'Prison Life in Andersonville' Summary

Prison Life in Andersonville by John Levi Maile is a firsthand account of the horrors of the Andersonville Prison Camp during the Civil War. Maile was a Union soldier who was imprisoned at Andersonville for over a year, and his book provides a vivid and harrowing description of the conditions in the camp.

Andersonville was a Confederate prison camp located in Sumter County, Georgia. It was opened in February 1864 and closed in April 1865. During its operation, Andersonville held over 45,000 Union prisoners of war, and over 13,000 of them died. The camp was notorious for its overcrowding, lack of food and water, and rampant disease.

Maile's book begins with his capture by Confederate forces in July 1864. He is taken to Andersonville, where he is immediately struck by the squalid conditions. The camp is overcrowded, with prisoners packed tightly together in a fenced-in area. There is little food or water, and disease is rampant.

Maile describes the daily struggles of the prisoners to survive. They are constantly hungry and thirsty, and they are plagued by disease. The Confederate guards are brutal, and they often beat and mistreat the prisoners.

Despite the hardships, Maile and his fellow prisoners maintain a sense of hope and resilience. They support each other and work together to survive. Maile also finds solace in his faith, which helps him through the darkest of times.

Maile is eventually released from Andersonville in April 1865, just days before the end of the war. He returns home a changed man, but he is determined to share his story with the world. He writes Prison Life in Andersonville to expose the horrors of Andersonville and to hold the Confederacy accountable for its treatment of prisoners of war.

Prison Life in Andersonville is a difficult book to read, but it is an important one. It is a reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of holding governments accountable for their actions. It is also a testament to the power of the human spirit to overcome even the most difficult challenges.