Andersonville: Hell On Earth

[Freddy]

Andersonville Prison in Georgia opened in the spring of 1864 held over 39,000 Union POW's, of which almost 13,000 died. Blame can be cast for this Hell Hole. Confederate officials from top to bottom are surely guilty of neglect concerning the needs of the prisoners. General Grant can be blamed for stopping the prisoner exchange condemning thousands to their deaths. Several Northern Prisons were almost as bad. William Marvel's Andersonville: The Last Depot is the best secondary source on the prison.
From my great-grandfather's diary, www.civilwardiary.net

June 7th, 1864
...A ride of some 250 miles and at noon of Tuesday, June 7th, were landed on a grassy plot with “Andersonville Stockwall” in our front. Soon a wiry looking officer on a white horse rode along and gave orders “Fall in line.” A squad of “blue jackets” for some reason were not obeying orders when the officer swore at them and ordered them into line. This was our introduction to the prison commandant Captain Wirz. He then displayed a sheet of letter paper and called for a Sergeant. It flashed upon me that this might mean some work to do and my dread of idle hours might be relieved, and I sprang forward to be told to count off 90 men and enroll them upon the paper that they made up the 3rd mess of detachment No. 76 that my duties would be to have supervision of them. A daily roll call, a report, devide the rations, and for this work was to have double rations. Just as the day close we were marched through the gates many of us feeling that the words “Abandon all ye who enter here” might have a real meaning to us. Found it much worse a place than I had expected or that it had been represented to us by the citizens while en route. So crowded that it seemed as if there was no room for us new comers to stretch out upon. Got a ducking and laid down for the night wet but slept soundly. Another shower during the night.

June 12th:
The prison was one mass of human beings, crowded together, many without shelter from the sun and rain-those having shelter good enough to protect from rain are few. Most have made them shelters with wool blankets, overcoats, brush and twigs and dried mud, many have made caves and dug outs in the clayey soil. Through the center runs a slugish stream about three feet wide and about half knee deep. On each side for about two rods in width is a sort of swamp hole which in wet weather is sort of slimey mud. This is used for a dumping ground for the camp refuse. It is never cleaned up and is a good deal of the time one seething mass of maggots. The stream is often full from before daylight until dark with bathers or others trying to wash their clothes in its muddy fluid. The camp contains some fifteen acres inclusive of the swamp. Is surrounded by a stockade made of fine pine logs about twenty feet high. In sentry booths at intervals are stationedsentinels overlooking the camp. Just outside is a battery of six guns so placed as to overlook the prison. There is a hospital outside, but those who have seen it scarce deserves the name of hospital. Find that many have been here near a year. The upper part of the stream for about 12 or 15 feet is reserved for drinking water and most part of the day its banks are crowded with water seekers. Nearby, our camp spot a party of a dozen or more have been digging a well and have just come to good drinking water, but how to get it was a problem to them as none of them had any kind of pail. Fortunately one of us four had a 3 pint tin pail to which a rope made of pieces of string and sundry old rags was soon tied. For the use of the same we four were added to the gang of well diggers and had the priveledge with them of free use of the well. About 15 feet from the stockade was the “dead line” made of 3 by 4 joices placed upon posts made of the same, standing about 3 feet high. This we were not allowed to touch, and quite often the sharp call of the sentinel “hands off”, or occasionally the crack of the rifle and whiz of a bullet would greet the disobedient “Yanks.” Were told there was a rebel sutler on the other side of the prison and soon ten dollars of our hoarded hundred was exchanged for a bar of soap about 12 in. long by 1 1/2 in. square.

[ole]

Thanks for sharing those entries, Freddy. Looking at it today, it's hard to imagine 13,000 within those walls, let alone 39,000. Nothing left now but the two gates, the spring, and white posts outlining the compound, but the star fort is readily discernible.

The VC has an impressive POW museum honoring POWs from all wars. Wonderfully depressing.

Ole

[Freddy]

I am still trying to find out if he and his prison/regiment mate, Private Benjamin F. Pratt, 3rd, who survived the war but was listed as deceased in 1884, ever made contact after the war. They lived less than an hour apart.

[gary]

Thank you Freddy for sharing parts of the diary with us.

[Paul L. Hulse]

Freddy: Enjoyed the excerpt from the Diary. I have read quite a bit on Andersonville, but reading about it from someone who was there is better. I live 62 miles from Andersonville and have been there numerous times.

Paul

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Paul L. Hulse

Freddy: Enjoyed the excerpt from the Diary. I have read quite a bit on Andersonville, but reading about it from someone who was there is better. I live 62 miles from Andersonville and have been there numerous times.

Paul

Did they mark where the "Spring of Divine Providence" that gave fresh water to many prisoners was?
August 21:
...In one thing Divine Providence, has richly blessed us it seems almost a miracle wrought for our welfare. This is the opening of a copious spring just above the marsh, and between the stockade and the dead line. We noticed it gushing forth just after a heavy shower. The attention of the rebel officials was called to it, and many of us think they must have forgotten themselves, for were furnished some barrels into which the water was conducted just clear of the dead line. Into these the water, flows a steady stream clear and cool and so freely that the barrels are kept full though drawn upon almost constantly. We keep in line as we fill our cups, tin pails, coffee pots, etc.

[JohnW in E.TN]

I worked in Macon for a couple of years in the early 90's and I made several trips to Andersonville. It is amazing that a place that knew so much suffering, is now so peaceful and beautiful.

Providence spring was marked with a marble enclosure, and the water flowed cold and clear.

Regards,

John W.

[whitworth]

Putting large numbers of volunteers in an army camp was a death sentence for many in that time.

Put an even larger number of prisoners, per square acre, into a prison camp, and the death rate increases exponentially.

The relatively small and "permanent" prisons put a severe strain on potable, drinking water and the use of sinks - latrines. Then add the shortage of food, because by late 1864, the Confederate logistics system had trouble feeding its own soldiers.

Andersonville is one great indication that the Confederacy was unable to effectively wage war, efficiently keep prisoners, and supply basic needs.

A clerk in the Confederate War Department wrote in late 1864, "The inspector characterizes Gen. W's [Winder] treatment of the prisoners as barbarous, and their condition as a 'hell on earth'. "

[Paul L. Hulse]

Freddy: The first time I went there I had this overwhelming dread and could feel the death that took place there. Same feeling I had when I visited Dachau Concentration Camp several years ago. Strange, because there is really nothing at Andrsonville to see except 26 empty acres, the rebuilt North Gate, and rebuilt northeast corner of the stockade fence. At Dachau you can still gaze upon the ovens that cremated and buildings with bullet holes where people were gunned down. Andersonville is worth visiting and if you visit on Memorial Day you see every grave marked with an American Flag except for six graves. Those are the graves of the Raiders who were executed there. They are seperated from the rest of the graves and do not get a flag.

Paul

[JohnW in E.TN]

Originally Posted by whitworth

Andersonville is one great indication that the Confederacy was unable to effectively wage war, efficiently keep prisoners, and supply basic needs.

Interesting. What would Elmira, Camp Douglas, and Pt Lookout indicate about the Union?


John W.