by Kathy Cannon Wiechman
(Kathy’s A to Z posts are tidbits of
fact gleaned from her research for her historical-fiction novel LIKE A RIVER.)
When
Andersonville prison camp was first
constructed, it contained a branch of Sweetwater Creek. That creek was to be
used by the prisoners for their every need: drinking, bathing, washing clothes
and cooking utensils—and waste.
Wood
“sinks” were built along one edge of the creek for men to empty their bowels
directly into what was also the source of their drinking water. Before long,
the stream became a contaminated, foul-smelling swamp that attracted flies by
day and mosquitoes at night. The diseases spread throughout the camp from this
creek were innumerable.
In
August, 1864, a torrential downpour flooded the creek, which made matters
worse—for a time.
When
the flood water receded, it revealed a spring which bubbled from an underground
aquifer too deep to have been contaminated by the stream. The prisoners
proclaimed the water was clean and tasted sweeter than any water they had
tasted in a long time.
But the spring sat on the wrong side of the
dead line (see post for D). After contriving ways to reach the water with
buckets tied to poles, some prisoners felt clean water was worth risking their
lives for. Eventually, they were allowed to dig a reservoir for the spring to
flow into, and men could drink clean water without fear of being shot.
The spring, which many attributed to a
divine hand, was named Providence Spring. It still flows at the site of the
prison. However the water is no longer safe to drink.
The first part of the story is disgusting.
ReplyDeleteIronic the water can't be consumed now.
Yes, it was disgusting. But reading about it is far better than having lived it. And ironic indeed.
DeleteVery interesting post. The details that we find when we dig for our stories!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carol. Research can unearth some unbelievable truths. Our ancestors survived real horrors.
DeleteYikes. This is quite a post to enter on! I was totally captivated by the story and have about 50 questions, like where was this, and when, and what is your book about??? Guess I'll have to stick around here for a while ;)
ReplyDeleteSo glad you came by, Liz. LIKE A RIVER is a different kind of Civil War tale, that focuses on things other than well-known battles. The prison mentioned was built near Andersonville, GA, in 1864. The book follows 2 different Union soldiers, and offers a number of surprises. I hope you'll read it when it comes out next year.
DeleteI have heard that more Civil War soldiers died of dysentery than from wounds.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about dysentery alone, but disease in general caused more deaths than battles. It's a staggering statistic. Thanks, Ann.
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