Andersonville Prison and Felix de La Baume

[cash]

Originally Posted by MobileBoy

Porter,
Are you sure about that?I recall reading where Sherman declined to go to Andersonville because it would've delayed completing his other objectives and burdened him with thousands of extra men.Andersonville remained a prison until well after Atlanta so I think you must have gotten your dates confused.

IIRC, prisoners were moved to other locations and returned to Andersonville after the threat had passed. I'm going off memory for that.

Regards,
Cash

[nbforrest]

I don't have the number with me right now, but there were some. The problem was that the rebs would not exchange black soldiers and in several cases either executed them on the spot or sent them into slavery. Some white officers of USCT regiments were executed as well.

Can you provide sources for the claims that some were sent into slavery or that white officers were executed? I would be interested to see some, since I've never come across them before...would be interesting to see the scope, etc.

Respectfully

[8thvacav]

This is true. While Andersonville was the worst and Elmira was a close second, I don't believe it was deliberate. I agree with Bruce Catton that the horrible conditions in the POW camps on both sides was due to tragic human error.

Regards,
Cash

Cash, I have to disagree with you on this. Just look at what S.R. 97 says. I know this came up late in the war but by reading that you can see what the North’s mind set was. The North had a plenty to feed the prisoners but instead choose to starve them. “Read Elmira, Death Camp of The North”. Stanton issued orders to cut rations to the prisoners. If the South had won they would have hung a bunch of those prison Wardens and maybe Stanton too.

All though Sherman sent Stoneman to release the prisoners, I really believe Sherman didn’t care about them. They would just slow him down on his pillaging and burning. He had a plenty of troops to send to Andersonville to release the prisoners. After Macon why did he need a big army? There was no one to fight but old men and boys and Wheeler. Sherman had a one track mind. He wanted to march to the sea and then up through the Carolinas. Even when Grant ordered him to Petersburg when Sherman was at Savannah He talked Grant and Helleck into letting him go on through the Carolinas. He had to teach them a lesson for seceding. The war in the East would have been over sooner if he had went to Petersburg. He didn’t have to worry about Hood. Thomas took care of him. JMHO.


8thvacav

[nbforrest]

If I recall correctly, I don't think Sherman directly ordered Stoneman to proceed to Andersonville. I believe it was brought up at some point as a secondary objective. Sherman obviously didn't want the blame for the Macon/Sunshine Church fiasco, and it would appear that he did not intend for Andersonville to be the objective. It just wasn't feasible to set all those prisoners loose and expect them to make it back to the army.



Respectfully

[Admiral_Porter]

Just look at what S.R. 97 says. I know this came up late in the war but by reading that you can see what the North’s mind set was. The North had a plenty to feed the prisoners but instead choose to starve them

Southern civilians tried to bring food into Andersonville but Wirz refused. I don't see that as being any different.

"I am killing more men here than the armies in the field."

I really believe Sherman didn’t care about them. They would just slow him down on his pillaging and burning.

Pure hyperbole.

After Macon why did he need a big army? There was no one to fight but old men and boys and Wheeler.

What else should 60,000 men be doing? Twiddling their thumbs in the barracks?

Thomas was getting plenty of men from other departments.

The war in the East would have been over sooner if he had went to Petersburg.

The war in the east could have ended any time Bob Lee wanted it to.

[samgrant]

Porter, What battle is that in your nice illustration?

[Admiral_Porter]

"Prairie Dog Town" aka Vicksburg.

[8thvacav]

What else should 60,000 men be doing? Twiddling their thumbs in the barracks?

Thats what I mean. There was no reason he couldn't send enough troops to release the Andersonville Prisoners.

Southern civilians tried to bring food into Andersonville but Wirz refused. I don't see that as being any different.

Were did you come up with that. I read just the opposite.
8thvacav

[Admiral_Porter]

Were did you come up with that. I read just the opposite.

That's what I read and the findings of the court said he intentionally withheld food.

Thats what I mean. There was no reason he couldn't send enough troops to release the Andersonville Prisoners.

The only reason why you criticize Sherman is because you have a hatred of him. It's just another way to further your agenda.

Thousands of starving men would have been a burden to Sherman's army and guarding the prisoners tied down confederate troops. Maybe it wasn't the humane thing to do but I can understand his reasoning.

[nbforrest]

That's what I read and the findings of the court said he intentionally withheld food.

Whoa now, are you talking about Wirz's military tribunal?
I wouldn't believe a dang word of it...it is universally recognized as a sham...hardly a reliable source of information.


Respectfully