So far I have not seen any evidence of a deputation from the Savannah prisoners to President Lincoln; a Democrat paper made political use of the undoubted suffering of prisoners of war.
From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in October 1864:
The Cry of the Prisoners.
The Federal prisoners held at Savannah Georgia, met on the 28th of September and passed a series of resolutions, which they directed to be sent to the President, in the hope he might take speedy steps for their parole or exchange.
They say TEN THOUSAND of their brave comrades have died, for want of sufficient food and medical care, and owing to the change of climate. They say “this is not caused intentionally by the Confederate Government, but by the force of circumstances.” They speak of insufficient clothing, and the dread of approaching winter. They conclude by saying that they “are not willing to suffer to further the ends of any party or clique, to the detriment of our families or country.”
This wail of the captive will fall dead on the callous ears of LINCOLN. He even refused to give audience to a deputation from them, imploring him to renew the system of exchanges recently arrested by him. – Show him a chance to get a Presidential vote and he will jump at it! But he cares for nothing else! – Argus,
You can read an overview of Georgia Civil War prisons at the New Georgia Encyclopedia. The New-York Times of December 17, 1864 lists Union prisoners who died at the Savannah prison hospitals between September 12th and November 14th 1864.
Robert Knox Sneden, who drew the map in today’s post spent about a month at Savannah between Andersonville and Camp Lawton in Millen, Georgia[1], as General Sherman’s Union army continued its campaign in the state.
a temporary lockup in savannah
- [1]Sneden, Robert Knox. Eye of the Storm: A Civil War Odyssey. New York: The Free Press, 2000. Print. pages 258-260.↩
