Georgia, Andersonville Prison Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
Camp Sumter or Andersonville was built beginning in 1864 and was in operation just over a year. During that time 45,000 Union soldiers were imprisoned with close to 13,000 deaths. This collection contains images of records of Federal (Union) prisoners of war confined at Andersonville prison 1864-1865. The collection consists of prison hospital admissions, death and burial records, registers of prison departures, prisoner claims for reimbursements, and consolidated monthly reports. This collection is NARA microfilm publication M1303 and is from Record Group 249 Records of the Commissary General of Prisoners.

Record Content
The records generally include the following:


 * Name of prisoner
 * Date of entry in the report, list, or ledger
 * Reason for entry in the repost, list, or ledger

Depending on the list, the following information may also be included:


 * Birth date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Burial date and place
 * Cause of death
 * Age
 * Physical description
 * Names of relatives or friends
 * Enlistment date and place
 * Last residence prior to enlistment
 * Monies exchanged
 * Release or transfer date

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know:


 * The full name of the soldier
 * Identifying information such as age, birth, or death date.

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Document Type" ⇒Select the "Volume, description, date, and range" which takes you to the images

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. This information will often lead you to other records. For example:


 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the prior residence, enlistment place, or place of birth to locate census, church, and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Death dates may lead to death certificates, mortuary, or burial records.
 * Place of enlistment or previous residence may lead to other military or pension records. Be aware that Confederate pensions were awarded by the individual states.
 * Prisoners who enlisted in the United States military may have service records or pensions from the United States.
 * Compile a list of other prisoners with the same surname. If the surname is uncommon, they may be relatives.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * If you are unable to find your ancestor, look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.

Related Websites
National Park Service Documenting Prisoners of War held at Andersonville Civil War Prisoners

Related Wiki Articles

 * Union Prisoner of War Records
 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation