Intro
Andersonville Prison, also known as Camp Sumter was one of the several Confederate military prison facilities in southwest Georgia. In charge of this prison was a Confederate officer, Captain Henry Wiz. It held approximetly 45,000 Union soldiers captive during the American Civil War. Nearly 13,000 soldiers died due to starvation, malnourishment and diseases within it's stockade walls.
Living Conditions
Andersonville prison was made to hold only a few thousand prisoners. Instead, it exceeded it's capacity resulting into a compact and overpopulated environment.
Tents were used for shelter. Some prisoners made improvised tents that were called "shebangs". They were only useful for providing shade on hot, sunny days but served as no purpose for when it rained. Some had no form of shelter at all. Many prisoners burrowed their way into the ground risking the chance of shelter cave-ins. Their form of shelter became water holes when it rained.
Tents were used for shelter. Some prisoners made improvised tents that were called "shebangs". They were only useful for providing shade on hot, sunny days but served as no purpose for when it rained. Some had no form of shelter at all. Many prisoners burrowed their way into the ground risking the chance of shelter cave-ins. Their form of shelter became water holes when it rained.
The image above shows the stream that ran through the stockade. This stream was used as a water source for the prisoners. It also flowed through two other Confederate camps nearby and the prison bake house. This water overflowed into the stockade stream during heavy rain fall. This was the only source of water other than the small springs on the south side of the creek but it was very limited. The water became undrinkable.
Quotations of Prisoners relating to the creek...
"So coated with grease from the cook house that it is unfit to wash with, much less for drinking."
"The well water appears impregnated with sulfur or some mineral, looks blue, and induces diarrhea."
"The well water appears impregnated with sulfur or some mineral, looks blue, and induces diarrhea."
Standard Daily Food Ration
1 pound beef or 1/3 pound bacon
1/3 pound bacon
peas, rice, vinegar and occasionally molasses
When raw food was issued, prisoners had to use wood for cooking and wood supplies ran low. Sometimes prisoners received 1/4 of a prescribed standard ration. The prisoners with money would do business with sutlers that sold food at ridiculous prices and made really high profit.
1/3 pound bacon
peas, rice, vinegar and occasionally molasses
When raw food was issued, prisoners had to use wood for cooking and wood supplies ran low. Sometimes prisoners received 1/4 of a prescribed standard ration. The prisoners with money would do business with sutlers that sold food at ridiculous prices and made really high profit.
Quotations of Prisoners relating to food...
"We draw no rations today, only one ration in three days." - Ohio cavalryman
"This morning we draw rations. very light. it is composed of a mixture of course corn meal and swap water, a very little sale half cooked, good to give a hog the colic." - Ohio cavalryman
"Men actually starve to death here or want of food. We are now getting scant rations of beef, some of the wormiest types I ever did see."
"A pint of cooked beans well seasoned with sand and bugs."
Sanitary Conditions
Prisoners were very careless about sanitary precautions. Prisoners had very poor hygiene. Soap was inadequate when it was even available at all. Washing without soap was useless because the pitch pine smoke sticked to the men's clothing and skin like "grease". Hungry men would also kill low flying birds and eat them raw as soon as they were dead. Men that were suffering chronic diarrhea or were too sick to move, deposited their human waste all over the place. The whole stockade reeked with an overpowering stench.
"Men urinating and evacuating their bowels at the very tent doors and around the little vessels in which they were cooking their food." - Inspecting medical officer
Some attempted to find surcease by killing themselves with their own hands. Others found death by crossings the dead line.
"Men urinating and evacuating their bowels at the very tent doors and around the little vessels in which they were cooking their food." - Inspecting medical officer
Some attempted to find surcease by killing themselves with their own hands. Others found death by crossings the dead line.
Sumter Hospital...
Sumter hospital was established. There were 209 small tents that were poorly adapted for hospital use. Patients were huddled together in ragged tents without bedding. No more than 800 patients could accommodate comfortably and at least 1,020 had serious illnesses. Flies layed their eggs in the mouths of sleeping patients in the hospital. Bandages were very scarce. Filthy rags that were not properly cleansed were used as substitution. Some wounds were also treated by the use of maggots, but under non sterile conditions.
""It is not easy to see what purpose is served by the publication of these articles. Under circumstances like those of the civil war, the remembrance is painful."
- Camp Sumter's Chief Surgeon Isaiah H. White
""It is not easy to see what purpose is served by the publication of these articles. Under circumstances like those of the civil war, the remembrance is painful."
- Camp Sumter's Chief Surgeon Isaiah H. White
Diseases and cause of deaths...
small pox
scurvy
starvation
diarrhea
Prisoner of War Survivors
(click individual image to enlarge)
Henry Wirz was the commanding officer of Andersonville Prison. He was also the first and only to be executed for war crimes on November 10, 1865.