andersonville-第59章
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pathological investigation may be explored for the benefit of the Medical
Department of the Confederate Army。
S。 P。 MOORE； Surgeon General。
Surgeon ISAIAH H。 WHITE；
In charge of Hospital for Federal prisoners； Andersonville； Ga。
In compliance with this letter of the Surgeon General； Isaiah H。 White；
Chief Surgeon of the post； and R。 R。 Stevenson； Surgeon in charge of the
Prison Hospital； afforded the necessary facilities for the prosecution of
my investigations among the sick outside of the Stockade。 After the
completion of my labors in the military prison hospital； the following
communication was addressed to Brigadier General John H。 Winder； in
consequence of the refusal on the part of the commandant of the interior
of the Confederate States Military Prison to admit me within the Stockade
upon the order of the Surgeon General：
CAMP SUMTER； ANDERSONVILLE GA。；
September 16； 1864。
GENERAL：I respectfully request the commandant of the post of
Andersonville to grant me permission and to furnish the necessary pass
to visit the sick and medical officers within the Stockade of the
Confederate States Prison。 I desire to institute certain inquiries
ordered by the Surgeon General。 Surgeon Isaiah H。 White； Chief Surgeon
of the post； and Surgeon R。 R。 Stevenson； in charge of the Prison
Hospital； have afforded me every facility for the prosecution of my
labors among the sick outside of the Stockade。
Very respectfully； your obedient servant；
JOSEPH JONES； Surgeon P。 A。 C。 S。
Brigadier General JOHN H。 WINDER；
Commandant； Post Andersonville。
In the absence of General Winder from the post； Captain Winder furnished
the following order：
CAMP SUMTER； ANDERSONVILLE；
September 17； 1864。
CAPTAIN：You will permit Surgeon Joseph Jones； who has orders from the
Surgeon General； to visit the sick within the Stockade that are under
medical treatment。 Surgeon Jones is ordered to make certain
investigations which may prove useful to his profession。 By direction of
General Winder。
Very respectfully；
W。 S。 WINDER； A。 A。 G。
Captain H。 WIRZ； Commanding Prison。
Description of the Confederate States Military Prison Hospital at
Andersonville。 Number of prisoners； physical condition； food；
clothing； habits； moral condition； diseases。
The Confederate Military Prison at Andersonville； Ga。； consists of a
strong Stockade； twenty feet in height； enclosing twenty…seven acres。
The Stockade is formed of strong pine logs； firmly planted in the ground。
The main Stockade is surrounded by two other similar rows of pine logs；
the middle Stockade being sixteen feet high； and the outer twelve feet。
These are intended for offense and defense。 If the inner Stockade should
at any time be forced by the prisoners； the second forms another line of
defense； while in case of an attempt to deliver the prisoners by a force
operating upon the exterior； the outer line forms an admirable protection
to the Confederate troops； and a most formidable obstacle to cavalry or
infantry。 The four angles of the outer line are strengthened by
earthworks upon commanding eminences； from which the cannon； in case of
an outbreak among the prisoners； may sweep the entire enclosure； and it
was designed to connect these works by a line of rifle pits； running zig…
zag； around the outer Stockade； those rifle pits have never been
completed。 The ground enclosed by the innermost Stockade lies in the
form of a parallelogram； the larger diameter running almost due north and
south。 This space includes the northern and southern opposing sides of
two hills； between which a stream of water runs from west to east。
The surface soil of these hills is composed chiefly of sand with varying
admixtures of clay and oxide of iron。 The clay is sufficiently tenacious
to give a considerable degree of consistency to the soil。 The internal
structure of the hills； as revealed by the deep wells； is similar to that
already described。 The alternate layers of clay and sand； as well as the
oxide of iron； which forms in its various combinations a cement to the
sand； allow of extensive tunneling。 The prisoners not only constructed
numerous dirt huts with balls of clay and sand； taken from the wells
which they have excavated all over those hills； but they have also； in
some cases； tunneled extensively from these wells。 The lower portions of
these hills； bordering on the stream； are wet and boggy from the constant
oozing of water。 The Stockade was built originally to accommodate only
ten thousand prisoners； and included at first seventeen acres。 Near the
close of the month of June the area was enlarged by the addition of ten
acres。 The ground added was situated on the northern slope of the
largest hill。
The average number of square feet of ground to each prisoner in August
1864： 35。7
Within the circumscribed area of the Stockade the Federal prisoners were
compelled to perform all the offices of lifecooking； washing； the calls
of nature； exercise； and sleeping。 During the month of March the prison
was less crowded than at any subsequent time； and then the average space
of ground to each prisoner was only 98。7 feet； or less than seven square
yards。 The Federal prisoners were gathered from all parts of the
Confederate States east of the Mississippi； and crowded into the confined
space； until in the month of June the average number of square feet of
ground to each prisoner was only 33。2 or less than four square yards。
These figures represent the condition of the Stockade in a better light
even than it really was； for a considerable breadth of land along the
stream； flowing from west to east between the hills； was low and boggy；
and was covered with the excrement of the men； and thus rendered wholly
uninhabitable； and in fact useless for every purpose except that of
defecation。 The pines and other small trees and shrubs； which originally
were scattered sparsely over these hills； were in a short time cut down
and consumed by the prisoners for firewood； and no shade tree was left in
the entire enclosure of the stockade。 With their characteristic industry
and ingenuity； the Federals constructed for themselves small huts and
caves； and attempted to shield themselves from the rain and sun and night
damps and dew。 But few tents were distributed to the prisoners；
and those were in most cases torn and rotten。 In the location and
arrangement of these tents and huts no order appears to have been
followed； in fact； regular streets appear to be out of the question in so
crowded an area； especially too； as large bodies of prisoners were from
time to time added suddenly without any previous preparations。
The irregular arrangement of the huts and imperfect shelters was very
unfavorable for the maintenance of a proper system of police。
The police and internal economy of the prison was left almost entirely in
the hands of the prisoners themselves； the duties of the Confederate
soldiers acting as guards being limited to the occupation of the boxes
or lookouts ranged around the stockade at regular intervals； and to the
manning of the batteries at the angles of the prison。 Even judicial
matters pertaining to themselves； as the detection and punishment of such
crimes as theft and murder appear to have been in a great measure
abandoned to the prisoners。 A striking instance of this occurred in the
month of July； when the Federal prisoners within the Stockade tried；
condemned； and hanged six （6） of their own number； who had been convicted
of stealing and of robbing and murdering their fellow…prisoners。 They
were all hung upon the same day； and thousands of the prisoners gathered
around to witness the execution。 The Confederate authorities are said
not to have interfered with these proceedings。 In this collection of men
from all parts of the world； every phase of human character was
represented； the stronge
