Andersonville, a small city in Georgia, is known for its ties to the Civil War. The largest Confederate POW camp was located near the city, where prisoners suffered from shortages of food, supplies, and shelter. Approximately 1/3 of the prisoners died during the summer of 1864. After the war, Andersonville Cemetery was transformed into a national cemetery and a National Prisoner of War Museum was established in the city.
Andersonville is a city in the state of Georgia in the American South. It is a small city with a population of about 300 and is located about 100 km (60 mi) southwest of Macon, Georgia. It’s Andersonville’s ties to the Civil War that will keep this town in the history books forever.
The largest Confederate POW camp was located on a parcel of land near Andersonville. Prisoners began arriving in February 1864. By May, prisoner numbers rose to 12,000 before adequate shelter and supplies were available. The field was enlarged by around 60% to 10.7 hectares (26.5 acres) but this was only a temporary remedy. By August the number of prisoners exceeded 32,000 and the only available shelter was makeshift tents or ditches dug in the ground.
The Confederacy was short on funds during the Civil War, and this was evident from the frequent shortage of food and supplies in Andersonville. The water supply has become polluted due to the intense congestion. During the summer of 1864, approximately 1/3 of the prisoners died from starvation, disease, and exposure to the elements. In early September, Atlanta (217 km or 135 miles from Andersonville) was occupied by Union soldiers and many of the prisoners were transferred from Andersonville to other camps; they were then returned to Andersonville.
By the end of the Civil War, Andersonville held nearly 50,000 prisoners and about 1/4 of those died. After the war, the prison superintendent, Henry Wirz, was tried and hanged; this represented the only war crimes execution of the Civil War. Andersonville Cemetery has been transformed into a national cemetery and contains over 13,000 graves. In 1998, Andersonville became home to the National Prisoner of War Museum.
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