Andersonville diary

This edition of the diary was self-published in 1881 by the author John Ransom. It had first been printed some years earlier in a Michigan newspaper. Many minor printer’s errors...

Dec. 7.—No news of importance. The rebels say a flag of truce boat has arrived at City Point and Commissioner Olds telegraphed for and undoubtedly will agree upon terms for an e...

Jan. 20.—Rebel officers over to-day inspecting us Yanks. Some of the worst looking Arabs in shape of officers I ever saw. Jimmy Devers comes to our tent every night and sits wit...

Feb. 29.—Excitement among the Johnnies—flying around as if the Yankee army were threatening Richmond. Cannot learn what the commotion is, but hope it is something that will bene...

April 8.—We are digging with an old fire shovel at our tunnel. The shovel is a prize; we also use half of canteens, pieces of boards, &c. Its laborious work. A dozen are engaged...

May 12.—Received a few lines from George Hendryx, who again went out to work on the outside last night. Wirtz with a squad of guards is about the camp looking for tunnels. Patro...

June 16.—Old prisoners (some of them) will not credit the fact that there is plenty to eat at the North. They think because we are starved here, that it is so all over. They are...

July 6.—Boiling hot, camp reeking with filth, and no sanitary privileges; men dying off over a hundred and forty per day. Stockade enlarged, taking in eight or ten more acres, g...

July 17.—Cords contracting in my legs and very difficult for me to walk—after going a little ways have to stop and rest and am faint. Am urged by some to go to the hospital but...

Sept. 30.—Am decidedly better and getting quite an appetite but can get nothing but broth, gruel, &c. Mouth very bad. Two or three teeth have come out, and can’t eat any hard fo...

Oct. 31.—Reported that the well prisoners have all left this city for Millen and we go to-night or to-morrow. I am duly installed as nurse, and walk with only one cane. Legs sti...

Nov. 17.—It is now said that the prisoners are being moved down on the coast near Florida. That coincides with my own view, and I think it very probable. Will try and go about t...

DOCTORTOWN STATION, NO. 5, Nov. 30.—Ha! Ha! My boy, you are a prisoner of war again. Once more with a blasted rebel standing guard over me, and it all happened in this wise: Jus...

IN THE WOODS, Dec 13.—How does that sound for a location to date from? Yesterday long toward night our train started from its abiding place and rolled slowly toward its destinat...

Dec. 19.—We are now less than half a mile from Mr. Kimball’s. After dark last night we went to Mrs. Dickinson’s house and partook of a splendid supper. I wrote a paper directed...

Dec. 24.—This diary must soon come to an end. Will fill the few remaining pages and then stop. Co. “I” boys are very kind. They have reduced soldiering to a science. All divided...

As I have said, I wandered about until 12 o’clock, and was then in a worn out condition. Not knowing where to turn or lay my head, I sat down under a tree to rest myself, and as...

The effects of scurvy were manifest on every hand, and in all its various stages, from the muddy pale complexion, pale gums, feeble, languid muscular motions, lowness of spirits...

7th. In this foul atmosphere amputation did not arrest hospital gangrene; the disease almost universally returned. Almost every amputation was followed finally by death, either...

2380 Anderson A 14 K June 23 64 3461 Batchelder Benj 16 C July 17 3664 Baty John 16 C July 19 7306 Brunkissell H 14 D Aug 30 2833 Brennon M 14 B July 3 3224 Burns Jno 7 I July 1...

8402 Adams H F, S’t 17 E Sept 11 64 12430 Adder W 30 C Jan 4 65 3840 Adlet John 119 K July 23 64 8249 Adrian F Cav 9 E Sept 9 5876 Akens C, S’t 78 F Aug 16 8381 Albany D 22 D Se...

571 Allen Jesse, Cor 116 K Apr 15 64 1917 Adkins Geo Cav 6 D June 14 3991 Andrews E L “ 6 K July 26 4270 Anderson D 76 E July 29 5680 Ault J W 40 D Aug 14 6921 Alexander S 93 D...

5560 Allen N 3 K Aug 13 64 8974 Ankobus L. Cor 6 I Sept 17 9472 Ashford A W 11 C Sept 21 11784 Alderman W W 31 F Nov 4 11896 Austin Wm Cav 3 A Nov 7 1293 Bartche C P 5 K May 23...

329 Allen Sam’l S, Cor 13 F April 2 64 674 Alford George Cav 11 B April 22 1575 Anderson S Cav 11 D May 3 3385 Adams J D Cav 1 I July 16 3759 Ashley J M Cav 1 L July 22 4723 All...

2604 Anderson John 19 I June 28 64 3093 Allen A 32 K July 10 7024 Arnold E W 17 G Aug 27 22 Butler C A 3 K Mar 7 269 Brown E M 5 G Mar 31 3953 Buner A E 31 E July 25 6211 Bachel...

11286 Adams I B 16 G Oct 22 64 9561 Adams S B 18 G Sept 23 6360 Akers H H 2 I Aug 21 4290 Aldrich H 36 G July 30 10973 Aldrich H W 27 I Oct 15 5650 Alger W A, Cor 15 D Aug 14 87...

2198 Ayres J B, S’t 22 C June 17 64 2247 Acker J 22 K June 20 2461 Atkinson P 22 C June 22 2576 Anderson George 23 E June 27 3257 Abbott C M 5 E July 13 4947 Ammerman H H 23 A A...

5964 Atkinson Geo 9 F Mar 17 64 6567 Adcock Jas 9 B Mar 23 11977 Abrian G 1 B Nov 12 4224 Becker G 9 E July 29 64 5715 Barnard H A 9 A Aug 15 6630 Buyton M 9 H Aug 23 7841 Brese...

3347 Aaron Thos 2 B July 15 64 3354 Aney G 1 K July 15 4098 Austin D B 2 I July 27 7138 Anderson T 2 E Aug 28 8513 Albright ——, Cor Cav 3 I Sept 12 11389 Alexander W L “ 3 C Oct...

2038 Abbey O, Cor 174 - June 15 64 2141 Abbey W H 85 E June 18 4719 Abel C Art 15 C Aug 4 4612 Aber J 104 I Aug 3 5626 Ackerman Saml 97 K Aug 14 64 Ackheart David 20 A Mar 19 84...

1596 Barker J 2 F June 3 64 849 Briggs Wilson 1 A May 3 275 Callowhill B 2 F Mar 31 475 Cox William C, S’t 2 F Apr 9 864 Check W F, Cor 2 F May 8 144 Dunbar Alex 2 F Mar 22 1057...

12846 Akers J W 4 B Apr 24 65 251 Arthur George 7 B Mar 30 64 789 Arrowsmith W R 45 K Apr 28 1118 Ames George 100 K May 15 1550 Allen W 45 B June 1 1569 Alinger D 51 C June 2 17...

224 Attwood Abr’m C 18 I Mch 29 64 250 Armidster M Cav 4 A Mch 30 468 Ackerman C 8 B April 9 758 Arb Simon Cav 4 C April 27 846 Allbeck G B, S’t 52 F May 3 975 Algert H K 54 F M...

3266 Austin J A, S’t Cav 1 H July 13 64 6231 Allen Chas “ 1 D Aug 21 1744 Boneley Wm “ 1 M June 8 1958 Bidmead Jas “ 1 G June 14 2521 Blake J F “ 1 M June 26 3647 Burk Jas 1 C J...

883 Allen James W 11 B May 4 64 987 Amos F G 2 C May 10 2313 Allison B F Cav 13 D June 22 2631 Andrewson Joseph 2 C June 29 3167 Anderson S Cav 8 B July 11 3194 Aber A “ 7 A Jul...

3975 Averill T E 9 I July 25 64 4579 Adams Dan’l Cav 1 L Aug 2 8301 Albee S, S’t 11 G Sept 9 9960 Atwood A 1 C Sept 28 10664 Aldrich L E, S’t 11 A Oct 11 11259 Aldrich H B Art 1...

824 Anderson A 2 H May 1 64 876 Armstrong, S’t Mil 8 C May 4 942 Ayers S V 11 C May 7 1968 Armstrong G B 8 C June 14 2760 Armhalt W H, Cor 10 I July 1 5011 Armstrong J 3 C Aug 8...

2113 Allwise J R 24 E June 17 64 4477 Austin Isaac 25 G Aug 1 5241 Abbott A, Ser 21 D Aug 10 5453 Allen C P 2 G Aug 12 8692 Adams A F 36 F Sept 14 10830 Adams P 10 A Oct 13 1149...

1798 Anderson A 16 C June 10 64 3666 Atwell Thos, S’t Cav 6 M July 20 4349 Allen Chas 18 H July 31 4537 Aschley D B 16 C Aug 2 6077 Arnold H 18 H Aug 18 6089 Adams G 14 C Aug 18...

2619 Atkinson A, Nepsia June 27 64 4698 Anker Geo, Norman Aug 4 8071 Anderson C, Southfield Sept 7 2919 Bradley Jno, “ July 3 3475 Broderick W July 17 5072 Bowers W H, W Witch A...

Aldrich C S, Cap 85th N Y Vol Austin J W, L’t 5th Iowa Cav Alters J B, Cap 75th O Vol Albaugh Wm, Cap 51st Pa Vol Alger A B, L’t 22d O Bat Avery W B, Cap 132d N Y Vol Allender W...

Eckings T R, L’t 3d N J Vol Henderson J H, L’t 14th Ill Vet Batn Jackson R W, L’t 21st Wis Vol Spafford A C, L’t 41st O Vol Wenrick J E, Cap 19th Penn Cav Young A, L’t 4th Penn Cav