Camp Douglas and Andersonville

A Prisoner Exchange

Surgeon Spence:
"I was at Savannah and saw rather over 3,000 prisoners received. The list showed that a large number had died on the passage from Baltimore to Savannah. The number sent from the Federal prisons was 3,500, and out of that number they delivered only 3,028, to the best of my recollection....Thus about 472 died on the passage. I was told that 67 dead bodies had been taken from one train of cars between Elmira and Baltimore. After being received at Savannah they had the best attention possible, yet many died in a few days."

Richard H. Dibrell:
"I have never seen a set of men in worse condition. They were so enfeebled and emaciated that we lifted them like little children. Many of them were like living skeletons."

http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=moawar&cc=moawar&idno=waro0121&node=waro0121%3A2&view=image&seq=352&size=100
Nice link. I was reading a few pages that spoke about thefts from Union POWs were not sanctioned by Confederate authorities. That policy apparently did not not reach the Confederate soldiers. I am sure my GGF could have used his US money and those shelter items at Andersonville where no shelter and little rations were provided.

May 24th.
... kept on coming out to open field when I came upon a line of skirmishers lying upon the ground. Marched towards them supposing them our own men when suddenly a half a dozen or more jumped up took aim and yelled out “drop that gun”-kept towards them yelling out “don’t fire on your men”, only to receive a second yell from them. Then to suddenly realize that death or surrender was my alternative and with a feeling of shame and mortification, threw down my gun which I had hoped to carry home (with scar of rebel bullet received at Jackson, Mississippi) as a memorandum of the war. Was soon taken in charge by a member of the 7th Alabama with a reproof for not dropping my gun at their first call, and the remark that in “another minute you would of been a dead man.” Marched to the rear was relieved of rubber blanket, shelter tent, and cartridge box, and found myself with about 25 more unfortunates. Was humiliated to find myself alone of the 35th at first but not for long, for soon came in the three staff officers, and five comrades of the 35th. Were marched about a mile to Andersons station where we found more of wearers of the blue and by night we numbered about 70. Our guards treated us well. As we stretched out upon mother earth another shower greeted us so that with our previous duckings we were so well soaked that our weary bodies soon forgot it all in “nature’s sweet restorer balmy sleep.”

May 26th.
... At near 1 p.m. were put on board what were once passenger cars and off for Richmond, and at about 4 p.m. became an inmate in the second story of Libby Prison. Here we were searched. All U. S. money taken from us (i.e. all that which we did not succeed hiding). All our personal effects left us, but all our canteens, haversacks, knapsacks, rubber blankets taken. Found we were in a room which had just been whitewashed and cleaned up. Two of the windows looking out upon the James river. Windows large and devoid of glass and heavily grated with a fairly good place for sanitary and washing. Thus far have been well treated by our guards. In passing through the city we were greeted with a few of the citizens making insulting remarks about we “Yanks”, and a few youngsters had a little hooting for us. The guards would allow but little intercourse between us however. Feel I cannot be too thankful that I have been able to keep my writing case, sewing case, letters, an extra shirt, and my wool blanket. I find many a poor coward in the room disrobed of all but what he had on, and some who have been forced to exchange United States rigs for ragged rebel clothing.

May 30th.
Had a talk with an officer who passed the winter in Belle Isle, and now transferred to Libby. He freely confirmed the newspaper reports-that scores of poor fellows died of starvation and destitution, and hundreds from diseases incident therefrom-that they were forced to live upon dogs, rats, and other refuse to keep alive-that scores of stores sent by the Sanitary Commission, and boxes of clothing etc., sent by friends from home were in the most part confiscated by the authorities of their agents. He said that the executive management of the prison was slack. Washed shirt. Had sharp debate with comrades upon slavery. Notice I need to watch against self-conceit, and cultivate a spirit humble and candid yet earnest, and ever to content for truth rather than victory. New lots of prisoners came in today, so that now we are crowded and the air of the place is far from sweet and pure"

http://www.civilwardiary.net/diary1864.htm
 
Confederate prisoners en route from the receiving center at Mound City, IL to Camp Douglas were transported by rail... those who died en route were dumped off the cars at Decatur,Il were the bodies were left to the townspeople to bury. They were taken to the city cemetery and buried away from the "quality folk" on a lone barren hill. Today that hill comands the center of the cemetery and those boys are in the most desired location.
 
It is well worth visiting, Rick. There's not much to see, but they've kept the main gates and outlined the borders and preserved the Star Fort.

It's a strange place for a prison camp. Half is on hill and half rarely got dry.

There are no dugouts or representations of shelter ... just that stark hill and the weedy bottoms. All the stories mean very little until you see it. Then you have to imagine 30,000 men crammed in there.

By the way, it's really only about a half-day looksee.


They have reconstructions of the north gates, and the north east corner of the stockade. The NOrtheast corner is used for the annual living history that takes place there, and there are usualy shebangs in the northeast corner.

There really is no comparing the prison camps of North and South. In the case of Andersonville, one only need to crack open the ORs to find the correspondance sent by not only Wirz, but the WInders in trying to acquire supplies and subsistance for the prisoners, and to find the records of the Union Commissary of Prisoners, William Hoffman, to see that there was a difference. Hoffman actually prided himself on returning funds that were to spent on subsistence for prisoners. HOffman was concerened that Confederates were growing sleek and fat, and that rations needed to be cut. At Elmira and Camp Douglas, the Sutlers were prohibited from selling foodstuffs to those Confederates with money to purchase them. This points to a more systematic and intention plot of starvation and deprivation among Union camp commanders than occured at Andersonville.

MUch of the starvation at Camp Sumter was due to local famers either refusing to sell or resisting impressment. Baking pans were hard to find for the bake house, and there were times when the store houses in Andersonville were in fact, quite empty. In addition was the difficulty in moving supplies to Andersonville over railroads that were either in the hands of Federals, or in such a state of disrepair, that cars often were derailed, and it sometimes took weeks for supplies to be moved when it should have taken days. Confederate guards suffered as well as the prisoners. They died at a rate comparable to those held in the stockade. Wirz was a scapegoat for the Confederacy. Perusing the records of his trial will show as much corruption on the part of the Union tribunal as was evident in Mary Surratt's trial... refusal of defense witnesses, payment of prosecution witness, suborned perjury, and in one case, a witness that was not even IN Andersonville, Felix de la Baume. The Prisoner of war camps were an atrocity, and a black mark on both sides.... there really is no comparison, but more deliberate cruelty can be displayed in the conduct of the Union Camps.. one Camp stands apart from all however. Camp Morton, IN was the exception to the rule, as the commander, Lt. Col Richard Owen, allowed prisoners to earn money in the cook house and bake house, provided blankets and clothing to include overcoats, provided for virtual self government, and recreational activities such as sport and music. After the war, the UCV set up a subscription plan to provide for a bust of Col Owen to be presented to the state of Indiana in respect to the good colonel... NO CW prison camps can boast of that.

Felix De Le Baume: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Wirz/cont1.htm
 
After seeing this thread, I decided to re-watch Andersonville (1996). I could not really remember the movie and had a great time helping my nine year old eat easter candy and watch the flick. I then downloaded a e-book that was wrote in the 1870's about Andersonville from a pow. But the topping on the cake was, while I was doing some research I found one my GGG Uncles served 8 months in Andersonville. Guess what guys, every book every made about the place will soon be in front of me. I just love trying to read 5-6 books at the same time.
 
After seeing this thread, I decided to re-watch Andersonville (1996). I could not really remember the movie and had a great time helping my nine year old eat easter candy and watch the flick. I then downloaded a e-book that was wrote in the 1870's about Andersonville from a pow. But the topping on the cake was, while I was doing some research I found one my GGG Uncles served 8 months in Andersonville. Guess what guys, every book every made about the place will soon be in front of me. I just love trying to read 5-6 books at the same time.

I would recommend John Ransom's Andersonville, Diary and William Marvel's Andersonville: The Last Depot as well as Andersonville: The Southern Perspective edited by J.H. Segars. All are excellant reads. Our unit, The Georgia Sharpshooters (Co A, 2nd GA Ss and Co B, 1st GA SS) do indeed as Mr. LeClaire stated sponsor an annual living history at the prison site.
 
It is well worth visiting, Rick. There's not much to see, but they've kept the main gates and outlined the borders and preserved the Star Fort.

It's a strange place for a prison camp. Half is on hill and half rarely got dry.

There are no dugouts or representations of shelter ... just that stark hill and the weedy bottoms. All the stories mean very little until you see it. Then you have to imagine 30,000 men crammed in there.

By the way, it's really only about a half-day looksee.

Actually they do have shelter halves set up in the one corner on the hill (they do living histories there as well) and it is also the National P.O.W Museum they have a good selection of stories and video's of POW's from WWII,Korea,Viet Nam,and even more recently some of the people taken in the Gulf war and action in the Iraq region.
 
Confederate prisoners en route from the receiving center at Mound City, IL to Camp Douglas were transported by rail... those who died en route were dumped off the cars at Decatur,Il were the bodies were left to the townspeople to bury. They were taken to the city cemetery and buried away from the "quality folk" on a lone barren hill. Today that hill comands the center of the cemetery and those boys are in the most desired location.
How ironic.
 
Confederate prisoners en route from the receiving center at Mound City, IL to Camp Douglas were transported by rail... those who died en route were dumped off the cars at Decatur,Il were the bodies were left to the townspeople to bury. They were taken to the city cemetery and buried away from the "quality folk" on a lone barren hill. Today that hill comands the center of the cemetery and those boys are in the most desired location.

Poetic justice.
 
Prison camps were dangerous for both prisoners and guards. I have to say what has always irritated me is that the general public is quite aware of the horrors of Andersonville, but it seems other prisons, even Elmira, pale in comparison in the public mind. All of them were terrible, more so if you were sick or wounded when you arrive. It does seem a shame that more Union camps weren't run as models of how to humanely fight a war. Seems like a great opportunity passed up.

They certainly had the food, uniforms and medicines to make them paragons of modern incarceration rather than trying seemingly to compete with Andersonville in who could be most cruel and miserly. I'm glad more information is being put out about all the camps and the horrors those poor men went through, both Union and Confederate. It's about time.
 
Here is my sources from the John W. Inzer diary about Yankee guards firing into the prison at Johnson's Island.

Sunday, July 24, 1864
"The Yankees here guarding us have been keeping up a regular fire on us a large portion of the time since we came here. For the last two weeks the fire has been awful. Last night, two officers in Block 5, Dillard of Va. and Ingram, were seriously wounded. Such shameful cowards yankees are."

Saturday, October 16, 1864
"...I was on Ration detail. Rain just at night. I am not well this evening. The Yankees have commenced firing into the prison again."

Wednesday, January 18, 1865
"The Yankees shoot into the prison almost every night-miserable cowards. Maybe we will get a lick at them someday."

I wish he would have gotten that chance.
 
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