Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume I.djvu/506

 ANDERSONVILLE feet high around the inside of the stockade, and at an average distance of 19 feet from it, constituted the " dead line," prisoners passing which were summarily shot. The stream above mentioned passed from W. to E. through the enclosure, and furnished the only water for washing accessible to the prisoners. Many acres bordering the stream on either side were trodden by the feet of the prisoners into a deep and filthy mire. Deducting the quagmire thus formed, about 300 feet wide, and the space cut off by the " dead line," the remain- ing space before the enlargement comprised about 12 acres, giving to each prisoner when the number reached 30,000 an average area of about 17 square feet. A small shed, covered but not enclosed, furnished the only protection from the inclemency of the weather. A few wells were sunk in the prison; and there were also a few springs. A second enclosure, 925 feet long and 400 feet wide, similar to the prison, was constructed in June, 1864, for a hospital ; with the exception of a few old tents, it contained nothing but long sheds made of poles, with roofs of pine boughs or planks, and without sides. The 'bakery was within the two lines of palisades, and the cook house was 200 yards outside. On the high land overlooking the prison were a two-story building for the confederate officers and men, and the huts for the guards, who numbered from 3,000 to 5,000. Near the railroad sta- tion a stockade measuring 195 by 108 feet was constructed, and for a while used as a prison for officers ; but they were subsequently con- fined at Macon. Between the graveyard and the stockade stood a small hut in which nine bloodhounds were kept. The graveyard was situated about 300 yards N. W. of the stockade. Trenches varying in length from 50 to 100 yards having been dug, the bodies were laid in rows of 100 to 300 and covered with earth. At the head of each body a wooden stake was planted by the federal soldiers de- tailed to bury their companions, and each stake bore a number corresponding with a sim- ilarly numbered name upon the hospital record. The first detachment of federal prisoners was received at the Andersonville prison Feb. 15, 1864. Soon afterward John H. Winder, a brigadier general in the confederate army, assumed command of the post, with his son, W. S. Winder, as adjutant. The superinten- dence and management of the prison were assigned to Henry Wirz, a Swiss by birth. The following exhibit from the prison records shows the number and mortality of prisoners : Total number received at prison 49,485 Largest number in prison at one time, Aug. 9, 1864. . 88,006 Total number of deaths as shown by hospital register. 12,462 " In hospital 8,786 " in stockade 8,727 Percentage of deaths to whole number received 26 ' to number admitted to hospital. 69fJ Average number ftf deaths for each of the 18 months. 953 Largest number cf deaths In one day, Aug. 28, 1864. 127 Cases returned from, hospital to stockade 8,469 Total number of escapes 823 DATE. Total nnmber at end of each month. s 1 i Z Average dally deaths. S ii:i s||| iM & 1864. March... 4,608 9,577 18,454 26,867 81,678 81,698 8,218 4,208 1,859 4.706 5,046 5,851 8,819 51 282 592 711 1,203 1,742 2,992 2,700 1,560 485 160 200 149 118 82 April 40 56 97 90 50 1:26 1:22 1:11 !!! 1:2 1:29 1:25 1:89 1:28 1:2 6 4 4 5 9 8 18 11 3 4 2 2 8 May June July August September October November December 1865. January February March April 12,926 Principal diseases ai suiting therefrom : Diarrhoea. 8,{ 1(1 M 74 4s (is 77

_'i 08 77 in Gi PI P.i 1:1 Ti (it CM Ul H mber in-shot surisy onchiti eumat rioloid ngrene tarrh of WOUl 1^ deaths re- ids. . . . 149 Scurvy 8,1 109 93 Unknown 1,5 sm 88 63 Typhoid fever S 63 65 Debility . 1 cers . 61 Intermittent and remit- tent fevers ... 1 thlsis 86 In August, 1864, Dr. Joseph Jones, professor of chemistry in the medical college of Georgia, under the direction of the surgeon general of the confederacy, was sent to Andersonville to investigate the nature and cause of the sick- ness prevalent there, "for the benefit of the medical department of the Confederate States armies." The order, dated at Richmond, Aug. 6, 1864, recited that "the field of pathological investigation afforded by the large collection of federal prisoners in Georgia is of great extent and importance, and it is believed that results of value to the profession may be obtained by a careful investigation of the effects of dis- ease upon the large body of men subjected to a decided change of climate and the circum- stances peculiar to prison life." Dr. Jones re- ported that scurvy, diarrhoea, dysentery, and hospital gangrene were the prevailing diseases; that there were few cases of malarial fever and no well marked cases of typhus or typhoid fever. The absence of the different forms of malarial fever was accounted for by the supposition that the artificial atmosphere of the stockade, crowded densely with human beings and load- ed with animal exhalations, was unfavorable to the existence and action of the malarial poison. Subsequently, at the suggestion of Gen. Winder, an investigation was made by Dr. G. S. Hopkins and Surgeon H. E. Watkins, who reported the general causes of diseases and mortality as follows: "1. The large number of prisoners crowded together. 2. The entire absence of all vegetables as diet, so necessary as a preventive of scurvy. 3. The want of barracks to shelter the prisoners from sun and rain. 4. The inadequate supply of wood and