The Confederate prison where 13,000 Union soldiers died in just over one year
In short: Andersonville, also known as Camp Sumter, was the largest Confederate military prison during the American Civil War. Despite operating for little more than a year, the facility became a site of profound tragedy, claiming the lives of nearly a third of the soldiers held within its walls.
Established in 1864 to relocate Union prisoners from Richmond, Virginia, Andersonville was intended to provide better security and food supplies. Instead, it became a site of extreme overcrowding and suffering. While the camp was designed to house approximately 10,000 men, its population surged to 33,000 at its peak, with roughly 400 new prisoners arriving daily.
Over the course of its operation, more than 45,000 Union soldiers were incarcerated at the site. Of these, 13,000 died due to starvation, disease, and exposure. Following the war, Henry Wirz, the Swiss immigrant who commanded the prison, became the only Confederate officer executed for war crimes, facing his sentence on November 10, 1865.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Forgotten American Civil War Death Camp
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