Andersonville Prison, Georgia, USA
In the later years of the United States Civil War, northern troops had something to fear just as great as death and injury; being captured by the Confederate army and taken to Andersonville Prison. Conditions at Andersonville were their own form of torture. There wasn’t enough food. Shelter (when it was available) was a shebang, a shelter made from wood scraps and blankets. A creek ran through the prison, serving as a water source.
It quickly became contaminated with waste, spreading disease. Commander Henry Wirz was so sadistic he was tried and executed for war crimes at Andersonville. 45,000 Union soldiers were held at Andersonville during its 14 month operation. 13,000 died in the prison. It was overcrowded; at one point 32,000 men were crammed into the 26.5 acre space. Today, visitors to Andersonville National Historic Site explore a cemetery, a museum, and can walk the grounds of the prison.
