skater.

The shocked guards could only watch as he sped away toward freedom. Wrigley was never caught.

His clever acting and perfect timing made his escape one of the most talked-about stories among both prisoners and guards.

Prisoners Got Creative With Their Escape Methods

Between 1863 and 1864, prisoners came up with wild ways to break out. Some wore stolen Union uniforms and simply walked out with leaving regiments.

Others made life preservers from empty canteens tied together. Coal boats became hiding spots for river crossings.

The most desperate men even crawled through the dirty toilets and sewer pipes. Guards kept finding new security holes to fix as prisoners constantly tested the boundaries.

The Coffin Escape Became Prison Legend

The most shocking escape happened when a prisoner in the hospital took a body from its coffin and hid it under blankets. He then climbed inside the coffin himself, taking the dead man’s place.

Without checking inside, Union soldiers carried the coffin across the Delaware River to Finn’s Point Cemetery in New Jersey. The guards never knew they were helping a live Confederate soldier escape the island prison.

A Dead Man Came Back to Life in the Cemetery

When the burial party reached Finn’s Point National Cemetery, they set the coffin down and turned away to dig the grave. The hidden prisoner grabbed his chance, jumped out, and ran into a nearby apple orchard.

He later stole a boat and rowed back across to the Delaware shore. From there, he followed secret routes south toward Confederate territory.

This escape became the most famous of all Fort Delaware breakouts.

Guards Could Be Bought for the Right Price

Money talked at Fort Delaware, and many prisoners tried bribing guards for help escaping. This was risky, as some guards took the money but then turned prisoners in anyway.

A few corrupt Union soldiers ran side businesses smuggling letters and supplies to prisoners. Even the mail censors joined in, taking payments to let longer letters home pass through.

These under-the-table deals helped some of the luckier prisoners gain freedom.

The Real Number of Escapes Remains a Mystery

When the war ended in 1865, official Union records claimed only 54 prisoners had escaped Fort Delaware. Modern research suggests the true number was much higher, between 64 and 103 successful breakouts.

Many escapes went unreported because guards feared punishment. Confederate accounts claim hundreds or even thousands of men tried to escape, though most failed.

The full story of Pea Patch Island’s great escapes may never be known, as both sides had reasons to hide the truth about what really happened there.

Visiting Pea Patch Island at Fort Delaware State Park

You can catch the ferry to Pea Patch Island from 45 Clinton Street in Delaware City. Tickets cost $12 for adults, $7 for kids 2-12, and $11 for seniors and military.

The ferry runs April 26-September 28, Wednesday through Sunday.

Once there, costumed interpreters show you how prisoners planned their escapes and demonstrate daily life from 1864. You’ll hear cannon firings with real gunpowder and watch blacksmith work and mail call reenactments.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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