Collection: Osher Map Library Collection

Name: Andersonville Prison Camp Sumter, Ga. as it appeared August 1st, 1864 when it contained 35,000 prisoners of war drawn from memory by Thomas O'Dea, late Private Co. E 16th Regt. Maine Inf. Vols.

Barcode: 56198

Image Number: 56198.0001

Creator: O'Dea, Thomas

Publishing Location: New York

Notes: Click here to view a detailed discussion of this map in our blog.

Brief Description: Lithographic print taken from a drawing of Andersonville Prison drawn by Thomas O'Dea who took six years to draw the panoramic view from memory. A central large and detailed view is surrounded by 18 marginal vignettes including a portrait of O'Dea. The vignettes are scenes of the everyday existence of the prisoners behind a heavily guarded stockade fence with little shelter, food shortages and no clean water. The prison was hastily constructed in early 1864 and was to house around 10,000 prisoners. Because prisoner exchanges had been suspended, the prison population grew to 35,000. Of that number around 13,000 died in the year that the prison was open. O'Dea illustrates the terrible conditions of lack of shelter showing how overcrowded the prison was. Included is a numbered key to prison and vicinity and another for the marginal illustrations. Andersonville was liberated in May, 1865. Henry Wirz, the commandant was tried and found guilty of conspiracy and murder and was hanged in November, 1865. The drawing was lithographed by the firm Henry Seibert & Bros. and engraved by illustrator and artist Thomas J. Shepherd Landis.

Date/Date Range Published: 1885

Language: English

Region Depicted: Andersonville, Georgia

Map Type: Panoramas

Dimensions: 98 x 152 cm

Printing Process: Lithograph

Historical Context: Civil War era. From 1864-1865 most prisons on either side of the war were overcrowded because there was no prisoner exchange.

LC Call Number: G3924.A43:2A6 1885 O63

OCLC: 1268549393

Accession Number: OML-1885-73

Subjects: Civil WarPrisoners

Permanent URL: https://oshermaps.org/map/56198.0001