andersonville :: essays research papers

Prisoners began arriving at the prison in deep February of 1864 and by early June the prisonpopulation had climbed to 20,000. Consequently, it was decided that a bigger prison wasnecessary, and by mid-June work was begun to enlarge the prison. The prisons walls were extended 610 feet to the north, encompassing an welkin of round 10 acres, bringing the total prisonarea to 26.5 acres. The reference point was built by a crew of league prisoners consisting of 100 whitesand 30 African Americans in rough 14 days. On July 1, the northern appendage was opened to theprisoners who subsequently tore down the original north palisade wall, then used the timbers forfuel and building materials. By August, over 33,000 summation prisoners were held in the 26.5 acreprison. Due to the threat of Union raids (Shermans troops were marching on Atlanta), General Winder ordered the building of defensive earthworks and a center and outer stockade around the prison.Construction of the earthworks be gan July 20th. These earthworks consisted of Star Fort laidsouthwest of the prison, a redoubt located northwest of the north gate, and six redans. The center of attention and outer stockades were hastily constructed of unhewn pine logs set vertically in walltrenches that were about four feet deep. The middle stockade posts projected roughly 12 feetabove the ground surface and encircled the inner prison stockade as well as the corner redans. Theouter stockade, which was neer completed, was meant to encompass the entire complex ofearthworks and stockades. The posts of the outer stockade extended about five feet above theground surface. By early September, Shermans troops had set-aside(p) Atlanta and the threat of Union raids onAndersonville prompted the transfer of most of the Union prisoners to other camps in Georgia andSouth Carolina. By mid-November, all plainly about 1500 prisoners had been shipped out ofAndersonville, and only a few guards remained to police them. Transfers to Andersonville in lateDecember increased the progenys of prisoners once again, but scour then the prison population totaled only about 5000 persons. The number of prisoners at the prison would remain this low until the war ended in April of 1865. During the 15 months during which Andersonville was operated,almost 13,000 Union prisoners died there of malnutrition, exposure, and disease Andersonville became synonymous with the attrocities which both North and South soldiers experienced as