The Civil War Prisons Message Board

Re: The Anna Harden letter, an insight

Dennis,

I had read of the sham battle at Andersonville some years ago, but, of course, this letter is new to me. I would gather based on the 12,000 prisoners already at the prison that your estimate of the second week of May 1864 is probably close to the correct date of the letter. This would be before the large influx of prisoners from the South Anna battle and others in VA. Bear in mind that the sham battle was only Confederate, and the prisoners were not invited.

Your remark about sutlers at Andersonville is perhaps appropriate, but, if they were there, they were there to sell their wares to the "several regiments stationed there to guard the prisoners," as the lady wrote. The lion's share of the Yanks had no money to spend. The gang of toughs among the POWs was probably already at work stealing what little money they still held. Sutlers were not in the charity business.

If you will read the letter again, you will notice that for this special occasion (not everyday life at the prison) the special train carried not only ladies from afar but also the food treats they brought for this occasion. There was no mention of food for the prisoners or the supply of food available to the prisoners. The only concern this lady had for the prisoners was how many southern soldiers guarded them and the "great sight" they made to look at.

The Andersonville prison was a place of great sadness during 1864. It was sad for the Confederates whose task it was to guard all those prisoners with the small rations their country was able to supply. I don't need to comment on the sadness for the Union prisoners. Whoever arranged this special day of southern patriotic celebration may have passed the word for the ladies to bring food treats for which the Confederate troops were justifiably grateful. This was an effort to brighten these men's duty with at least one special day.

I am glad you brought this letter to our attention.

Bruce Nichols

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The Anna Harden letter, an insight
Re: The Anna Harden letter, an insight
Re: The Anna Harden letter, an insight
Re: The Anna Harden letter, an insight