Currently, there is much archaeological work being done on Civil War prisons. Not only is work being done at the recently located Camp Lawton in Georgia, but also at Illinois' Camp Douglas in Chicago, Johnson's Island, Ohio and Camp Asylum in Columbia, South Carolina.
Camp Lawton was only open for six weeks and was essentially lost to history. It was hurriedly abandoned with the approach of Union General Sherman's Army on his famous March to the Sea. Ten thousand Union prisoners were held here, most from Andersonville, and between 750 and 1,000 died in that time. Union soldiers were so enraged by finding unburied dead prisoners that they essential destroyed every trace of Camp Lawton.
People knew the general location of the camp, but not its exact spot.
--Old Secesh
No comments:
Post a Comment