History of Andersonville Prison

by Ovid L. Futch

 In 1863, the Confederacy was compelled to relocate the concentration of prisoners of war in Richmond to a less vulnerable site. Not only was the importation of supplies for the prisoners taxing an overburdened transportation system, but the Richmond government needed every available soldier at the front and could not spare troops to guard the prisoners.
 It was necessary, therefore, to move the Northern prisoners far into the interior, and the Confederate Secretary of War ordered Wapt. W. Sidney Winder to Georgia to find a suitable place for a camp. After meeting some local resistance, Winder (later commandant of the prison) selected a site in Sumter County north of Americus, in southwestern Georgia. Captain Richard B. Winder (Sidney’s cousin) was appointed quartermaster, with orders to build a stockade and arrange for maintenance.
 Five hundred prisoners arrived at Andersonville in February 1864, the first of 32,000 men to be imprisoned there before the camp was closed by Federal forces in April 1865. Most of the prisoners suffered greatly—and 13,000 of them died—because of poor organization, meager supplies, the Federal government’s refusal to exchange prisoners, and often the cruelty of men and a government engaged in a losing battle for survival.
 Why was this squalor, mismanagement, and waste allowed at Andersonville? Looking for an answer, Ovid Futch cut through charges and countercharges that have made the camp a subject of bitter controversy. He examined diaries and first-hand accounts of prisoners, guards, and officers, and both Confederate and Federal government records (including the transcript of the trial of Capt. Henry Wirz, the alleged “fiend of Andersonville”). Having sifted the evidence, Futch has determined the conditions that existed at Andersonville, how they were dealt with, and who was responsible.

Genres: History, Civil War, Nonfiction, American Civil War

146 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Amber Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

To start with: I saw Andersonville in person and got curious about the camp so went looking for books about this "worst of the camps".
This book gave me a good bit of basic information about the camps, but in many ways left me with many questions--I was looking for "daily life" type information about the soldiers and while this book lays out much of the management/mismanagement of the camp, it lacks information about other camp standards, the soldier's basic kit and diet, ect.
The book also mentions vinegar being important to give out to the men--I'd have liked information on how that was part of their diet and why. Also, a witness to the camp mentioned a garbage heap that was bones, offal and cornbread--this made me curious because why was cornbread, especially masses of it in a heap when prisoners were reported as going hungry? I had many questions about that.
I'd have to say it doesn't sound like Wirz actively was cruel towards the prisoners, but he does sound incompetent in that the camp was established with no straight lines, sewage, garbage removal or even the most rudimentary sanitation plans. The prisoners must take some blame for failing to help themselves in any way or attempting to establish order, self regulated sanitation or self-driven regulation. One commander stepping forward to establish prisoner run law and setup would have saved many lives. But blame must lie heaviest with Wirz for failing to establish rules of hygiene and order--the ancient Romans understood well that a nasty camp is a sick one. He would have done well to emulate them.
Also, barracks for the men weren't provided till the near the end because of lack of nails and supplies. Had the camp been established properly, even basic sheds or crude wooden shelters constructed without nails would have provided considerable relief from the elements. I know that wooden construction without nails was possible in this era though more difficult and as part of a regulated, well set up camp they should have been at least attempted in the beginning--Southern Georgia does NOT lack for wood! Even the crudest plank or log shelters or walkways would have provided relief and their lack was deplorable.
The camp also should have been moved or altered when the stream became undercut and swampy. Fouling the water upstream should have not happened from the get-go, but this again speaks to poor basic military management.
I don't think Wirz deserved hanging. He lacked adequate supplies for any kind of well managed camp at all times. What I think he had to answer for was failing to establish order, keep lawlessness from breaking out and keeping even the most basic of sanitation such as keeping sewage out of drinking water/carrying waste and garbage outside of camp, and getting prisoners to manage themselves in any fashion to prevent theft and bullying from breaking out. He could have done much better, even with the inadequate men and supplies he had.
I'm still looking for a book that can give me a more modern study of the camp and the archaeology of it. Suggestions are welcome.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was, at its time, very influential in both Andersonville and broader Civil War prison historiographies. However, newer studies have created more effective histories of both, although largely on Futch’s back. The book, although loosely organized by chapters, seems a little aimless and meandering. The timeline of the prison and its commanders is unclear, and the book focuses too largely on the commanding experience rather than that of the prisoners - although this is a matter of personal preference.

However, the book nails the conclusion and does a good job of evaluating not only the actions of Wirz and Winder but also how their legacies were shaped by contemporaries and historians. If you are looking for an introductory book, skip this one - it serves better as a research aid for those interested in the controversy of who is to blame for the inhumanity of Andersonville.

[Tarah Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The classic work on Andersonville. I had never read anything scholarly on the topic before, so this was a great introduction. I was completely horrified by the descriptions, but what I realized after I read the first and again as I finished it—the conditions at the prison were unintentional. The South did not mean to starve people to death. In fact, if you really think about it, Andersonville is a microcosm of the entire Confederacy: this is a country fighting a war with soldiers it cannot feed, clothe, or adequately shelter. The inadequacies of the Confederacy are the same, though on a much smaller scale, as those of Andersonville.

The pictures were interesting, but for more graphic-ness, check out the ones on wikipedia. The living skeleton nearly made me faint.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The classic micro-history of a Civil War prison camp. While much scholarship has come along since Futch's pioneering work, this study retains its value.

[Sandra Oldfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

A relatively quick read compared to other books on this subject. Very thorough coverage of the prison

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Want To Read The Damn Thing... But It Won't Let Me Read The Shit.