The Andersonville National Historic Site, already a gutwrenchingly moving testament to the rigors of the Civil War, takes on a new role on Sept. 19th as the setting for a one-of-a-kind funeral.
The "Funeral for 13,000" is an acknowledgment of the more than 12,900 United States soldiers who died at the southwest Georgia facility during its fourteen months of operation as a Confederate prison. They mostly succumbed to battlefield wounds, disease or hunger while being held there and were buried in long trenches that became the foundation for the Andersonville National Cemetery. Today, Andersonville National Historic Site is operated by the National Park Service and comprises three distinct components: the former site of Camp Sumter military prison, the Andersonville National Cemetery, and the National Prisoner of War Museum, which opened in 1998 to honor all U.S. prisoners of war in all wars.
This month not only marks the conclusion of the 150th anniverary of the historic site; the third Friday in September is also National POW/MIA Recognition Day. The solemn funeral service at 1 p.m. on Saturday is part of a three-day special event weekend taking place Sept. 18th-20th at Andersonville, dedicated to exploring "the stories of survival and sacrifice by United States service members during the Civil War and today."
All programs are free and open to the public. Additional information and a complete schedule of events is available on the Andersonville web site.
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