Temporary Thomasville Prison Camp

• L6-8RH2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

• L6-8RH7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

• EQ: Why was Thomasville chosen as a site for a prison camp?

Wolf Street in Thomasville

Thomasville, founded in the 1820s, was a popular health resort town where wealthy Northerners gathered to avoid the yellow fever and malaria epidemics common to lowland areas. Northerners enjoyed the high elevation, southern climate, and fertile land and bought up huge tracts of land and established fabulous plantations. When the Panama Canal was built and the cause of these diseases discovered, Thomasville lost its appeal as these lessons were applied to lowland areas. The beautiful plantations, farms, and homes remain in Thomasville.

During the month of November in 1864, some 5,000 Union Soldiers began arriving by rail along the Atlantic & Gulf Railroad into the small community of Blackshear, Georgia. At the outbreak of the war the town contained just 333 households. Most of the men had gone off to fight in the war, serving in the 50th Georgia Infantry Regiment, 26th Georgia Infantry Regiment, and 4th Georgia Cavalry Regiment, leaving the women and children to manage as best they could.

When these prisoners of war began arriving the citizens were not prepared to handle such overwhelming numbers of starving human beings. Nevertheless, they shared what little they had. Blackshear

Civil War Prison CampRegion: Coastal PlainCounty: Thomas Confederate authorities, fearing a raid on Andersonville by Sherman’s marching army, chose Thomasville as a safe, temporary prison camp. Five thousand Federal prisoners were brought here on the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad Line via Blackshear in the second week of December 1864. Colonel Henry Forno commanded the 2nd and 4th Georgia Reserves and the prison camp. The camp was a five acre square bounded by a ditch six to eight feet deep, ten to twelve feet wide.

26.5 Acres15’ High Blockade

• Andersonville

42 Acres

• Lawton

Several hundred prisoners died of smallpox, typhoid fever, diarrhea, and a few from trees felled for firewood and shelter. Some sick prisoners were cared for at the Methodist Church and at Fletcher Institute. The dead were buried in the Methodist Cemetery. Local citizens helped the sick and provided prisoners with food. With Sherman settled at Savannah the emergency camp at Thomasville closed. The prisoners were marched sixty miles to Albany and entrained for Andersonville where they arrived on December 24, 1864.

Questions

• Why was moving a priority?

• Why was Thomasville Chosen?

• How was this prison different than others?

• How long was this prison in operation?