Freddy
2nd Lieutenant
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2006
- Location
- Worcester, MA
Being hospitalized at Andersonville was a death sentence. Most deaths occurred within the stockade. The death wagon came through several times per day. POWs were also murdered, starved to death, and cursed with other diseases, like scurvy and pneumonia. From www.civilwardiary.net.
Andersonville 1864
[FONT="]July 10th[/FONT][FONT="].[/FONT] [FONT="]...Have felt weak from the heat and slight attacks of diarrhea. God has been merciful to me in comparison to thousands scattered through the prison. Several lots of new prisoners in. Have sad and trying time with the sick of my ninety. Two have died and ten more are in a bad way. A few surgeons have visited us, but have had no medicines to give us. Have had none for the hospital for 9 days. This is crowded to overflowing, and many a poor comrade has to lie and waste away with nothing done for them. Yesterday was first for five days that any have been taken to the hospital. It is amazing to see the lack of humanity on the part of the rebel officials, for many of us think that the "Dutch Captain" is not the only one to blame. It seems to us that with a little energy on their part, shelter from the blazing sun could be provided from the surrounding forests.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Yesterday was the first time for five days that the sick call has been sounded. It brought together the saddest sight I have yet seen in the prison. Between four and five hundred crowded into the streets and by paths leading to the gate. More than half assisted by their comrades, scores lugged in blankets, and exposed to the blazing sun. Some of them died on the way, and many were sunstruck. The process of inspection by the surgeons was slow and when about there was three fourths examined, word came that no more could be attended to. Back to quarters under the noonday sun. They had to hobble, crawl, or were borne the rest of the way with their hopes of relief dashed from them.[/FONT]
July 24th.
...Reports say we now number some 35,000. The number of sick and weak is on the increase and the rebel surgeons report they are kept on short allowance of medicines. What little they do have seem to give but little relief to diseases springing from constant warfare with hunger, nakedness, bad water, and lack of vegetable food.
August 7th.
Have been very busy with work incident to the increasing number of sick in the ninety. Many of the worst cases have been taken to the hospital. On the morning of the fourth, word came that all the worst cases in camp were to be brought to the gate, and that from them a large number would be transferred to the hospital. On the strength of this, thousands crowded in a dense mass in the street and by paths leading to the gate, some hobbling, some literally crawling on hands and knees, and hundreds too weak to hobble or crawl were carried in blankets by their comrades. but all in vain for ten a.m. word came that no more were to be taken out today. Next morning came the word again and those able were again in waiting many with glad and expectant faces, feeling that whatever the change might bring them, at least it could be to no worse condition. But again came word that no more would be taken out until 2 p.m. At 2 word came that only those in the first eleven detachments would be taken. Pencil cannot picture the despairing faces nor words describe the sad scenes incident to these two day's gatherings of the sick of Andersonsville. Especially as the last word came and those who were able hobbled or were borne back to their quarters. Many were sunstruck, a dozen or more died while waiting or on the way. Among them one of my ninety. He had been wasting away and was a sad and loathsome spectacle of whom it might be said in truth before death released him, "He was eaten by worms." The Good Book says, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick", and truly may this be said of scores about the prison, who up to this day have fought a good fight with hunger, nakedness, and disease. They are now hopeless, heartsick, and discouraged. The needless indignation of their fellow prisoners at this cruelty to the sick is intense and many of us feel that were Captain Wirz to enter the camp unattended, he would be torn limb form limb. We see no reason why the proper officials could not visit the camp and get the Sergeant of each ninety to point out the sick under his charge and all the above exposure and suffering saved.
August 14th.
The number of sick is increasing. Have had heavy rains, which with the scorching sun brings increasing suffering. None have been taken to the hospital for a week or more. No medicines given out. Even so simple an article as vinegar is very helpful for scurvy, which has ceased to be dispensed. The ravages of this disease are terrible. Many going about the camp with bleeding mouth and teeth actually dropping out, legs swollen and turning black and blue. One remedy of some help is to sit with legs burried in the ground. The death rate has increased form fifty to seventy five per day. Five out of the ninety the past week making thirteen in our nine-week stay....
August 21st.
Weather has been warm the past week, and very trying to sick and well. The death rate holds its own, three out of the ninety have died. Among them Israel Roach, of Co. F., of our regiment. It was with tearful eyes we of the 35th, bore his remains to the gate, pinned the scrape of paper denoting his name and regiment upon his breast and delivered him to the stolid rebel guard. Have had many pleasant chats with him during our prison days. He had I think, typhoid fever, and was delirious during his last hours. Two or three times a day can be seen the "dead wagon"-an old wagon rigged with stakes and railing, into which are piled our dead comrades; just as a farmer would pile a load of wood drawn by four mules bearing them to their last resting place. One cannot but feel that no battle field of the war or hospital scene, can show grander examples of patient heroic endurance than is seen all about us day by day. One of the visiting surgeons showed his sympathy for us by asking Captain Wirz for the use of an army wagon ( while it was not in use) with which to go out into the country and get vegetables for us but was refused. He was quite free in his expressions of indignation.
Andersonville 1864
[FONT="]July 10th[/FONT][FONT="].[/FONT] [FONT="]...Have felt weak from the heat and slight attacks of diarrhea. God has been merciful to me in comparison to thousands scattered through the prison. Several lots of new prisoners in. Have sad and trying time with the sick of my ninety. Two have died and ten more are in a bad way. A few surgeons have visited us, but have had no medicines to give us. Have had none for the hospital for 9 days. This is crowded to overflowing, and many a poor comrade has to lie and waste away with nothing done for them. Yesterday was first for five days that any have been taken to the hospital. It is amazing to see the lack of humanity on the part of the rebel officials, for many of us think that the "Dutch Captain" is not the only one to blame. It seems to us that with a little energy on their part, shelter from the blazing sun could be provided from the surrounding forests.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Yesterday was the first time for five days that the sick call has been sounded. It brought together the saddest sight I have yet seen in the prison. Between four and five hundred crowded into the streets and by paths leading to the gate. More than half assisted by their comrades, scores lugged in blankets, and exposed to the blazing sun. Some of them died on the way, and many were sunstruck. The process of inspection by the surgeons was slow and when about there was three fourths examined, word came that no more could be attended to. Back to quarters under the noonday sun. They had to hobble, crawl, or were borne the rest of the way with their hopes of relief dashed from them.[/FONT]
July 24th.
...Reports say we now number some 35,000. The number of sick and weak is on the increase and the rebel surgeons report they are kept on short allowance of medicines. What little they do have seem to give but little relief to diseases springing from constant warfare with hunger, nakedness, bad water, and lack of vegetable food.
August 7th.
Have been very busy with work incident to the increasing number of sick in the ninety. Many of the worst cases have been taken to the hospital. On the morning of the fourth, word came that all the worst cases in camp were to be brought to the gate, and that from them a large number would be transferred to the hospital. On the strength of this, thousands crowded in a dense mass in the street and by paths leading to the gate, some hobbling, some literally crawling on hands and knees, and hundreds too weak to hobble or crawl were carried in blankets by their comrades. but all in vain for ten a.m. word came that no more were to be taken out today. Next morning came the word again and those able were again in waiting many with glad and expectant faces, feeling that whatever the change might bring them, at least it could be to no worse condition. But again came word that no more would be taken out until 2 p.m. At 2 word came that only those in the first eleven detachments would be taken. Pencil cannot picture the despairing faces nor words describe the sad scenes incident to these two day's gatherings of the sick of Andersonsville. Especially as the last word came and those who were able hobbled or were borne back to their quarters. Many were sunstruck, a dozen or more died while waiting or on the way. Among them one of my ninety. He had been wasting away and was a sad and loathsome spectacle of whom it might be said in truth before death released him, "He was eaten by worms." The Good Book says, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick", and truly may this be said of scores about the prison, who up to this day have fought a good fight with hunger, nakedness, and disease. They are now hopeless, heartsick, and discouraged. The needless indignation of their fellow prisoners at this cruelty to the sick is intense and many of us feel that were Captain Wirz to enter the camp unattended, he would be torn limb form limb. We see no reason why the proper officials could not visit the camp and get the Sergeant of each ninety to point out the sick under his charge and all the above exposure and suffering saved.
August 14th.
The number of sick is increasing. Have had heavy rains, which with the scorching sun brings increasing suffering. None have been taken to the hospital for a week or more. No medicines given out. Even so simple an article as vinegar is very helpful for scurvy, which has ceased to be dispensed. The ravages of this disease are terrible. Many going about the camp with bleeding mouth and teeth actually dropping out, legs swollen and turning black and blue. One remedy of some help is to sit with legs burried in the ground. The death rate has increased form fifty to seventy five per day. Five out of the ninety the past week making thirteen in our nine-week stay....
August 21st.
Weather has been warm the past week, and very trying to sick and well. The death rate holds its own, three out of the ninety have died. Among them Israel Roach, of Co. F., of our regiment. It was with tearful eyes we of the 35th, bore his remains to the gate, pinned the scrape of paper denoting his name and regiment upon his breast and delivered him to the stolid rebel guard. Have had many pleasant chats with him during our prison days. He had I think, typhoid fever, and was delirious during his last hours. Two or three times a day can be seen the "dead wagon"-an old wagon rigged with stakes and railing, into which are piled our dead comrades; just as a farmer would pile a load of wood drawn by four mules bearing them to their last resting place. One cannot but feel that no battle field of the war or hospital scene, can show grander examples of patient heroic endurance than is seen all about us day by day. One of the visiting surgeons showed his sympathy for us by asking Captain Wirz for the use of an army wagon ( while it was not in use) with which to go out into the country and get vegetables for us but was refused. He was quite free in his expressions of indignation.
Bringing the