Very rare original photo of Andersonville Prison taken by photographer A.J. Riddle, who visited Andersonville in August 1864 and took the only known photographs of the prison during its operation. View is taken from a guard tower along the west wall near the north gate, looking across the entire south end of the prison. Note the three pine trees standing in the southwest corner, as depicted in several prisoner drawings. The creek runs through the center, and Providence Spring, which appeared a few days before this photograph was taken, is just out of the image at bottom right. Note that most shelters are aligned in a north-south orientation in order to provide better shade throughout the day.

Andersonville, or Camp Sumter as it was known officially, held more prisoners at any given time than any of the other Confederate military prisons. It was built in early 1864 after Confederate officials decided to move the large number of Federal prisoners in and around Richmond to a place of greater security and more abundant food. During the 14 months it existed, more than 45,000 Union soldiers were confined here. Of these, almost 13,000 died from disease, poor sanitation, malnutrition, overcrowding, or exposure to the elements.

The prison pen was surrounded by a stockade of hewed pine logs that varied in height from 15 to 17 feet. The pen was originally 16 ½ acres but was enlarged in late June 1864 to enclose 26 ½” acres. Sentry boxes—called “pigeon roosts” by the prisoners—stood at 90-foot intervals along the top of the stockade and there were two entrances on the west side. Inside, about 19 feet from the wall, was the “deadline,” which prisoners were forbidden to cross. The deadline was intended to prevent prisoners from climbing over the stockade or from tunneling under it. It was marked by a simple post and rail fence and guards had orders to shoot any prisoner who crossed the fence, or even reached over it.

Printed inscription on bottom of mount reads, “ENTERED ACCORDING TO AN ACT OF CONGRESS, IN 1865, BY A.J. RIDDLE, IN OFFICE OF DIST. COURT OF U.S. FOR SOUTH’N DIST. OF N.Y. / ANDERSONVILLE PRISON, GEORGIA / NORTH-WEST VIEW OF THE STOCKADE / THIRTY-THREE THOUSAND PRISONERS IN BASTILE AT THE TIME IT WAS TAKEN. / PHOTOGRAPH BY A.J. RIDDLE, AUGUST 17TH, 1864”.

Measures 7” x 9”. Both photo and mount have yellowed with age and show scattered spotting. Image is clear with good contrast.  [SM]

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