The conditions for prisoners at Andersonville Prison were dire and marked by extreme overcrowding, rampant disease, and severe shortages of food and water. The prison was designed to hold approximately 10,000 men, but at its peak, it housed over 32,000 Union soldiers. This overcrowding led to unsanitary living conditions, as prisoners were forced to live in overcrowded barracks or outdoors in makeshift shelters, exposing them to the elements and further increasing the spread of disease.
Disease was rampant at Andersonville, with infections such as dysentery, scurvy, and smallpox running through the population. The lack of proper medical care, combined with the unsanitary conditions, meant that many inmates suffered and died from illnesses that could have been treated under better circumstances. The high death rate, which reached over 13,000 men during the prison's operation, was a grim testament to the impact of these health crises.
Food and water supply were also critically inadequate. Prisoners often received meager rations that consisted mainly of cornmeal, with occasional meat or beans, which was insufficient to sustain them. The quality of the food was poor, leading to malnutrition and further health complications. Water was another serious issue; the prison was located near a swamp, and the water supply was often contaminated, making it unsafe for drinking. As a result, many prisoners had to resort to drinking from unsanitary sources, which exacerbated the spread of disease and contributed to the high mortality rate. Overall, the combination of these factors created a hellish environment that made survival a daily struggle for those imprisoned at Andersonville.