Andersonville

A few weeks ago, I took a trip out to Andersonville, Georgia, with my husband, our kids and his sister and her two little ones. Andersonville (also known as Fort Sumter) was a military prison established by the Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. According to the National Park Service website, 45,000 Union soldiers were confined here during the 14 months the prison was in existence. Almost 13,000 of these soldiers died while being held as Prisoners of War. They withstood horrible conditions while confined including poor sanitation, disease and overcrowding. Now the prison is a fascinating landmark and museum.



The soldiers who perished while prisoner here are buried at Andersonville Cemetery, which is adjacent to the prison grounds. The cemetery also happens to be the resting place of my husband's paternal grandparents.