Discuss The Differences Between The North And South Prison Camps During The Civil War

The differences in living conditions between the Northern and Southern prison camps during the Civil War were vast. In the North, the prison camps were usually better equipped and maintained, with enough shelter, food, and medical care provided to the prisoners. On the other hand, the Southern prison camps are notorious for their horrid conditions. The overcrowding, lack of sanitation, and inadequate provisions led to lots of suffering and high mortality rates among the prisoners. According to Prisoners of Civil War: Treatment in the Hands of Captors, “Though it can be assumed that all Civil War prisons were quite unpleasant, the atrociousness of most other prisons pales in comparison to that of the Confederate camp in Andersonville, Georgia”

The South's diet consisted of beans, cornmeal, and rice in small portions but on some occasions, they would be served uncooked, unsifted pints of cornmeal and be forced to eat it raw or attempt to cook it. Diseases from food in the south consisted of chronic dysentery and scurvy. However, in the North, the food conditions were proper; although the North camps had proper diets the camps still had a death rate of about 16 percent. Prisoners of Civil War: Treatment in the Hands of Captors states, “The vast majority of deaths were due to diseases brought to the camps from elsewhere, such as smallpox” (O’Connor 5). Eventually, all the transferring of prisoners led to a stream of diseases and many of the prisoners' health conditions were fatal or life-threatening. Similar to the comparisons above, the North provided comfortable treatment for their prisoners. They had the freedom to read books and letters received from family, had clubs within the prison, and could even join the Union Army if they chose. In contrast, “the southern prison camps were known for harsh treatment of prisoners, a prime example of this being Andersonville” (O'Connor