Andersonville National Park
Andersonville, or Camp Sumter as it was officially known,
was one of the largest of many Confederate military prisons established during
the Civil War. During the 14 months the
prison existed, more than 45,000 Union soldiers were confined here. Some 13,000 died from disease, poor
sanitation, malnutrition, overcrowding or exposure.
A stream through the prison yard – Stockade Branch –
supplied water to most of the prison. By the end of June 1864 some 26,000 men
were confined in a prison area originally intended for 10,000. In August 1864 it held 32,000. Handicapped by a deteriorating economy,
inadequate transportation, and the need to concentrate all available resources
on its army, the Confederate government was unable to provide adequate housing,
food, clothing, and medical care to their Federal captives. Horrific conditions, along with a breakdown
of the prisoner exchange system, resulted in much suffering and a high
mortality rate.
Andersonville National Historic Site is the only National
Park System area to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war.
the museum, designed to vaguely look like a stockade and guard towers
a water fountain outside the museum, it flows around dedications from various groups
One of my relatives was on the Bataan Death March - he suffered until his death from PTSD symptoms including nightmares, flashbacks, survivor's guilt and alcoholism
Dedicated to a small number of POWs that were at Hiroshima, Japan when the bomb was dropped
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