Part 8/10:

In northern prisons like Elmira, conditions were similarly grim. Initially designed for 4,000 prisoners, Elmira held over 12,000 at one point. The severe winter conditions further complicated life inside, leading to increased mortality.

The Toll of Deprivation

The personal narratives from these prisons reveal the grim reality of POW life. Daily rations were often insufficient, and accounts of prisoners scavenging for food testify to the desperate conditions. One soldier shared his experiences at Andersonville, recounting meager meals composed of worm-infested hardtack and tainted cornmeal. Others wrote of the brutal competition for scraps, depicting a survival instinct that drove men to unspeakable actions.