Civil War Prison

[Si Speed]

Even over 170 years later, I know this is somewhat of a touchy subject, so I'm going to just keep it to facts. As everyone knows, we had a war between the states (even though there was nothing civil about it). More Americans died in that war than all the other American wars combined. If you've done any research, you know the prisons on both sides make the holocaust prisons look like royalty (Minus the gas chambers).
Arguably the worst prison during this time, and certainly the most notorious, was Andersonville. More soldiers died of disease than starvation. Originally, it was suppose to hold just under ten thousand. Over the months, it got more and more prisoners, so the camp extended ever so slightly, and at one point, had over 33,000 there. Needless to say, the confederacy had trouble even feeding its soldiers, let alone its prisoners. Of course, when you're dying as a POW, you still remember basic human rights to eat and drink. When you're deprived of it for whatever reason, you know its not right. Just to let you know how bad it was:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5a/Andersonvillesurvivor.jpg/225px-Andersonvillesurvivor.jpg

According to wikipedia, that guy survived.

Anyway, Henry Wirz was the captain of the camp. Long story short, he wound up being hanged for specific acts of cruelty. It's still unknown just exactly what happened. Some stories are over exaggerated, but there are also records of where he was in contact with Richmond to get food and supplies to improve the condition at the camp. He was the only confederate official convicted of war crimes.

Well, I went out there today. I've been before, but I'm 45 minutes away and I went to see a friend so I stopped by and took some shots so I could give a history lesson. It's really strange standing out there, knowing what happened. Going over to the cemetery makes the reality that much more haunting. If you've ever been to Gettysburg, you know what I'm talking about. There are over 12,000 graves there, and nearly 1,000 are marked as "Unknown."


Anyone who says war isn't hell is out of their mind.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00584.jpg

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00585.jpg

Reconstructed, not original

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00586.jpg

These poles represent the original walls. The one closes to the camera was the actual wall. The one behind it is how far the prisoners were allowed to go. If they crossed it (just a simple fence) they were shot.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00587.jpg

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00588.jpg

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00589.jpg

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00590.jpg

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00591.jpg

This used to be a water stream. It's said you were better off to try to survive without drinking it because it was infected.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00593.jpg

Some more reconstruction

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00595.jpg

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00597.jpg

And one of the walls from one of the original entrances.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00602.jpg

Afterwards, I went to the actual town of Andersonville. It was very quiet and everything closes at 5:00.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00603.jpg

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00604.jpg

Some old farm or something behind the town

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00605.jpg

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00606.jpg

Blacksmith's workshop

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00607.jpg

This part was kind of scary. The bar door to the old town prison was locked, and dark inside so I just stuck the camera in with the flash. For a second, I thought it was a ghost because you didn't see the man before the picture since it was so dark inside. I think they were doing some kind of work in there because as you can tell, some of that wouldn't be in a jailhouse.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00608.jpg

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00609.jpg

Back to the street, they don't have police. They have security.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00610.jpg

The old fire house. I think it was built after the war but it obviously isn't what they still use today.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00611.jpg


And of course, I never pass up a photo op.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00583.jpg

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp237/si_speed/Andersonville/DSC00598.jpg

Hope you learned a thing or two about our history. As terrible as it is, it's still an undeniable part of us as Americans.

[yogi_pahl]

Kinda sad that most ppl in America don't know to much about the past. I have been thear and Gettysburg. It is just so unreal to think that all that happened hear.I...I think i would have needed to change my pants if i took that pic with the fake prisoner in it would have loved to seen ur face when ya looked at it lol.

[Si Speed]

In a way, if you look at the first pic, it shows the kind of dedication people have to fight for something. I don't know if he was fighting for the slaves, union, or just because it might be fun, but nobody puts themselves through something like that unless they believe it pays off for something greater.
I'd love to go to Gettysburg. I know a good bit about it. The underlying story behind it is kind of sad. I mean the whole reason the Confederates were even there. It gets back to what I said about how the southern government couldn't even take care of it's own soldiers. They were going to a nearby town because there were uniforms and shoes.

[yogi_pahl]

What is even worse it that the ppl didn't know being told that they are fine and being taken car of as if normal ppl in jail. When i went to both i got all chocked up, I been to a lot of places that deal with alot of the wars the US has been in. and it gets to me ever time. I cryed when i went to Arlington cemetery. A lil fact about Arlington It was LEE's home and Licone told him that if he wanted w war he'll see the dead bodily in his yard....That is from what i was told in school.

[Si Speed]

I never liked Lincoln. He's too much like Bush.
I'm not sure about that though. Lincoln wanted Lee for the Union, but he wasn't going to fight against Virginia.
I never listened to history much in shcool. I just got the idea and researched it myself. I recently found out Benjamin Franklin was a man whore who loved milf's. He even wrote an article on how to choose a mistress.

http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/bdorsey1/41docs/51-fra.html

[96SLUDE]

I have heard from numberous people that gettysburg, is f&&&king nuts at night. My flight instructor flew up there last summer with his girlfriend and they spent most of the night on the battlefield, and said they could hear gunfire and cannons, people screaming in the distance. He showed me a couple pictures, they took one of the nights, they were photographs of just random spots in the woods and tree lines and it almost looks like orbs, in the shape of people. IDK ive never seen a ghost but i do trust the mans word.. Have u guys ever encountered stuff like that, in those areas??

[Si Speed]

It's a mind-set. When you know something like that happened, your mind begins to wander on it, kind of how you can hear yourself talking when you really aren't. You've heard cannons, muskets, and people screaming, and your brain puts it together because you know what happened. I've been to Kennesaw Mountain (Battle of Kennesaw) and all you hear is the noise from the city.
At Andersonville, you hear the cars on the highway, but otherwise, it's quiet because it's a cemetery. Because the prison itself doesn't have anything original there anymore, it's harder for your brain to put the pieces together. You really just see a bunch of fresh cut grass and a few monuments. They close everything at night so you can't go out there.