Day #137 – Andersonville NHS

Lake Park GA to Cordele GA

Today we were amazed at how quickly we got on the road with this new trailer!  Even though we’re still not organized and had to move lots of stuff to the floor, we were on the road well before deadline. 

We were both white-knuckled for most of the 44 miles from Lake Park to the Cordele KOA.  The trailer swayed whenever a truck or trailer passed us.  Luckily, I packed crunchy things for Kelly to eat - she likes to crunch when she’s nervous.

One bright spot of the trip – we stopped at a rest area for lunch.  We just drove right in to the truck area, pulled out our steps and climbed into our trailer.  We sat at our own table and ate our own sandwiches.  What a treat!

We encountered a lot of traffic heading north.  We thought there had been an accident, but the KOA host informed us that it was “just people travelling north” after Spring Break.  She was quite upset with them. Apparently, this KOA had the misfortune of having the only restroom for miles.  Our host was not interested in being kind to travelers.

After setting up camp, which was ridiculously easy, we headed off to Andersonville National Historic Site (http://www.nps.gov/ande/index.htm).  Camp Sumter (aka Andersonville Prison) was one of the largest Confederate prisons during the Civil War.  While it was in existence for a little over one year, it housed more than 45,000 Union soldiers.  Thousands – nearly 30% - died from disease, malnutrition, overcrowding, and exposure to the elements.  The prison was established at a time when the South’s troops were poorly supplied, so little could be done to relieve the suffering.  The Union prisons were nearly as bad. 

The park also houses the National Prisoner of War Museum.  Through pictures and displays, the exhibits explore the meaning of “POW” and the role of POW camps throughout history, as well as bearing witness to the experiences of American soldiers who became POWs.

Third, the site contains a National Cemetery.

Most national parks have a movie as part of their educational program.  The movie at this site was made up of quotes from prisoners’ diaries, and photographs.  Remember, photography existed during the Civil War period.  The prisoners talked about a small stream that ran through the prison grounds.  Muddy water from the steam was their only source for drinking and washing.  Upstream, it was used as the jailors’ sewer.  The photos clearly showed the overcrowding and lack of shelter – men sat or lay in rows on the open ground, touching on all sides, with no relief. 

We were both affected by what we saw.  While I had seen pictures from World War II and Viet Nam, most of the other exhibits were new to me.  Kelly could not look at the exhibits from the Viet Nam era.  As we walked through the museum, I kept thinking about her service in the Army.  She was so lucky to be stuck in Germany, guarding missiles.  While her service changed her in many ways, she has not added “POW”, with all that means, to her life experience. 

We left the building by the back entrance.  There was a small stream running through the back patio, with sculptures of prisoners.  I began to cry.  Kelly held it together until we got to the truck.  She had been thinking the same thing I had – she was so lucky.

On our way back into town, we stopped by the airport.  The runways were short and the terminal just a small building.  Since Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Carter still live in Plains, it is the beginning and end of their journeys.  In May 1923, Charles Lindbergh bought a plane here and took several flying lessons.