Melville Prison and Deadman’s Island: American and French Prisoners of War in Halifax 1794-1816

A small island in Halifax’s beautiful Northwest Arm was the site for a British military prison from 1794 to 1816. More than 10,000 French, Spanish and American seamen, privateers and soldiers passed through the prison during its 22-year existence.

Of these, 270 died on Melville Island from 1803 to 1815 and were buried in unmarked graves on the adjoining Deadman’s Island, now designated a national historic site.

This book tells this little known story for the first time. Author Brian Cuthbertson focuses on the experiences of the American prisoners. Their treatment will be of particular interest to readers familiar with the recent experiences of prisoners in US military prisons.