Andersonville
Andersonville Prison is the most notorious prisoner of war camp from the Civil War era. Located in Macon County, the prison’s official name was “Fort Sumter” but became known as Andersonville after a nearby railroad station. Built to hold only 10,000 Union prisoners of war in 1864, the camp’s population tripled to over 30,000 at the peak of its occupancy. Once the prison began to reach its occupancy limits, the main water source, a small creek that flowed through the camp, became infested with diseased human waste and other sewage. This encouraged disease to spread rapidly throughout the prison camp. In addition, due to the success of the Union blockade, the South was running low on food and other supplies for the prisoners. Finally, the Union prisoners turned on each other and a group of soldiers known as “the raiders” terrorized the fellow prisoners by robbing and beating them. Their crimes were countered by the regulators, a band of men who tried to stop the raiders. Six of these raiders were later hanged for their crimes.
With these horrible conditions, more men died (over 13,000) at Andersonville than at any other Civil War prison. Due to the awful conditions, Captain Henry Wirz, the commander of the camp, was executed by the North for war crimes. He was the only CSA official to meet this fate. While some supported Wirz’s execution due to the harsh treatment of the Andersonville prisoners and the high death rate, others believed that Wirz did what he could to run the prison with the South’s lack of resources and the decision by his superiors to continue sending prisoners to the already overcrowded prison. There was an effort to relieve the overcrowded conditions at Andersonville by building Camp Lawton near Millen, Georgia, but the advancing of Sherman’s army through southeast Georgia kept the CSA from moving men from Andersonville to the less crowded location.
Describe the horrors of the Andersonville Prison Camp. What made this camp the deadliest prison camp in the entire Civil War?
Who was the Captain that was held responsible for Andersonville? What was his fate and why?
Why was Andersonville never relieved of its overcrowding?
What Union strategy affected Andersonville? How?
The horrors of Andersonville Prison Camp were numerous. The most significant factor was the overcrowding. The camp was originally built to hold 10,000 prisoners, but the population tripled to over 30,000. This overcrowding led to a lack of food, shelter, and sanitation. The main water source, a small creek, became contaminated with human waste and sewage, leading to the rapid spread of disease. The prisoners suffered from malnutrition, dehydration, and illnesses such as dysentery, scurvy, and smallpox. They also endured extreme heat in the summer and freezing temperatures in the winter. The lack of medical care and provisions made it nearly impossible for the prisoners to survive.
Andersonville became the deadliest prison camp in the entire Civil War due to these horrific conditions. Over 13,000 men died at Andersonville, more than any other prison camp. The combination of overcrowding, lack of resources, poor sanitation, and rampant disease created a deadly environment.
Captain Henry Wirz was held responsible for the atrocities at Andersonville. He was the commander of the camp and faced accusations of war crimes. Wirz was executed by the North for his role in overseeing the brutal conditions of the prison. He is the only Confederate official to have been executed for war crimes.
Andersonville was never relieved of its overcrowding because there was a lack of alternative locations to move the prisoners. While an attempt was made to build Camp Lawton near Millen, Georgia to alleviate the overcrowding, the advance of Sherman's army through southeast Georgia prevented the Confederate Army from moving prisoners to the new location. The ongoing war and lack of resources made it difficult for the Confederacy to improve conditions at Andersonville.
The Union blockade played a significant role in affecting Andersonville. The success of the blockade resulted in the South facing a shortage of food and supplies, which impacted the prisoners at Andersonville. The lack of provisions made it even more difficult for the Confederate Army to provide for the prisoners, contributing to the horrible conditions of the camp.