"Slave Pen, Alexandria, Virginia"

Brady's National Photographic Portrait Galleries, E. & H.T. Anthony

National Gallery of Art

This is a photograph of a corridor with barred doors and rough, unfinished floors. The image shows a series of cells or holding areas along a narrow passageway constructed with brick walls and wooden beams. The rough floor appears to be made of dirt or irregular paving stones, and there are visible shadows suggesting the natural light entering the space. The photograph is bordered in orange, with text indicating it is related to the Civil War period, specifically mentioning "THE WAR FOR THE UNION" and referencing a "SLAVE PEN, ALEXANDRIA VA" at the bottom.