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design of instituting a series of inquiries upon the nature and causes of
the prevailing diseases。 Smallpox had appeared among the prisoners； and
I believed that this would prove an admirable field for the establishment
of its characteristic lesions。 The condition of Peyer's glands in this
disease was considered as worthy of minute investigation。 It was
believed that a large body of men from the Northern portion of the United
States； suddenly transported to a warm Southern climate； and confined
upon a small portion of land； would furnish an excellent field for the
investigation of the relations of typhus； typhoid； and malarial fevers。
The Surgeon General of the Confederate States of America furnished me
with the following letter of introduction to the Surgeon in charge of the
Confederate States Military Prison at Andersonville； Ga。：
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA；
SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE； RICHMOND； VA。；
August 6； 1864。
SIR：The field of pathological investigations afforded by the large
collection of Federal prisoners in Georgia； is of great extant and
importance； and it is believed that results of value to the profession
may be obtained by careful investigation of the effects of disease upon
the large body of men subjected to a decided change of climate and those
circumstances peculiar to prison life。 The Surgeon in charge of the
hospital for Federal prisoners； together with his assistants； will afford
every facility to Surgeon Joseph Jones； in the prosecution of the labors
ordered by the Surgeon General。 Efficient assistance must be rendered
Surgeon Jones by the medical officers； not only in his examinations into
the causes and symptoms of the various diseases； but especially in the
arduous labors of post mortem examinations。
The medical officers will assist in the performance of such post…mortems
as Surgeon Jones may indicate； in order that this great field for
pathological investigation may be explored for the benefit of the Medical
Department of the Confederate Army。
S。 P。 MOORE； Surgeon General。
Surgeon ISAIAH H。 WHITE；
In charge of Hospital for Federal prisoners； Andersonville； Ga。
In compliance with this letter of the Surgeon General； Isaiah H。 White；
Chief Surgeon of the post； and R。 R。 Stevenson； Surgeon in charge of the
Prison Hospital； afforded the necessary facilities for the prosecution of
my investigations among the sick outside of the Stockade。 After the
completion of my labors in the military prison hospital； the following
communication was addressed to Brigadier General John H。 Winder； in
consequence of the refusal on the part of the commandant of the interior
of the Confederate States Military Prison to admit me within the Stockade
upon the order of the Surgeon General：
CAMP SUMTER； ANDERSONVILLE GA。；
September 16； 1864。
GENERAL：I respectfully request the commandant of the post of
Andersonville to grant me permission and to furnish the necessary pass
to visit the sick and medical officers within the Stockade of the
Confederate States Prison。 I desire to institute certain inquiries
ordered by the Surgeon General。 Surgeon Isaiah H。 White； Chief Surgeon
of the post； and Surgeon R。 R。 Stevenson； in charge of the Prison
Hospital； have afforded me every facility for the prosecution of my
labors among the sick outside of the Stockade。
Very respectfully； your obedient servant；
JOSEPH JONES； Surgeon P。 A。 C。 S。
Brigadier General JOHN H。 WINDER；
Commandant； Post Andersonville。
In the absence of General Winder from the post； Captain Winder furnished
the following order：
CAMP SUMTER； ANDERSONVILLE；
September 17； 1864。
CAPTAIN：You will permit Surgeon Joseph Jones； who has orders from the
Surgeon General； to visit the sick within the Stockade that are under
medical treatment。 Surgeon Jones is ordered to make certain
investigations which may prove useful to his profession。 By direction of
General Winder。
Very respectfully；
W。 S。 WINDER； A。 A。 G。
Captain H。 WIRZ； Commanding Prison。
Description of the Confederate States Military Prison Hospital at
Andersonville。 Number of prisoners； physical condition； food；
clothing； habits； moral condition； diseases。
The Confederate Military Prison at Andersonville； Ga。； consists of a
strong Stockade； twenty feet in height； enclosing twenty…seven acres。
The Stockade is formed of strong pine logs； firmly planted in the ground。
The main Stockade is surrounded by two other similar rows of pine logs；
the middle Stockade being sixteen feet high； and the outer twelve feet。
These are intended for offense and defense。 If the inner Stockade should
at any time be forced by the prisoners； the second forms another line of
defense； while in case of an attempt to deliver the prisoners by a force
operating upon the exterior； the outer line forms an admirable protection
to the Confederate troops； and a most formidable obstacle to cavalry or
infantry。 The four angles of the outer line are strengthened by
earthworks upon commanding eminences； from which the cannon； in case of
an outbreak among the prisoners； may sweep the entire enclosure； and it
was designed to connect these works by a line of rifle pits； running zig…
zag； around the outer Stockade； those rifle pits have never been
completed。 The ground enclosed by the innermost Stockade lies in the
form of a parallelogram； the larger diameter running almost due north and
south。 This space includes the northern and southern opposing sides of
two hills； between which a stream of water runs from west to east。
The surface soil of these hills is composed chiefly of sand with varying
admixtures of clay and oxide of iron。 The clay is sufficiently tenacious
to give a considerable degree of consistency to the soil。 The internal
structure of the hills； as revealed by the deep wells； is similar to that
already described。 The alternate layers of clay and sand； as well as the
oxide of iron； which forms in its various combinations a cement to the
sand； allow of extensive tunneling。 The prisoners not only constructed
numerous dirt huts with balls of clay and sand； taken from the wells
which they have excavated all over those hills； but they have also； in
some cases； tunneled extensively from these wells。 The lower portions of
these hills； bordering on the stream； are wet and boggy from the constant
oozing of water。 The Stockade was built originally to accommodate only
ten thousand prisoners； and included at first seventeen acres。 Near the
close of the month of June the area was enlarged by the addition of ten
acres。 The ground added was situated on the northern slope of the
largest hill。
The average number of square feet of ground to each prisoner in August
1864： 35。7
Within the circumscribed area of the Stockade the Federal