The day we spent at this prison site was a life changing experience.  The feelings that the displays, movies, and prison site invoked were mind-blowing.  Seeing the prison site and knowing that at one time 33,000 prisoners were on a plot of land 26 1/2 acres, brought a profound feeling of heartbreak that a “civilized” country could treat people in this manner.    Walking around the site is ONLY a 1.1 mile loop.

Nineteen feet inside the stockade was the “deadline” marked by a simple post and rail fence.  Guards stationed in sentry boxes shot anyone who crossed this line.  Today this is marked by white posts.   There were no buildings on the land so they had to use whatever they brought with them to put up some kind of shelter from the winter cold.   Many of them did not have any shelter at all.

The only water that they had was on the bottom of the hill at one end of the site and it was just a creek.  This was used for all their daily needs, drinking, bathing, and the latrine.  It was estimated to have adequate water for 10,000 prisoners, but proved insufficient for the 33,000 men.  Contamination from human waste led to thousands of cases of dysentery and diarrhea, and produced a horrendous stench.  One prisoner called the muddy creek bed, “Death’s Acre.”

There was a gang in the prison, the Raiders, that stole and murdered their fellow prisoners.  The six ringleaders were found and hanged.  Due to the  Raiders’ dishonorable actions, the prisoners demanded that they be buried separately.  These six graves are indeed separate in the National Cemetery.

Those prisoners on the top of the hill found it difficult to make their way down the hill to procure needed water so they attempted to dig wells with whatever they had on hand.  Some of them actually succeeded and hit water.  Some of them served as cover for an escape attempt.  Today those sites have fences surrounding each site.  During a storm in August 1864 a spring was discovered toward the bottom of the hill.  This was during a time of intense heat and thirst so this was considered prudential.  Therefore the spring was named Providence Springs.  Years later a monument was erected over the spring by survivors who brought their families back to experience the life-saving water.

There are monuments scattered all over the prison site that have been erected by state commissions and private groups in memory of fallen comrades.

Looking over the site of the Andersonville prison it is almost impossible to imagine that 33,000 people were in a prison just over one half the size of my dad’s 40 acre farm.  It kind of brings it all into perspective as I remember how large the farm actually was.  I have been in auditoriums that hold up toe 7000 people and they seemed so huge.  To think that it would take over 4 1/2 of them to hold the prisoners that were in Andersonville.

During 14 months over 13,000 soldiers died from their injuries and many from starvation and disease.  The conditions in the prison hospital were so bad that most of the people that were sent there did not return.  Most of the prisoners chose to remain in the camp with their comrades to die instead of seeking treatment for injuries or disease.  The prisoners were buried all together in long trenches.

Going into the POW museum you are greeted by walls with guns of all size and types pointed at you.  This was a really scary experience that the prisoners had everyday while they were in the prison.  There were rooms in the museum where the walls were covered with copies of letters and notes that prisoners wrote.   This was so heartbreaking and also so inspiring as some of them wrote of courage and bravery beyond our comprehension.   There was also some of the balls and chains that were put on prisoners that required discipline.  They were so large and very heavy so you know that this was a very painful experience.

The museum also had articles and information on all POWs and MIAs from all the wars in our countries history.  It was very interesting to see the different types of prisons and articles that were recovered from the different sites.  So sad to note that they all had one thing in common.  Most of the prisoners were mistreated and lots of them were even killed.  So sad to see the ravages of war in such horrific conditions.

After we toured the museum and prison site we went to the Andersonville National Cemetery.  Seeing to rows and rows and rows of markers for the people that died in the prison is enough to overwhelm you with sadness.  Many of the prisoners were never identified so the markers don’t have names on them.  Throughout the cemetery there are memorials put up by different states and private groups.

This experience has given me a greater appreciation for our soldiers and veterans.  So many of you have suffered untold agony due to being a POW and I want you to know that I will be praying for you that God will give you blessings and comfort.  Thanks to all soldiers that put their life on the line every day.

My next adventure is going to the historic SAM Shortline Railroad and Plains, Georgia, where Jimmy Carter lives.  Talk soon.