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Escape from Andersonville!

Re: Escape from Andersonville!

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 8:01AM GMT
Classification: Query
When the war ended depends on ones definition. I happen to go by the capture of Jefferson Davis which was on May 9 1865. Most people go by when Robert E. Lee surrendered which was April 9 1865. Either way the war was going on strong July 1864. The long awaited transfer of the majority of prisoners from Andersonville to Millen and other stockades throughout the south began September 5 1864. Although Millen ( Camp Lawton ) was twice the size of Andersonville and was a walled stockade, it was only open for a few weeks and was abandoned in just a day or so as Shermans march was crossing the state and Millen was in his path. 784 prisoners died at Millen and when Sherman arrived the stockade and all structures were burned to the ground being lost to history until just last year when archilogist discovered a large amount of small arifacts as well as through digs found remains of the stockade walls at one corner. These digs continue at Magnolia Springs state park at Millen. It was during the fast removal of prisoners from Millen that I believe the majority of escapes happened while being transfered to the other stockades. Prisoners were being shuffled around from that time until the end of the war between stockades at Salisbury NC, CHarleston SC, Florence SC, Blackshire Georgia, and Thomasville to mention a few. Several thousand were brought back to Andersonville until the numbers dwindled down to less than 100 by April 21 1865.
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