On a small rise to the south of Camp Lawton, the Confederates built an earthen fort. The fort functioned as defense against potential enemy attacks and also served as a watching post for activity within the prison, particularly on the north side of the stream, where the prisoners were held. From this vantage point, artillery could be fired on the prisoners if the need arose. The gatehouse leading into the stockade was also readily visible and within artillery range. Remnants of the earthworks are still visible today.
The pentagonal shape of the fort is typical for the 19th century. Prior to this time, forts were usually constructed in a star pattern, which allowed defenders to fire on attackers from every angle. The advent of explosive shells, with their highly explosive impact caused considerable damage to the intricate workings of the star fort. The earthworks were relatively easy to layout and construct. A ditch in the shape of a pentagon was dug with the dirt being piled on the inside of the ditch, creating the walls of the fort. The height of the walls could be increased by laying logs on top. Bastions were created in each point of the pentagon with a cannon placed in each.
The only measured drawing of Camp Lawton is a map submitted by General Winder to the Confederate authorities in Richmond, Virginia. It shows the planned dimensions of the stockade to be 1398 feet by 1329 feet. We do not know whether the fort was actually built to this size. We also do not know the exact height of the stockade walls but most sources agree that it was between 15 and 20 feet high.
Look closely at the drawing and you will see two items of interest. The boxes built on the stockade wall are called “pigeon roosts”. They allowed Confederate guards to watch over the prisoners. The other feature is the “dead line”, a line of low posts and light cross rails built 20 feet from the stockade. Guards and prisoners alike paid close attention to the deadline as guards were permitted to shoot any prisoner crossing over it.
Relative sizes of real and planned stockades at Camps Sumter and Lawton.
In November 1864, Union General William T. Sherman began his “March to the Sea” from Atlanta. Although the Confederates were unsure of his intentions, Sherman and his forces were intending to reach and capture Savannah.
As Sherman’s forces moved toward the sea at a pace of about eleven miles per day, Confederates became more and more concerned about the security of Camp Lawton.
The massive Union army proceeded in two separate wings- each never too far away from the other in case of a Confederate attack. As the wings proceeded they were intent on destroying the Confederacy’s ability to wage war- destroying mills and factories, crops and even railroads. One such railroad, the Georgia Central Railroad, led the Union forces on a collision course with Millen and the Camp.
Union troops tearing up railroads in Georgia during Sherman’s “March to the Sea.”
As the wings moved on, foraging units branched out in search of food, fodder, and supplies for the massive army. Also active in the vicinity were “screening forces” of cavalry, meant to confuse Confederates about the true location and objectives of Sherman’s forces.
When Sherman reached Milledgeville, the capital of Georgia at the time, he ordered General Judson Kilpatrick, the commander of one of the “screening forces” of cavalry, to reach Camp Lawton and see if he could free as many prisoners as possible.
Kilpatrick ordered his forces to be split into two groups to approach Camp Lawton. When they arrived on November 26 they were dismayed to find it abandoned, and later learned that the prisoners were evacuated two days earlier. The Union forces destroyed the stockade and buildings, intending to keep the Camp from being used again in the future.
James Seddon, Confederate Secretary of War
Previously, on November 18, Confederate Secretary of War James Seddon had telegraphed General John H. Winder, commander of all military prisons in Georgia, warning that the approach of Sherman’s forces could warrant the evacuation of Union prisoners. Within a day, Winder ordered that prisoners be removed to Savannah.
During this time, a long period of negotiations had resulted in a limited exchange of prisoners between the Union and Confederacy. From November 18-21, some of the sickest Camp Lawton prisoners were exchanged into freedom near Savannah.
The December 3, 1864 burning of Millen Junction by Union General Sherman’s men as depicted in Harpers Weekly, January 7, 1865.
The rest of the prisoners at Camp Lawton were evacuated by November 22, when they were marched to trains for their shipment to Savannah. By December 2nd, Sherman reached Millen. Because the town was associated with Camp Lawton, the Union forces destroyed not only the railroad junction but also bridges, storehouses, and many other major buildings.
After being evacuated from Camp Lawton, many prisoners, like Robert Sneden, were held in the prison at Savannah until they were exchanged. They were then loaded on boats and taken north, many to recuperate in the Naval Academy hospital in Annapolis, Maryland, which was manned at that time by the army.
Some POWs were sent to prisons in South Carolina, while about 5,000 others, including Henry Lightcap, were transported to Blackshear in south Georgia. The prisoners spent less than a month at Blackshear before they were moved once again. Some went sent to the prison in Florence, South Carolina but the majority was sent to Thomasville, Georgia. They spent just 2 weeks in Thomasville before being marched 60 miles to Albany to be loaded on trains, arriving back in Andersonville on Christmas Eve, 1864 (http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/civil-war-prisons).
Large scale prisoner exchanges began in April, 1865 with Vicksburg, Mississippi serving as one of the exchange points. From there, the former POWs were placed on steamships and shipped north. Disaster stuck one of these ships, the SS Sultana. On April 27, 1865, the Sultana was overloaded with POWs released from Cahaba (Alabama) and Andersonville. One of the ships boilers exploded just north of Memphis, Tennessee killing most of those aboard (http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/exhibits/disasters/sultana.htm).
A note about the museum’s database: This is a work in progress and will be updated as additional information about prisoners is discovered. If you have information on any of the Camp Lawton POWs or the Confederate soldiers who manned the prison, we would like to hear from you. You can reach us at: Magnolia_Springs.park@dnr.ga.gov
How did death rates at Camp Lawton compare to other Civil War prison camps? See the charts below- clicking or tapping a pie slice will give exact numbers. All numbers are estimates, as it is very challenging to find precise records of deaths.
Of course, not only did death rates vary by prison, the number of deaths per month varied, as prisons were occupied in different lengths of time. See the table below:
One of the interesting contrasts between the Constitutions of the United States and the Confederate States was a difference in presidential terms. Jefferson Davis was elected President of the Confederacy in 1861 for a six year term. Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, was elected in 1860 and inaugurated in 1861 for a four year term. So, in the midst of the Civil War in 1864, at a point when the outcome was still not completely clear, Abraham Lincoln had to stand for reelection. Lincoln himself did not feel good about his chances.
The war was not popular among many Northerners. 1864 was the bloodiest year of the war, and although Ulysses S. Grant had forced Robert E. Lee into a defensive position in Virginia and William T. Sherman had begun his destructive “March to the Sea” a decisive victory seemed distant. Many northern Democrats, labelled “copperheads” supported an immediate end to the war. In 1864, the Democrats nominated George McClellan, a former Union general who was dismissed by Lincoln in 1862, as their candidate for president. McClellan ran on a platform that included immediate negotiations with the Confederacy for an end to the war. For southerners, it was becoming more clear in 1864 that they were losing a war of attrition and that the war weariness of the north could result in a treaty that would recognize the Confederacy as a sovereign state.
R.K. Sneden’s September 1864 view of Camp Lawton, a few months before the mock election. The Confederate fort is at left. The present day entrance road for Magnolia Springs State Park would roughly pass between the fort and the stockade in Sneden’s image.
What would prisoners at Camp Lawton have thought about the coming election? Many Americans in the present day may think that the horrible treatment at the hands of the Confederates might steel the prisoners’ resolve to stick with Lincoln and work toward the eventual defeat of the rebellion. However, the Dix-Hill Cartel, which set forth the rules for the treatment of prisoners of war, agreed to by both sides in 1862, made it clear that prisoners were to be eventually “exchanged” back to their own ranks after capture rather than held in long-term bondage. Perhaps the prisoner’s suffering and anger over the collapse of the Dix-Hill rules might drive them toward McClellan and peace?
In November 1864, most of the POW diarists at Camp Lawton relate the details of a mock presidential election held within the confines of Camp Lawton with the permission of the Confederate authorities. If northerners were losing interest in pursuing an absolute Confederate defeat, and the prisoners at Camp Lawton were of similar mind, the mock election could result in a win for McClellan. Confederate authorities believed that newspaper reports circulated in the north and south of a “copperhead” win at Camp Lawton would not only hearten Confederates that a successful end of the war might be near, but would damage Lincoln’s reelection chances.
On the day of the mock election, November 8, 1864, prisoners campaigned and made stump speeches for both candidates. In the end, the result certainly disappointed their Confederate captors: Lincoln received 3,104 votes to McClellan’s 1,050. Among the prisoners, it seemed that resolve to possibly survive and go home as victors overwhelmed a desire to simply go home.
In the larger election, Lincoln soundly defeated McClellan in electoral votes: 212 to 21. The surge in support for Lincoln is often credited to the announcement of Sherman’s capture of Atlanta in early September 1864. The popular vote totals indicated more widespread support for McClellan, who won 1,812,807 to Lincoln’s 2,218,388. Voting among Union troops resulted in an approximately 3 to 1 victory for Lincoln, a ratio identical to that of the mock election results at Camp Lawton.
Disease killed more soldiers during the Civil War than any other cause. At least 67% of the 620,000 who died were killed by disease. This figure may change as the result of a 2011 study indicating that the number of dead is more likely between 750,000 and 850,000. How did this happen? There are a multitude of reasons why disease was so prevalent.
Soldiers spent a lot of time in close contact with other people, which led to the rapid spread of diseases. Soldiers from rural areas had no immunity to diseases such as small pox, measles, mumps and whooping cough so many regiments experienced epidemics. Garbage rapidly accumulated in camps attracting disease carrying insects. Pots and pans and other utensils were used for multiple purposes and often were not properly cleaned. Many drank water that wasn’t clean. Sometimes the latrines were dug too close to water sources, contaminating the drinking water. Fresh fruits and vegetables were in short supply so most soldiers survived on a diet of hard tack or cornbread. Meat was sometimes distributed but, due to a lack of refrigeration, it was often spoiled. Soldiers were also exposed to extreme weather conditions, which lowered their bodies’ resistance to disease. Poor personal hygiene was common and most people did not know about germs or how germs were spread. This included doctors, who did not wash their hands or their medical instruments between patients. Also, doctors were in short supply. All of these factors combined suggest that soldiers who were captured and imprisoned were probably not very healthy even before they reached Andersonville or Millen.
R.K. Sneden’s assemblage of shelter-building styles from Andersonville.
Hospital records from Andersonville have survived and provide us with an insight into the illnesses of the prisoners. A total of 42,586 cases were recorded between March 1 and August 31, 1864. Only 238 (0.56%) of these cases were listed as wounds and injuries. An examination of the specified diseases shows that diarrhea and dysentery was the most common affliction (46%) 27% of which died as a result and accounting for 64% of all of the recorded deaths. This was followed by scurvy (23%) with a 11% mortality rate. Three types of fevers were identified: continued, malarial and eruptive. Combined they account for 9% of the recorded case and 10% of the soldiers succumbing. A similar number of lung ailments (bronchitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia and pleurisy) were recorded with roughly the same mortality rate.
R.K. Sneden’s depiction of the large brick ovens constructed inside the stockade at Camp Lawton. According to Sneden and others, the ovens were rarely used for cooking, but rather served as shelter and a source for loose bricks that could be incorporated into prisoner shelters.
How do these rates compare to statistics for the Civil War soldiers in general? It is reported that dysentery accounted for about 95,000 deaths. The mortality rate for Union soldiers was 2.1% while it was 4.6% for Confederate soldiers. Typhoid killed about 65,000 soldiers with 1 out of every 3 dying of the disease. Pneumonia reportedly killed 37,000 soldiers with 1 out of every 6 people dying from it. Measles had a 5% mortality rate during the war and it killed about 11,000 soldiers. Tuberculosis was responsible for the deaths of about 14,000 soldiers. Malaria killed about 30,000 soldiers, approximately 1% of the troops. This is somewhat surprising as the disease is usually not fatal and, as it was the only disease of the time with a known cure.
How were these diseases treated? Below are some of the common treatments.
Diarrhea and dysentery – Opiates such as laudanum mixed in alcohol were commonly administered, while belladonna was given to relieve stomach cramps. Other treatments included the use of calomel (mercury chloride), turpentine, castor oil or quinine, all of which were useless or worsened the condition. Also called the flux.
Scurvy – A nutritious diet that included fresh fruits and vegetables
Tuberculosis – Called “consumption”, tonics , stimulants, and opiates were given orally and poultices were placed on the chest.
Pneumonia – Tartar emetic (antimony) was given to induce vomiting. Cupping the chest was used to draw out the disease. Opiates for pain and tonics were also administered.
Typhoid – There were no standard or effective treatments at the time. Patients were usually given medicines to treat specific symptoms, such as opiates for the diarrhea and pain and cold cloths applied to the body for fever. Turpentine for ulcers
Malaria – Whisky and quinine were used as both a preventative and a treatment
Measles – Patients were placed in isolation, given a nutritious diet and made to rest.
In military terms, “parole” is an agreement made between prisoners and the enemy that they will not again take up arms against their captors either for a specified amount of time, often until they were exchanged or, in some cases, until the end of the war. Traditionally a European practice, it was adopted in the Civil War because neither side had the means to handle large numbers of prisoners.
Representatives from the Union and Confederate governments drew up the Dix-Hill Cartel, which established guidelines for prisoner exchanges including an “exchange rate” for officers and enlisted personnel. It identified two locations that exchanges would take place; and allowed each side to exchange civilian employees of the military. This agreement also prohibited parolees from returning to the military in any capacity.
John A. Dix, Union general who signed the Dix-Hill Cartel agreement for prisoners of war with Confederate general D.H. Hill.
Confederate General D. H. Hill
At Camp Lawton, the Confederates were continually recruiting POWs to work for them. Prisoners with special skills, such as blacksmithing or carpentry, were always needed, while others were selected to assist guards with duties such as burying the dead. Recruits signed a parole, an example of which can be found on the exhibit panel in front of you.
Oftentimes, the Confederates recruited for military service. Many of the diarists comment on the dilemma recruitment presented. In the words of Sgt Daniel G. Kelley of Company K, 24th New York Cavalry:
The question which arose in the minds of thousands was: “Is it lawful for me to work for the Confederacy?” – and under ordinary circumstances the answer would invariably be: “No.” Then another question: “Is it lawful for the United States to leave us here to perish with cold and hunger, when they have the power to redeem us?” Has not the government first broken the bond of mutual protection existing between us? And if that bond of mutual protection be first broken by the United States, does justice demand a fulfillment on our part, even unto death? No, it cannot.”
Many POWs wrestled with the decision recognizing that they would be considered traitors by their fellow prisoners. When the weather turned cold and wet in November, many made the decision to work for the enemy. In some cases, their mess mates encouraged them to do so because they were very near death and parole would provide them with perks such as food and clothing.
R.K. Sneden’s view of Camp Lawton. Sneden was able to depict this view because he had applied for and received parole.
Guards identified parolees by the metal stars they wore and allowed the prisoners out of the stockade. A star, possibly a parole star, has been recovered from the archaeological excavations of the site.
Some of the prisoners at Camp Lawton kept diaries, or later recorded their experiences as prisoners of war (POW) that were published years later. These works have helped archaeologists and historians to piece together a narrative of what prisoner life at Camp Lawton was like. Here is what we know about some of the diarists.
Weston Ferris, Quartermaster Sergeant, 1st Connecticut Cavalry Company B. Ferris was born June 30, 1827. He was captured near Bolivar Heights, West Virginia. After the war he married Margaret A. Leco and had two children: John, born 1869, and Mary, born 1873. He died on May 1, 1912. Parts of Ferris’ diary can be found in The World’s Largest Prison: A Camp Lawton Compendium (2004) and in Disease, Starvation & Death: Personal Accounts of Camp Lawton (2006)
Henry A. Harmon, private, 12th N. Y. Cavalry Troop A. Harmon was born in 1819. He was captured at Plymouth, North Carolina on April 20, 1864. Harmon died in 1891 and his Andersonville Memoirs were published in 1893.
Robert H. Kellogg, Sergeant Major, 16th Connecticut Infantry Company A. In 1865, Kellogg wrote “Life and Death in Rebel Prisons”. Although he was not sent to Millen, his book includes the testimonies of others who were there including Sergeant Wilbur F. Goodyear of the 7th Connecticut Infantry (p. 397– internet Archive)
William Henry Lightcap , private, Iowa 5th Cavalry Company E. Lightcap was born on February 23, 1844 in Galena, Ilinois. He was captured on July 27, 1864 during the Atlanta campaign. After the war, he married Ester Kempthorne on March 25, 1872 and they had three sons: Raymond Lawrence, born in 1874; Clarence Garfield, born in 1878; and Clyde in 1887. His memoir “The Horrors of Southern Prisons During the War of the Rebellion from 1861 to 1865” in 1902. (p. 55– Internet Archive) He died on January 14, 1907 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.
Lessel Long, private, 13th Indiana Infantry Company F. Long was born on February 20, 1838 in Randolph County, Indiana. He mustered in on October 20, 1862 and was captured on May 10, 1864 near Chester Station, Virginia. After the war he became a merchant and manufacturer in Andrews, Indiana. He married Mary and they had two sons: Fred and Elden, both of whom died in infancy. Long died on May 30, 1915. In 1886, Long wrote a book entitled, Twelve Months in Andersonville Prison. (p. 85– Internet Archive)
John H. McElroy, private , 16th Illinois Cavalry. Company L. McElroy was born in Coshocton, Ohio around 1843. He was only 20 years old when he mustered in on April 16, 1863 in Chicago. The muster roll describes McElroy as 5 foot 6 inches tall with dark hair and black eyes. He was married and worked in Chicago as a printer. He was captured the first week of January 1864 near Jonesville, Virginia. McElroy is the author of Andersonville: A Story of Rebel Military Prisons in 1879. (p. 455– Internet Archive)
John L. Ransom, Quartermaster, 9th Michigan Cavalry Company A. Ransom was born on March 20, 1843 in Conneaut, Ohio. He was captured on November 6, 1863 at Rogersville, Tennessee. Ransom’s diary was published in 1881. (p. 109– Internet Archive). He died in Altadena, California on September 23, 1919.
John L. Ransom
William B. Smith, private, 14th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Company K. Smith was born on June 14, 1848 in Cincinnati, Ohio and was just 17 years old when he mustered in on December 21, 1863 in Springfield, Illinois. The muster roll describes him as being 5 feet 6 inches tall with light hair and blue eyes. He lived in Naples, Illinois where he was a clerk. He was captured at Moon Station, Georgia on October 3, 1864 and was transferred from Andersonville to Millen on November 11. After the war, Smith returned to his family in Illinois. His poor health and the eventual loss of use of his legs made it difficult for him to retain a job. The climate in Illinois contributed to Smith’s health issues so he and his family moved to Lawtey, Florida in October 1881. Smith published his memoir “On Wheels and How I Came There” in 1892. (p. 244– Internet Archive)
William B. Smith
Robert Knox Sneden, private, 40th New York Infantry Company E. His work was published posthumously in 2000. (Volume 6– Virginia Historical Society). You can learn all about Sneden in another part of the museum.
R.K. Sneden’s cover for Volume 5 of his diary, which includes his images produced while a prisoner of war.
John W. Urban, private, 30th Pennsylvania Infantry Company D. Urban was born in Conestoga Township, Pennsylvania in 1844. He mustered in on July 26, 1861 in Baltimore, Maryland. The muster roll describes him as 5 feet 7 inches tall with dark hair and hazel eyes. His hometown was Conestoga where he worked as a laborer. He was captured twice: once at the Battle of Malvern Hill (Virginia) on July 1, 1862 and at Totopotomoy, Virginia on August 19, 1864. After the war, Urban married Mary Miller and they had one son, John, who was born in 1888. He died in 1918 and is buried in Conestoga, Pennsylvania. Urban wrote “Battlefield and Prison Pen” in 1882. (p. 374– Internet Archive)
The proximity of Union forces to Confederate prisons in Virginia led to the establishment of Camp Sumter in Andersonville, Georgia, deep inside Confederate territory. A log stockade encompassed the 16 acre compound, which had a small stream running through it. In part prompted by the attempted rescue of Union soldiers from Libby Prison in Richmond by General Kilpatrick, the Confederacy hastily evacuated prisoners and sent them south on trains. Camp Sumter began receiving prisoners in February 1864 before it was even completed.
Due to a number of factors, prisoner exchanges had ceased by December, 1863 and led to a rapid increase in the prison population. By mid-June, Camp Sumter housed 24,000 occupants in a space intended for just 10,000. Just one month later, the population reached 33,000, prompting Brigadier General John Winder, commander of prisons in both Georgia and Alabama, to request permission to build a new prison. At the end of July, Winder finally received permission to start looking for a new prison site.
A portion of General Winder’s original plan for Camp Lawton, submitted to Confederate authorities in September 1864. There is as yet no evidence that the stockade met Winder’s specifications, and the plan for carefully numbered lots and “streets” was never realized.
A site north of Millen Junction, situated on the railroad line linking Augusta and Savannah, was chosen. The design of this new prison would be similar to Camp Sumter but on a larger scale. With the use of enslaved persons, construction of Camp Lawton (also referred to as Millen) began in August 1864. Progress was slow. The overcrowded and unsanitary conditions at Andersonville resulted in higher death rates (estimated to be approximately 100 per day), which caused Winder to press his commanding officer for more money and labor. In mid-October, Union prisoners held in Savannah were asked to volunteer to finish construction of Camp Lawton. They arrived around October 15 and the stockade was completed in late October. The first prisoners sent from Andersonville were loaded onto trains on October 31. Another trainload left for Millen on November 11.
The following is a timeline of all major events related to Camp Lawton:
July 22, 1862
Dix-Hill Cartel Established
The Dix-Hill Cartel was agreed upon between the Union and Confederacy, establishing rules for the exchange and parole of prisoners. Like the agreement between the US and Great Britain during the War of 1812, prisoners not exchanged within 10 days are to be paroled (freed) and never used militarily by either side again.
July 22, 1862
December 1, 1863
Suspension of the Dix-Hill Cartel
The Emancipation Proclamation and its support of combatant status for black soldiers, as well as the discovery of paroled Confederate prisoners among fighting Confederate units led to a general suspension of the Dix-Hill Cartel by both the Union and Confederacy.
December 1, 1863
February 1, 1864
Camp Sumter (Andersonville) Opened
Camp Sumter (Andersonville, GA) opened as an effort to move Union POWs deeper into the Confederacy.
February 1, 1864
June 1, 1864
Winder Takes Command
Brigadier General John H. Winder, C.S.A. took command of the Confederate prison Camp Sumter (Andersonville, GA) and the Confederate Officer prison Camp Oglethorpe (Macon, GA).
June 1, 1864
June 24, 1864
“Another prison should be established..”
Winder wrote to the Adjutant and Inspector General Cooper arguing that “Another prison should immediately be established”
June 24, 1864
August 1, 1864
Camp Sumter at Maximum Capacity
The Union POW population of Camp Sumter peaked at 33,000.
August 1, 1864
July 15, 1864
Alabama Rejected as Prison Site
Planned prison sites in Alabama were abandoned due to poor available locations and a Union cavalry raid against railroads in the state.
July 15, 1864
July 26, 1864
Winder Gets a Promotion
Winder appointed to command all military prisons in Georgia and Alabama.
July 26, 1864
July 28, 1864
Scouting for a New Prison
Winder sent Captains D.W. Vowles and W.S. Winder (General Winder’s son), to Magnolia Springs, north of Millen Junction, to evaluate and select a site for the new prison.
July 28, 1864
August 4, 1864
Millen/ Magnolia Springs Chosen for New Prison
Vowles and W.S. Winder informed Cooper of their selection of a site at Magnolia Springs.
August 4, 1864
August 14, 1864
The Search for Laborers
After Vowles and W.S. Winder began to organize the construction of Camp Lawton, General Winder orders Lieutenant R.S. Hopkins to scour Georgia and Florida for enslaved persons to be hired from their owners.
August 14, 1864
September 3, 1864
Atlanta Falls
Union General William T. Sherman captured Atlanta.
September 3, 1864
September 5, 1864
Prisoners Transferred
Confederate Secretary of War James Seddon ordered General Winder to begin the transfer of prisoners from Camp Sumter to Camp Lawton.
September 5, 1864
September 17, 1864
Winder’s Arrival
General Winder arrived at Camp Lawton.
September 17, 1864
September 22, 1864
Union Knowledge of Millen POWs
A letter from Union General Sherman to Confederate General John Bell Hood and the US Sanitary Commission mentioned his knowledge of the movement of Union POWs to Millen.
September 22, 1864
October 10, 1864
Prisoners Arrive
The stockade completed, the first prisoners arrive at Camp Lawton.
October 10, 1864
November 8, 1864
A Mock Election
A mock presidential election was held in the camp, with stump speeches by both supporters of Abraham Lincoln and George McClellan.
November 8, 1864
November 8, 1864
Parolees
Captain Vowles, who was appointed Camp Commandant, officially reported that 10,229 Union POWs had arrived at Camp Lawton, 486 had died, 349 had enlisted in Confederate service (“galvanized” in the slang of the Union POWs), and 285 had been paroled or given specific jobs in and around Camp Lawton.
November 8, 1864
November 11, 1864
Exchange
A selection of sick Union POWs was made to be formally exchanged for Confederate POWs at Savannah.
November 11, 1864
November 15, 1864
Sherman Leaves Atlanta
Union General Sherman and his army began their march from Atlanta to Savannah, the “March to the Sea.”
November 15, 1864
November 22, 1864
Lawton Deserted
Remaining POWs at Lawton were moved to trains to be transported to Savannah. They are eventually kept at an unenclosed site near Blackshear, GA.
November 22, 1864
November 23, 1864
A Rescue Attempt
Sherman ordered cavalry commander General Judson Kilpatrick to attempt to rescue the Union POWs held at Millen.
November 23, 1864
November 26, 1864
A Fruitless Result
Elements of Kilpatrick’s cavalry arrived at Millen, only to find that Union POWs had aready been evacuated.
November 26, 1864
December 3, 1864
Millen Junction Destroyed
Sherman and his forces arrived in Millen and carried out the destruction of Millen Junction.
December 3, 1864
December 25, 1864
A Sad Homecoming
Many former POWs at Camp Lawton arrived once again at Camp Sumter (Andersonville), having been moved from Blackshear to Savannah after Sherman’s forces left the city. Camp Lawton was by then destroyed, and only Andersonville still offered a secure stockade.
Because of the unique situation of both prisoners and captors at Camp Lawton, an economic system developed that involved both barter and several kinds of money.
Image of a Union soldier being apprehended by Confederate cavalry.
When most prisoners were captured, they were left without many of their most useful and valuable items. Blankets, bedrolls, cooking utensils, and other items were often left in unit baggage trains before a battle. Furthermore, a captured soldier was stripped of weapons, which usually included knives and bayonets, as well as most other kinds of equipment useful for survival, leaving just clothes and shoes. Many of the diarists at Camp Lawton describe how their most prized possessions, besides clothing and blankets, were their tin cups and spoons.
Union prisoners and Confederate guards at Camp Sumter (Andersonville).
Prisoners were given rations, which varied widely due to seasonal changes and supply issues. Most diarists report corn meal, beans, rice, peas, molasses, corn, and sweet potatoes as common foods included in rations. At times, beef was available, especially early on at Camp Lawton. Body parts of cattle not desired by Confederate guards were given to prisoners- especially heads and bones. The availability of many items declined as William T. Sherman’s Union forces neared central Georgia destroying sources of supply and disrupting transportation.
Rations not consumed or saved by prisoners became currency- items to be bartered with other prisoners or even guards. Rations at rare times were supplemented with small alligators, snakes, eels, and other wildlife from the stream that ran through the camp from the nearby springs. Traditional forms of currency used at Camp Lawton included both Confederate and U.S. dollars and coins, as well as some international currency.
Image of Confederate guards changing shifts.
Despite the lack of nutrition and food in general, many may be surprised that both Camp Sumter (Andersonville) and Camp Lawton had sutlers- people who sold goods to prisoners. At Camp Lawton, a Confederate sutler sold goods and food from a small cabin within the stockade. Here is a list of items and their prices from Camp Sumter:
How do the prices, in Confederate dollars, relate to United States currency in the war (“greenbacks”) and 21st century prices? See the table of selected items below.