What It Was Like to Be a Civil War Prisoner
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Date: 2022-12-29
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Comments and reviews: 20
Da
Even though I was born and raised in Georgia, my great-grandfather fought for the Union, and I find myself siding with the Union cause. I agree with General Grant who said the Confederate cause was one of the worst for which a people ever fought, and one for which there was the least excuse. That said, this video is one-sided and very misleading. Even the U. S. Government today admits its own considerable blame for the massive loss of life at Andersonville and other Confederate POW camps. The South was a nearly defeated people with few resources. The rations given POWs were the same given to the Confederacy's own soldiers at the time. Also, the Confederates allowed the Union soldiers to police themselves inside the camp. Many of the hardships (like the gang of rogue Union soldiers known as Andersonville Raiders who stole from and terrorized their own) were due to failures by the Union soldiers themselves and their leadership (officers and NCOs) to maintain good order and discipline among the POWs in Andersonville. This accounted for a number of issues inside the camps. Also, understand that the Confederates didn't even want to keep POWs. They were forced to keep POWs by the Union. It was the Union who halted the exchange of POWs. Periodic prisoner exchanges were customary in the first part of the war. Later in the war, the Union leadership wanted the South's forced responsibility to keep POWs to be a further drag on already strained Confederate resources. The Confederacy plead with the Union to reinstitute POW swaps, and when the Union refused, the Confederacy offered to simply hand the POWs they held back to the Union without requiring the Union to release Confederate POWs. The Union still refused. As for a loyalty pledge, that was a last-ditch attempt to get the men out of the camps as they couldn't simply let an enemy army numbering tens of thousands go free so deep into their territory. Whether through malicious intent or simply through the acts of tens of thousands of hungry men foraging for food and shelter, releasing tens of thousands of enemy soldiers would have unleashed mass chaos inside the Confederacy. Understand, the North got what they wanted, BUT at the war's end, when the public saw the result of the decision made by Union leaders not to swap POWs, those same Northern leaders who'd made the decision to force the South to keep the prisoners, set out on a public campaign to demonize the South to deflect blame away from themselves. The North used the excuse that the South treated black prisoners differently from white prisoners (which was true) to stop the swaps, but it was actually Grant's realization that swaps favored the South and that holding the prisoners would strain Southern resources that was the real reason the swaps were stopped and why tens of thousands of young Union men died. Worse, conditions in a number of Northern camps, like Camp Douglas in Illinois and Elmira Prison (Hellmira, as it was called) in New York, rivaled the conditions found in Andersonville AND the North didn't have the excuse the South had. They had the men and resources to keep their Southern prisoners in decent conditions. Yet, in a number of cases, they failed to do so. In Wirz's trial, a number of the cases where over 100 men testified in Captain Wirz's trial, testimonies were given of specific cruel acts committed personally by Captain Wirz, claims which were later proven to be false. In quite a few of the incidents testified to where specific dates were given, he was shown not to even be at Andersonville at the time he supposedly committed these acts to which soldiers testified. There was also a report made by a Confederate doctor sent to Andersonville by Confederate leadership to investigate the conditions presented which was used against Captain Wirz at his trial and seemed to seal the deal to convict him of mistreatment, but Captain Wirz's defense presented correspondence showing where he'd pleaded with his superiors for more food and for help so he could undertake measures to improve conditions at the camp. It didn't matter. Northern leaders were hell-bent on hanging him to deflect blame from themselves and to satisfy the Northern public that the bad guy got punished. I could say more, but I've already written a book here that no one will probably even read anyway. If you have read all of this, investigate the matter further through books and on the Internet. I also recommend going to the National Prisoner of War Museum on the grounds of Andersonville.
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Even though I was born and raised in Georgia, my great-grandfather fought for the Union, and I find myself siding with the Union cause. I agree with General Grant who said the Confederate cause was one of the worst for which a people ever fought, and one for which there was the least excuse. That said, this video is one-sided and very misleading. Even the U. S. Government today admits its own considerable blame for the massive loss of life at Andersonville and other Confederate POW camps. The South was a nearly defeated people with few resources. The rations given POWs were the same given to the Confederacy's own soldiers at the time. Also, the Confederates allowed the Union soldiers to police themselves inside the camp. Many of the hardships (like the gang of rogue Union soldiers known as Andersonville Raiders who stole from and terrorized their own) were due to failures by the Union soldiers themselves and their leadership (officers and NCOs) to maintain good order and discipline among the POWs in Andersonville. This accounted for a number of issues inside the camps. Also, understand that the Confederates didn't even want to keep POWs. They were forced to keep POWs by the Union. It was the Union who halted the exchange of POWs. Periodic prisoner exchanges were customary in the first part of the war. Later in the war, the Union leadership wanted the South's forced responsibility to keep POWs to be a further drag on already strained Confederate resources. The Confederacy plead with the Union to reinstitute POW swaps, and when the Union refused, the Confederacy offered to simply hand the POWs they held back to the Union without requiring the Union to release Confederate POWs. The Union still refused. As for a loyalty pledge, that was a last-ditch attempt to get the men out of the camps as they couldn't simply let an enemy army numbering tens of thousands go free so deep into their territory. Whether through malicious intent or simply through the acts of tens of thousands of hungry men foraging for food and shelter, releasing tens of thousands of enemy soldiers would have unleashed mass chaos inside the Confederacy. Understand, the North got what they wanted, BUT at the war's end, when the public saw the result of the decision made by Union leaders not to swap POWs, those same Northern leaders who'd made the decision to force the South to keep the prisoners, set out on a public campaign to demonize the South to deflect blame away from themselves. The North used the excuse that the South treated black prisoners differently from white prisoners (which was true) to stop the swaps, but it was actually Grant's realization that swaps favored the South and that holding the prisoners would strain Southern resources that was the real reason the swaps were stopped and why tens of thousands of young Union men died. Worse, conditions in a number of Northern camps, like Camp Douglas in Illinois and Elmira Prison (Hellmira, as it was called) in New York, rivaled the conditions found in Andersonville AND the North didn't have the excuse the South had. They had the men and resources to keep their Southern prisoners in decent conditions. Yet, in a number of cases, they failed to do so. In Wirz's trial, a number of the cases where over 100 men testified in Captain Wirz's trial, testimonies were given of specific cruel acts committed personally by Captain Wirz, claims which were later proven to be false. In quite a few of the incidents testified to where specific dates were given, he was shown not to even be at Andersonville at the time he supposedly committed these acts to which soldiers testified. There was also a report made by a Confederate doctor sent to Andersonville by Confederate leadership to investigate the conditions presented which was used against Captain Wirz at his trial and seemed to seal the deal to convict him of mistreatment, but Captain Wirz's defense presented correspondence showing where he'd pleaded with his superiors for more food and for help so he could undertake measures to improve conditions at the camp. It didn't matter. Northern leaders were hell-bent on hanging him to deflect blame from themselves and to satisfy the Northern public that the bad guy got punished. I could say more, but I've already written a book here that no one will probably even read anyway. If you have read all of this, investigate the matter further through books and on the Internet. I also recommend going to the National Prisoner of War Museum on the grounds of Andersonville.
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Angela
Just as in modern prisons, the inmates formed gangs, usually consisting of members of their former military units or inmates that were from the same county. Just like most other prison, you had certain gangs that you don't mess with. I don't know the name of what had become the most feared gang at Andersonville, but I remember reading about them. They would rob fellow inmates of their meager rations, kill new inmates for their warmer clothing, and would start large camp brawls. Even the guards stayed clear of these guys! Finally, a group of fed-up prisoners approached Commander Wurtz and demanded the right to form an in-camp militia to protect the other inmatesl, since the guards either couldn't or wouldn't. Wurtz agreed and the militia set about rounding up the trouble making gangs. They would hold a sort of trial and, under Wurtz's watch, would kill the people found guilty. This militia would patrol the camp, try to ensure rations were distributed fairly and checked on prisoners too sick to make headcount or collect their rations. I read that they were even known to attack guards caught abusing prisoners.
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Just as in modern prisons, the inmates formed gangs, usually consisting of members of their former military units or inmates that were from the same county. Just like most other prison, you had certain gangs that you don't mess with. I don't know the name of what had become the most feared gang at Andersonville, but I remember reading about them. They would rob fellow inmates of their meager rations, kill new inmates for their warmer clothing, and would start large camp brawls. Even the guards stayed clear of these guys! Finally, a group of fed-up prisoners approached Commander Wurtz and demanded the right to form an in-camp militia to protect the other inmatesl, since the guards either couldn't or wouldn't. Wurtz agreed and the militia set about rounding up the trouble making gangs. They would hold a sort of trial and, under Wurtz's watch, would kill the people found guilty. This militia would patrol the camp, try to ensure rations were distributed fairly and checked on prisoners too sick to make headcount or collect their rations. I read that they were even known to attack guards caught abusing prisoners.
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christopher
John 3: 16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
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John 3: 16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
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Danae
The conditions at Andersonville were unforgivable, but I also believe Wirz was a scapegoat.
The prisoners did not have enough food, supplies or medical care but neither did the confederate soldiers he was convicted for conspiring to treat union soldiers badly, when they were only be treated slightly worse than their confederate counterparts. This was not Wirz fault.
There was also little proof that Wirz had any direct victims. It didnt seem like he was excessively cruel for the sake of it, and primarily used punishment only to keep order.
So yeah, such suffering caused a need for justice, but this man was likely only killed symbolically. He was not personally responsible for much of the issues that the camp had and could have done no better even if he wanted to.
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The conditions at Andersonville were unforgivable, but I also believe Wirz was a scapegoat.
The prisoners did not have enough food, supplies or medical care but neither did the confederate soldiers he was convicted for conspiring to treat union soldiers badly, when they were only be treated slightly worse than their confederate counterparts. This was not Wirz fault.
There was also little proof that Wirz had any direct victims. It didnt seem like he was excessively cruel for the sake of it, and primarily used punishment only to keep order.
So yeah, such suffering caused a need for justice, but this man was likely only killed symbolically. He was not personally responsible for much of the issues that the camp had and could have done no better even if he wanted to.
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Guice
One thing I didn't hear in this is the fact that during the first 3 years of the war, the Yankees and Confederates routinely exchanged prisoners. When Grant took command of the Union forces, he stopped the exchanges. Confederates in Yankee prison camps were treated very poorly, too. When exchanges took place, the returning Yankees would tell how bad life was in a Southern camp after which the Yankees doubled their efforts to make life as miserable as possible for their prisoners without realizing that, like you said, the Confederates had little or no food for the prisoners and little to no medical help. Wirz told the truth when he stated there was little he could do, but examples must be made and thus, he was hung while his Yankee counterparts got off scot-free.
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One thing I didn't hear in this is the fact that during the first 3 years of the war, the Yankees and Confederates routinely exchanged prisoners. When Grant took command of the Union forces, he stopped the exchanges. Confederates in Yankee prison camps were treated very poorly, too. When exchanges took place, the returning Yankees would tell how bad life was in a Southern camp after which the Yankees doubled their efforts to make life as miserable as possible for their prisoners without realizing that, like you said, the Confederates had little or no food for the prisoners and little to no medical help. Wirz told the truth when he stated there was little he could do, but examples must be made and thus, he was hung while his Yankee counterparts got off scot-free.
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Cheryl
That any human would allow another human to be mistreated by such a huge degree is unfathomably disgusting! Both Union and Confederate armies had instances of serious moral failings regarding their gross lack of care for the general, overall health of POWs. This video covers Camp Sumpter/Andersonville, but Camp Douglas in Chicago, IL is often referred to as the Union's equivalent of that particular camp. It's frustrating - and I don't know why it can take generations for humanity to learn from past horrid events, but the world did eventually start to agree upon humane treatment of POWs after WW2 and the Geneva Conventions. So, let's hope for a continued upward trend of how humans choose to treat each other.
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That any human would allow another human to be mistreated by such a huge degree is unfathomably disgusting! Both Union and Confederate armies had instances of serious moral failings regarding their gross lack of care for the general, overall health of POWs. This video covers Camp Sumpter/Andersonville, but Camp Douglas in Chicago, IL is often referred to as the Union's equivalent of that particular camp. It's frustrating - and I don't know why it can take generations for humanity to learn from past horrid events, but the world did eventually start to agree upon humane treatment of POWs after WW2 and the Geneva Conventions. So, let's hope for a continued upward trend of how humans choose to treat each other.
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Charles
The Confederatrs could not clothe or feed their own troops. They had nothing. Sherman burned it all or stole it. My G-G Grandfayher was a Creek Indian who fought for the South. He was captured and sent to Camp Chase, Ohio. There the Union had plenty of food, clothing, medicine and blankets. They REFUSES to give it to prisoners. Many died from exposure. Camp Chsse was the Union Andersonville.
Read about it. By the way, they considered Black Confederate prisoners as traitors and would execute them as soon as they arrived.
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The Confederatrs could not clothe or feed their own troops. They had nothing. Sherman burned it all or stole it. My G-G Grandfayher was a Creek Indian who fought for the South. He was captured and sent to Camp Chase, Ohio. There the Union had plenty of food, clothing, medicine and blankets. They REFUSES to give it to prisoners. Many died from exposure. Camp Chsse was the Union Andersonville.
Read about it. By the way, they considered Black Confederate prisoners as traitors and would execute them as soon as they arrived.
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Eric
More confederate soldiers died in union prison camps the union died in confederate camps and the north had far more resources, Lincoln ended p. o. w. exchange this caused over crowding he could do this because the union could replace union p. o. w. the south could not. Lincoln ended freedom of speech and freedom of the press and imprisoned many newspaper people with no charges or trial, Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus(just saying)
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More confederate soldiers died in union prison camps the union died in confederate camps and the north had far more resources, Lincoln ended p. o. w. exchange this caused over crowding he could do this because the union could replace union p. o. w. the south could not. Lincoln ended freedom of speech and freedom of the press and imprisoned many newspaper people with no charges or trial, Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus(just saying)
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Sam
Treatment of Northern POWs is well documented, info on treatment of southern POWs I don't see as much info about. Would like to find more info on that, from what little I've found being in a Northern POW camp wasn't any better then being in a southern POW camp.
Was a little disappointed that this video focused solely on southern POW camps and not all on Northern.
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Treatment of Northern POWs is well documented, info on treatment of southern POWs I don't see as much info about. Would like to find more info on that, from what little I've found being in a Northern POW camp wasn't any better then being in a southern POW camp.
Was a little disappointed that this video focused solely on southern POW camps and not all on Northern.
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ciaran
It was the worst of many horrible POW camps in that war. Union camps up north got reputations for torture and purposeful maltreatment. Obviously confederate camps did the same thing but the scale and lack of resources on their side in general made both sadistic malice and an honest lack of an ability to do anything the watchwords of the Confederate camps.
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It was the worst of many horrible POW camps in that war. Union camps up north got reputations for torture and purposeful maltreatment. Obviously confederate camps did the same thing but the scale and lack of resources on their side in general made both sadistic malice and an honest lack of an ability to do anything the watchwords of the Confederate camps.
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Dani
I have two maternal, great great uncles (brothers) who came over from Ireland in the late 1850s. One went to fight for the south and the other fought for the north. The southbound brother was never heard from again. The northbound brother went on to Wisconsin after the war and started the McCoog clan there.
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I have two maternal, great great uncles (brothers) who came over from Ireland in the late 1850s. One went to fight for the south and the other fought for the north. The southbound brother was never heard from again. The northbound brother went on to Wisconsin after the war and started the McCoog clan there.
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Enochian7
The war of Northern aggression. It's funny the Victor's Wright the history books. What they don't teach in government schools is the northern states owned more slaves then the south lol SNAP or brittish boy Lincoln said if he could end the war without freeing one slave he would. Whose hero was abe?
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The war of Northern aggression. It's funny the Victor's Wright the history books. What they don't teach in government schools is the northern states owned more slaves then the south lol SNAP or brittish boy Lincoln said if he could end the war without freeing one slave he would. Whose hero was abe?
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Professor
Could we have another civil war? Well tactical gear and military grade weapons are the hobby of a huge portion of the population. A country divided and armed to the teeth doesn't sound stable to me. Lets hope to avert the growing industry of hate.
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Could we have another civil war? Well tactical gear and military grade weapons are the hobby of a huge portion of the population. A country divided and armed to the teeth doesn't sound stable to me. Lets hope to avert the growing industry of hate.
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PrimordialMeow
I lived in Ft. Benning, GA as part of a military family and in 1987 visited Andersonville with my elderly parents, two WWII veterans. The place had an eerie, sad and deathly feel about it. We were all shaken after the visit.
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I lived in Ft. Benning, GA as part of a military family and in 1987 visited Andersonville with my elderly parents, two WWII veterans. The place had an eerie, sad and deathly feel about it. We were all shaken after the visit.
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WILLIAM
I don't need no Civil War.
It feeds the rich while it buried the poor.
What a shyt double album. You go from WEVE BEEN DANCING WITH MR BROWNSTONE (Smack) to Look at you young men dying, look at the fear we're fighting.
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I don't need no Civil War.
It feeds the rich while it buried the poor.
What a shyt double album. You go from WEVE BEEN DANCING WITH MR BROWNSTONE (Smack) to Look at you young men dying, look at the fear we're fighting.
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millec60
Wirz deserved worse than what he suffered and the Daughters of the Confederacy were some racist shitty people to glorify him. Wirz could've easily disobeyed orders and not gone out of his way to make the conditions that bad
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Wirz deserved worse than what he suffered and the Daughters of the Confederacy were some racist shitty people to glorify him. Wirz could've easily disobeyed orders and not gone out of his way to make the conditions that bad
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Ms
Share insights on American prison camps in Cali & how the women were treated.
America has its demons, we aren't saints & never claimed to be; but if freedom allows this - then I'm just calling other on the next census
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Share insights on American prison camps in Cali & how the women were treated.
America has its demons, we aren't saints & never claimed to be; but if freedom allows this - then I'm just calling other on the next census
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Dr.
They should have let the south go after freeing the enslaved, and watch them sink like a stone on their own. Without free labor they would have been done for. The south does nothing be weigh the rest down.
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They should have let the south go after freeing the enslaved, and watch them sink like a stone on their own. Without free labor they would have been done for. The south does nothing be weigh the rest down.
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Jennifer
Of course history always repeats itself because humans will never learn it's like we touch a pot of water and say ouch but yet we go and touch it again because humans fail to learn from the past
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Of course history always repeats itself because humans will never learn it's like we touch a pot of water and say ouch but yet we go and touch it again because humans fail to learn from the past
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hungrysoles
My great-great great grandfather was a prisoner at Andersonville Prison. It's a miracle he survived to live a normal life but I'm sure he had emotional scars like other prisoners of war.
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My great-great great grandfather was a prisoner at Andersonville Prison. It's a miracle he survived to live a normal life but I'm sure he had emotional scars like other prisoners of war.
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