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(7-01) Reconstructed North
Gate, top left, and Providence Spring House, right center. The view is
looking east toward the center of the prison |
(7-01)
Providence Spring House. NPS Tour Guide: The Woman's
Relief Corps, the national auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic,
built the Providence Spring House in 1901 to mark the site where, on August
9, 1864, a spring burst forth during a heavy summer rainstorm--an occurrence
many prisoners attributed to Divine Providence |
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(7-01) South Gate of stockade, view looking northeast. NPS Tour Guide (Dead House): The men who died in the stockade were removed to a small structure built of tree branches outside the South Gate |
(7-01)
The Star Fort, view looking west. Site Marker (The Star
Fort): Within this stronghold stood the offices of the post commander
and the prison commandant. Post and headquarters were symbols of power, but
the fully enclosed earthworks also reflect the authorities besieged state of
mind. Hampered by supply shortages and a constant influx of new prisoners,
Confederates here were responsible for operating a prison camp under
conditions they could hardly control. Four of the Star Fort's guns were
trained outward to repel Union cavalry raids. The other five cannon were
aimed toward the north slope of the prison camp. Tour Guide: This
earthwork, along with several others around the perimeter of the stockade,
was constructed to quell disturbances inside the prison and to guard against
Union cavalry attacks |
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