After a battle in the Civil War, the winning side would take the remaining enemy soldiers with them as prisoners. In the early years of the war, military leaders on both sides bargained to exchange the prisoners they had captured for their own soldiers being held by the other side, but this proved to be very inefficient because the enemy soldiers that they released would get back in the fight almost right away. Also, the South refused to trade the black Union soldiers they captured because that would be inferring that they were worth the same as a white Confederate soldier. Eventually, camps were created to hold the prisoners for an extended period of time. These Civil War prisons were poorly maintained, especially in the South where supplies were scarce. Up to 10% of total deaths in the Civil War occurred in the prisons, typically from disease or malnutrition.
http://libguides.mnhs.org/content.php?pid=477933&sid=3914481
These handcuffs are from Andersonville Prison in Georgia. They are included in this group of artifacts because they show:
1.) The treatment of men whose only offense was that they were soldiers for the enemy's army
and
2.) The change in prison technology (they're not exactly modern day handcuffs).
Also, it's likely that many similar sets of handcuffs were rusty or jagged-edged and could give the prisoners infection. This is a trend typical of the prisons, which had little to no regard for the health and comfort of their prisoners.
These handcuffs are from Andersonville Prison in Georgia. They are included in this group of artifacts because they show:
1.) The treatment of men whose only offense was that they were soldiers for the enemy's army
and
2.) The change in prison technology (they're not exactly modern day handcuffs).
Also, it's likely that many similar sets of handcuffs were rusty or jagged-edged and could give the prisoners infection. This is a trend typical of the prisons, which had little to no regard for the health and comfort of their prisoners.
http://libguides.mnhs.org/content.php?pid=477933&sid=3914481
This illustration depicts a prison camp bustling with activity. The battlefield is easily in view in the top left corner (good location), and the fighting is still going on. In the front, or foreground, there are prisoners working. Also, there is a line of men in the bottom right corner awaiting their deaths (which will be by gunshot from the guy furthest to the right). There are also men being whipped on the fence. The title is especially significant, and means that while eventually the war will end and some sort of peace treaty will be made, the men who experienced the horrors of the prison camps and their fellow soldiers will never forget the abuse and unnecessary violence off of the battlefield. The illustrations is also significant in this way; the tension did carry over off of the battlefield. The hatred between the two sides was real and not contained in gentlemanly warfare.
This illustration depicts a prison camp bustling with activity. The battlefield is easily in view in the top left corner (good location), and the fighting is still going on. In the front, or foreground, there are prisoners working. Also, there is a line of men in the bottom right corner awaiting their deaths (which will be by gunshot from the guy furthest to the right). There are also men being whipped on the fence. The title is especially significant, and means that while eventually the war will end and some sort of peace treaty will be made, the men who experienced the horrors of the prison camps and their fellow soldiers will never forget the abuse and unnecessary violence off of the battlefield. The illustrations is also significant in this way; the tension did carry over off of the battlefield. The hatred between the two sides was real and not contained in gentlemanly warfare.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/08/17/georgia.civil.war.letter/index.html
Lawton Prison, Ga November 14th, 1864
Dear Wife, haveing a chance to send a line into God's Land-- & hopeing you may hear from me by it I write a few lines hopeing they will reach you in safety -- I have written to you every month since I was captured the 5th of May, last & have seen hard times since, but now hopeing the scene may soon change, for we all look for an exchange of most if not all of the Prisinors that are here -- God knows I hope so... for I am tired of (Cecesia) I have been a Prisnor 6 months & 9 days & I think that will do for this time, but I must change the subject .. I have not heard from any of my Friends since the last letter I got from you, about the 28th of April, last, but hope you & Little Charlie are well to all the rest of my friends at home, hope you have not suffer'd for Provisions or Clothing & not let my absents trouble you to much. I am here & shall get out some time & hope that will be soon, but don't know -- if you want any money write to Martin if he is alive for that he is oweing me, it is nine dollars & a half that will help you some; do that you think is for the best as it regards our affairs perhaps you had better sell the cow if hay is dear, there will be some money due me when I get out & get into our lines: & I think that I shall get a furloe & get home to see you & C -- I think there is no use of your trying to get a letter to me for it will never be delivered to me if it should come here -- my health has been good since here but am rather poor but will soon recruit up when I get to our lines, & will come & see you & the rest of the folks So good by
Yours affectionately C.H. Knox
(Spelling and grammatical errors are included as written in letter)
In this letter, the prisoner was writing to his wife showing his optimism about the war and its outcome. It shows while the prisons were harsh, some prisoners were able to get out alive and generally healthy. The letter demonstrates the overall hope towards the end of the war.
Lawton Prison, Ga November 14th, 1864
Dear Wife, haveing a chance to send a line into God's Land-- & hopeing you may hear from me by it I write a few lines hopeing they will reach you in safety -- I have written to you every month since I was captured the 5th of May, last & have seen hard times since, but now hopeing the scene may soon change, for we all look for an exchange of most if not all of the Prisinors that are here -- God knows I hope so... for I am tired of (Cecesia) I have been a Prisnor 6 months & 9 days & I think that will do for this time, but I must change the subject .. I have not heard from any of my Friends since the last letter I got from you, about the 28th of April, last, but hope you & Little Charlie are well to all the rest of my friends at home, hope you have not suffer'd for Provisions or Clothing & not let my absents trouble you to much. I am here & shall get out some time & hope that will be soon, but don't know -- if you want any money write to Martin if he is alive for that he is oweing me, it is nine dollars & a half that will help you some; do that you think is for the best as it regards our affairs perhaps you had better sell the cow if hay is dear, there will be some money due me when I get out & get into our lines: & I think that I shall get a furloe & get home to see you & C -- I think there is no use of your trying to get a letter to me for it will never be delivered to me if it should come here -- my health has been good since here but am rather poor but will soon recruit up when I get to our lines, & will come & see you & the rest of the folks So good by
Yours affectionately C.H. Knox
(Spelling and grammatical errors are included as written in letter)
In this letter, the prisoner was writing to his wife showing his optimism about the war and its outcome. It shows while the prisons were harsh, some prisoners were able to get out alive and generally healthy. The letter demonstrates the overall hope towards the end of the war.
http://stuofdoom.com/main/?tag=prison
This room from a prison camp shows the conditions that the prisoners had to stay in. The beds, in the camps that had them, were flat wood with few or no blankets. Many camps didnt even have buildings like this one and were just tents in a field. The lack of furniture and cramped sleeping spaces were common in almost all prisons since no one wanted to use their resources on the prisoners.
This room from a prison camp shows the conditions that the prisoners had to stay in. The beds, in the camps that had them, were flat wood with few or no blankets. Many camps didnt even have buildings like this one and were just tents in a field. The lack of furniture and cramped sleeping spaces were common in almost all prisons since no one wanted to use their resources on the prisoners.