Diary of Newell Burch: How a Man of Resources Survived the Civil War and 21 Months as a Prisoner of War

Abstract

This thesis is about Civil War veteran Newell Burch. During his time in the Civil War, that consisted of travels through Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. Burch documented his travels in a diary and memoir on which this thesis is based. A member of the 154th N. Y. Regiment, Burch marched to Gettysburg where he was captured and later imprisoned at Belle Isle and Andersonville. The focus of this thesis is largely around the sickness in the Andersonville prison, and how Burch was able to use his intelligence to work in the prison hospital. His resourcefulness to understand how to stay in good health while imprisoned is what makes Burch a person of interest. Many firsthand accounts are known from this time period, but none as unique as Burch's. His selflessness and self-reliance helped him to survive 21 months as a prisoner of war is what makes his account one of interest to historians.