Andersonville and Freedman's Bureau

Andersonville:

Throughout the war, many prisoners were taken hostage and tortured. One of the most famous prisons in the South was Andersonville. The camp was held in Andersonville, Georgia and was also known as Camp Sumter. It was built in 1864 when Confederate generals wanted to move their prison camp to a location that contained more food and better security. The camp started as a prison in February 1864, bringing in 400 soldiers each day. It was designed for 10,000 prisoners but held 30,000. Prisoners living at the prison camp suffered from swarms of insects, filth, and disease generates by the contaminated water supply. The critics were confused that the confederate government could not find enough supplies to move prisoners far away. The living space for the prisoners was in horrible condition. The small stream where they got their water was polluted, inmates didn't treat one another well, and gangs formed for protection. The prisoners slept in "shebangs" which were crude dwellings made from various items. Prisoners showed compassion by sharing their "shebangs" and caring for the sick. Captives attempted to be clean by using sand as soap to clean their clothes. With a large number of prisoners located at the camp, many guards were needed. Henry Wirz was one of those guards who was received as hostile and was a primary target for prisoners. Wirz was sentenced to death and hung in a courtyard because of war crimes. He was the only person tried and executed for war crimes during the Civil War. In August 1864, the prison's population decreased because as Sherman marched closer, the commanders transferred the prisoners in fear of an attack. When the infantry left, the GA militia took over and attempted to maintain control by creating a line consisting of weapons separating prisoners and guards. When the war ended Andersonville became a cemetery and a memorial. Andersonville is currently a state park which is still located in Georgia.

Freedman's Bureau:

In the year of 1865, Freedman's Bureau was created. Freedman's Bureau was an organization formed by Radical Republicans with the goal of helping to protect the rights of freed blacks. Missionaries associated with the Bureau started schools with the assistance of northern school teachers. The Bureau's task was to "help the Southern blacks and whites make the transition from slavery to freedom." (www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_freed.html)
The Bureau also settled arguments between white landowners and their black labor force, and granted justice for blacks in court. In 1866, President Andrew Johnston vetoed the Bureau's congressional bill because he thought it was unconstitutional. But Congress ended up passing a bill over his veto. Freedman's Bureau accomplished down of their goals including whites allowing blacks to set up their own church congregations with Bureau resources. But sadly, its staff was cut in 1869 and it stopped operations in 1872.