Below you will find teaching ideas related to Civil War prisons and prisoners. Civil War: First-Person Narratives of the American South, 1860-1920 This collection chronicles the experiences of southerners from all stations in life -- white and black, rich and poor, including many accounts that relate the common soldier's perspective on the war. Some of these accounts were written by, or about, operatives behind enemy lines and will help readers appreciate the intensity of the sectionalism … [Read more...]
Today in History: Henry Wirz & Andersonville Prison
Today in History–November 9–the Library of Congress features Confederate officer Henry Wirz, executed as a war criminal on this day in 1865. Wirz was the commanding officer in charge of the Confederate prison at Andersonville, Georgia, also known as Camp Sumter. Learn more about Banneker by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access more primary sources and teaching ideas about Wirz, Andersonville and other prisons, and the Civil War. Henry Wriz image … [Read more...]