Andersonville National Historic Site

Buckeye Bill

Captain
Forum Host
Annual Winner
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
DSC_0003-001.JPG


DSC_0080.JPG


DSC_0045.JPG


DSC_0041-001.JPG


DSC_0054-001.JPG


DSC_0065-001.JPG


DSC_0105.JPG


* Photos courtesy of William Bechmann (2014)
 
My dad was stationed at Fort Benning. One Sunday afternoon he took the family to visit Andersonville.
Even as a youngster I was intrigued by the visit and why Americans were fighting one another.
It has changed some since my visit, for the better. Thank you for the pictures and video, excellent as usual.
 
Awesome, powerful video! Those statues are haunting.

Our weather was very pleasant on our tour. The first stop was the National Cemetery. The morning sun assisted with wonderful shadow effects. Walking through this cemetery was very sobering and very sad. I highly recommend a visit to this park. It is located far off the beaten path but it was worth it!

Bill

* Thank you for the kind words, folks.
 
Last edited:
Bill, why are some of the graves so close together? Was that explained by a marker? I understand about the six isolated graves. I'm referring to a large group shown early.
 
Thanks, Bill. That makes perfect sense.

I thought the same exact thing regarding the headstones during my visit. The NPS Ranger at the visitor center explained the reason why the headstones are so close together. Great question, Pat!

Bill
 
Last edited:
On this day in 1864, the first Federal soldier prisoners begin arriving at the Andersonville prison (Camp Sumter), which was still under construction in southern Georgia. Andersonville became synonymous with death as nearly a quarter of its inmates died in captivity. Condeferate Captain Henry Wirz, who ran Andersonville, was executed after the war for the brutality and mistreatment committed under his command.
 
Andersonville was meant to house 10,000 POWs at maximum. The Confederates stuffed 33,000 in and prevented them from building shelters, leaving them exposed to the elements and to disease.
 
Andersonville was meant to house 10,000 POWs at maximum. The Confederates stuffed 33,000 in and prevented them from building shelters, leaving them exposed to the elements and to disease.
That's the thing that annoys me when confederate supporters say northern prisons were just as bad as Andersonville. The lack of shelter. Andersonville is surrounded by woodland. Surely the Rebs could've got appropriately skilled Union prisoners to get some timber together and help build some accomodations for prisoners. Would've saved numerous lives
 
That's the thing that annoys me when confederate supporters say northern prisons were just as bad as Andersonville. The lack of shelter. Andersonville is surrounded by woodland. Surely the Rebs could've got appropriately skilled Union prisoners to get some timber together and help build some accomodations for prisoners. Would've saved numerous lives

I might have no idea what I'm talking about, but I can't recall any evidence that the Union deliberately mistreated Confederate POWs in such a manner.
 
Back
Top