Andersonville National Park

Andersonville National Park in Georgia is a place where one senses more powerfully the torment and hopelessness that must have been felt by every prisoner of war. As you walk along the hallowed ground that is now covered by green grass instead of suffering men, you see the remains of the wells and the escape tunnels dug by the prisoners. A collection of shelters or shebangs as the men referred to them shows the horrid havens made by the men to protect themselves from the hot sun, the rains, and the cold temperatures. Constructed of a few sticks, a shirt off their backs or a piece of blanket brought with them, these shebangs offered little relief from the elements. A replica has been built to illustrate a wall and gate that the prisoners used to enter the camp. A wooden stake is placed to mark the deadline which no prisoner could cross without fear of being shot. One can see the original path of the spring used to provide water for the prisoners.

Visiting Andersonville National Park and Cemetery is an emotional and historical journey. The National Park of Andersonville Confederate Prison, the National Cemetery, and the village of Andersonville are twenty-one miles northeast of Plains, Georgia, on highway 49. The prison and cemetery are open everyday from 8:30 AM until 5:00 PM except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. You may drive or walk the grounds and an auto tour tape is available for $1.00 rental fee. Andersonville is a national historic site and was the largest camp for prisoners of war during the Civil War. This camp was built in early 1863 as it afforded greater security and a better food supply than the area around Richmond, VA. This Confederate prison site with a stockade of 1,620 feet long and 779 feet wide was meant to contain about 10,000 prisoners. During the time it was occupied, more than 45,000 prisoners were held and over 13,000 men died.

This park is the only one in the national system to serve as a memorial to all prisoners of war. Congress authorized legislation stating that the park’s purpose was “to provide an understanding of the overall prisoner of war story of the Civil War, to interpret the role of prisoner of war camps in history, to commemorate the sacrifice of Americans who lost their lives in such camps, and to preserve the monuments located within the site.”

In 1998, the National Prisoner of War Museum opened on the ground of the park. The museum offers a glimpse of the prisoner of war story illustrating both the physical and emotional aspects. It is a story of courage and constant trials as shown by the displays detailing the conditions of the POW. Available exhibits in the museum are a Bible from WW II, an original stockade lock and key and a canteen from the Civil War, rubber sandals, toothpaste and a toothbrush from Vietnam, a headset from WWII and a Persian Gulf War radio and headset. An orientation film details the experience of a prisoner of war. A computer database listing Union prisoners and the Confederate guards at Andersonville is accessible. Park personnel give talks at 11:00 and at 2:00 daily and are available to answer questions and give a guided tour of the grounds.

Andersonville Prison

A replica of the stockade walls and gate has been built near the placement of the original North Gate. Nearby is Providence Spring where a monument has been built to commemorate the occasion of a spring bursting forth after a torrential downpour. The dead house area is located outside the south gate of the stockade. The dead were placed here and then taken by wagon to the cemetery.

A replica of the stockade walls and gate has been built near the placement of the original North Gate. Nearby is Providence Spring where a monument has been built to commemorate the occasion of a spring bursting forth after a torrential downpour. The dead house area is located outside the south gate of the stockade. The dead were placed here and then taken by wagon to the cemetery.

A replica of the stockade walls and gate has been built near the placement of the original North Gate. Nearby is Providence Spring where a monument has been built to commemorate the occasion of a spring bursting forth after a torrential downpour. The dead house area is located outside the south gate of the stockade. The dead were placed here and then taken by wagon to the cemetery.

You can see the inner rows of posts marking the deadline which was a four foot rail that prisoners were forbidden to cross. The outer posts mark the location of the stockade walls. These walls were built with twenty foot pine logs which were sunk five feet into the ground. Prisoners dug tunnels in attempts at escape. Almost all who escaped were recaptured. The remains of wells dug by the men searching for fresh drinking water can be seen.

Andersonville Cemetery

The cemetery was established on July 26, 1865 and continues to be a permanent resting place for deceased war veterans. In sections E, F, H, J, and K, one can see the initial interments of those who died in the prison camp. The graves of the six Raiders who were executed at Andersonville are separated form the graves of the rest of the Union prisoners. Sections B and C contain the graves of those who died in the hospitals and on the battle fields in South Georgia. There are 13,700 burial sites. More than 500 are unknown. Today, the cemetery contains 18,000 internments. As you enter the cemetery, you see the Georgia Monument which honors all American prisoners of war.

Andersonville Village

The village of Andersonville is located across from the National Park. This village during the time period of the Civil War was a terminal for the railroad which brought more than 45,000 prisoners to Camp Sumter. The prisoners left the railroad cars and marched the quarter mile to the gates of the prison. The village acted as a supply center for the prison. Captain Wirz, the head of Andersonville Prison had an office in town. Today, one can visit a visit a five acre park where there is an old time farm with a log cabin, barn, and farm animals. A welcome center and museum are located in the railroad station. There are a few shops to explore and a bed and breakfast and a small RV camp area. During the last weekend in May and the first weekend in October, Andersonville Historic Fair days featuring old time craftsmen such as blacksmiths, potters, glass-blowers, and quilters are shown working at their crafts. Square dancers and cloggers perform in addition to military bands. A large flea market offers bargains.

In summary:

The emotions felt by walking this hallowed ground are many. The prison site, the cemetery, and the exhibits in the museum tell the story of men who lost freedom. This is the important story told at Andersonville. “To fully understand this loss is to cherish freedom all the more.”

Lodging:

There is no camping permitted on the grounds of Andersonville National Park. There is a small RV camp and bed and breakfast in Andersonville Village. You may locate motels and RV parks in the nearby towns.

Near Cordelle, the Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park on 8,500 acre Lake Blackshear offers boating, fishing, picnicking, RV camping and cabins. On the grounds is a small outdoor museum of planes and helicopters. At this campground, you can board a train, the Sam Shortline Railroad for a tour of Plains, Cordelle, Archery, and Americus.

Nearby attractions:

At nearby Plains, Georgia, which is the home of Jimmy Carter, you can tour the Carter’s boyhood home and farm. You may also, depending upon his schedule, attend a Bible Sunday School Class taught by the former President at Maranatha Baptist Church.

In Americus, Georgia, the Habitat for Humanity headquarters is located. Americus is a quaint Victorian town with several charming attractions.