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Andersonville is a small town of just over 300 people near Andersonville National Historic Site in Georgia. It’s basically a block of antique shops, a restaurant, and a museum.
What’s In Town
Among the attractions in town is the Drummer Boy Museum, which we didn’t visit, and a Confederate restaurant serving Southern cuisine. The Drummer Boy Museum is open 9am to 5pm daily and charges an adult admission of US$5 (as of February 2024). There’s also a seven acre pioneer farm with an authentic log cabin. It depicts pioneer life on a one-man farm in the 1800s.
Andersonville Depot
There’s also the historic train depot across the street. It was the arrival point for prisoners headed to Camp Sumter. They had to march a quarter mile from the depot to the prison. It was under renovation when we passed through town, but usually serves as the town office and welcome center.
Wirz Monument
The most important historic site in town is a monument to Captain Henry Wirz, as well as the site of his office nearby. Born in Switzerland, Wirz was a Confederate officer in charge of meals and prisoner work details at Camp Sumter. He recognized the terrible conditions at the camp and petitioned his superiors for more support, but was denied. After the war, Wirz was put on trial for crimes against humanity including cruelty to prisoners and murder.
Out of 160 witnesses, 145 said they never personally saw Wirz kill anyone and only 12 said they witnessed cruelty. One witness claimed he saw Wirz murder a prisoner and it was his testimony that stuck. Even Father Peter Whelan, a Catholic priest who worked with the prisoners, testified on Wirz’s behalf and said he was innocent. Nevertheless, Wirz was controversially sentenced to death. He was hanged in Washington, D.C., on November 10, 1865, and many believe he was a mere scapegoat for what happened at Camp Sumter.
