Andersonville Prison Research Paper

Words: 532
Pages: 3

Would you like to live every awakening moment waiting to die. Well 13,000 Union soldiers died at the Andersonville prison. We expect more to come.
The prison was open in Georgia in early 1864. It was built to hold 10,000 prisoners and wounded soldiers. By August it held 45,000 soldiers. The prison was surrounded by a stockade of hewed pine logs that varied in height from 15-17 feet. They are planning by late June to enclose 261/2 acres.
Each day the soldiers were fed only a teaspoon of salt, three tablespoons of beans, and eight ounces of cornmeal. The water they drink is used also as a sewer. Sometimes volunteers distributed bread and soup to the wounded. From these conditions prisoners suffered from starvation, hypothermia, and disease. They also suffered from scurvy, diarrhea, and dysentery.
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All the soldiers kept the whole time was there blanket and a canteen. They kept it so they wouldn’t pass on diseases. They also could only keep that because they were exchanging soldiers and prisoners between the North and South. The prison was commanded by Captain Henry Wirz, who was dishonorably discharged from the war for murder.
James A.Allen was one of the few that survived the terror of the camp. He was asked “What was the most terrifying thing at Andersonville?”He answered “the Andersonville Raiders because I had to sleep with one eye open to make sure they didn’t steal my jewelry, food, money, and clothing,”The Raiders were led by Charles Curtis, John Sarsfield, Patrick Delany, Jeri Sullivan(WR Rickson), William Collins and, A.Munn-they sometimes murdered fellow prisoners, ”said James.William Collins,one of the leaders, was 144th New York. On July 11,1864 six of the Raider’s leaders were