The War's First Prisons
In the beginning of the Civil War, there was no formal exchange system, and occasionally, prisoners were released if they took an oath of honor not to return to battle. Both sides were also desperate for space; captured soldiers were housed in factories, warehouses, military barracks, jails, and schools. As the number of prisoners increased, camps were built specifically as prisons. The 1,620 feet long and 779 feet wide Andersonville stockade was built in 1864 in Andersonville, GA, using slave labor.
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