Andersonville (film)
Encyclopedia
Andersonville is a film directed by John Frankenheimer
about a group of Union
soldiers during the American Civil War
who are captured by the Confederates
and sent to an infamous Confederate prison camp.
The film is loosely based on the diary of John Ransom, a Union soldier imprisoned there. Although certain points of the plot are fabricated, the general conditions of the camp match Ransom's descriptions very accurately, particularly those parts in reference to the administration of the camp by Captain Wirz. His line on escaping prisoners is very similar to the book, "The Flying Dutchman [Wirz] offers to give two at a time twelve hours the start".
", who go around in search of "fresh fish", newly captured soldiers, to victimize and rob. More vicious than the rebel soldiers, these comrades prove to be the most deadly danger of the camp.
Rebel forces run low, so children or older men are used as guards. In one watch tower two child guards, stand alert. A Union soldier offers them money for some corn. He is instructed to step over the fence and approach; this contradicts rules of the camp that forbid any approach even near this line. But reluctantly the soldier steps over the line, and the young rebel soldiers shoot him dead. One yells "I warned him lieutenant".
As the story unfolds some soldiers ally with the band captured at the beginning of the film, and continue working on a tunnel under the wall. Eventually the tunnel is complete, but one man tries to inform the Rebel guards. He is stopped and TT (for tunnel traitor) is cut into his face so everyone would know. As the escape is attempted all goes well until the last man is spotted, and the guards and dogs are unleashed. In a very short time, the soldiers are back in the camp - this time in the stockade. But ultimately punishment ends and life goes on.
The situation with the rogue union soldiers slowly becomes unbearable. After a banjo is stolen one man fights to get it back. Things progressively get worse until one scene when new recruits arrive and one man named Jim decides he has seen enough of the "vultures out to rob and murder the new boys.". He rallies support yelling "WHO, WHO, WHO'S WITH ME." Within minutes hundreds of his fellow comrades are charging the Raider's camp. A massive fight ensues, the confederate soldiers watching as they are powerless to stop it.
In the end the Raiders are caught. Many want them all hanged out right. But upon the insistence of a few, a request for a trial is given to the Confederate commander of the prison camp. A trial ensues, conducted fairly, but which ultimately resulted in the ring leaders of this gang being found guilty and sentenced to hanging. After the death of the troublesome "inmates" life became peaceful, but the cold reality of starvation began to set in. As the film ends, an announcement is made that all the soldiers are free. They are offered transport via a train to wherever they wish. In reality the trains transported the men to another POW camp.
The movie's end coda reads:
In 1864-5, more than 45,000 Union soldiers were imprisoned in Andersonville.
12,912 died there.
The prisoner exchange never happened. The men who walked to the trains were taken to other prisons, where they remained until the war ended.
John Frankenheimer
John Michael Frankenheimer was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films...
about a group of Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
soldiers during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
who are captured by the Confederates
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
and sent to an infamous Confederate prison camp.
The film is loosely based on the diary of John Ransom, a Union soldier imprisoned there. Although certain points of the plot are fabricated, the general conditions of the camp match Ransom's descriptions very accurately, particularly those parts in reference to the administration of the camp by Captain Wirz. His line on escaping prisoners is very similar to the book, "The Flying Dutchman [Wirz] offers to give two at a time twelve hours the start".
Plot
The film begins with a group of Union soldiers being captured and forced to surrender. They are marched to Camp Sumter, near Andersonville, Georgia. When they enter, they discover a former comrade, named Dick Potter, who explains the realities of daily existence in the camp - primarily the lack of shelter, clean water, and regular food supplies. He also states the dangers of a rogue group of Union soldiers, called the " RaidersAndersonville Raiders
The Andersonville Raiders were a band of rogue soldiers held prisoner at the Confederate Andersonville Prison during the American Civil War. Led by their chieftains Charles Curtis, John Sarsfield, Patrick Delaney, Teri Sullivan , William Collins, and A...
", who go around in search of "fresh fish", newly captured soldiers, to victimize and rob. More vicious than the rebel soldiers, these comrades prove to be the most deadly danger of the camp.
Rebel forces run low, so children or older men are used as guards. In one watch tower two child guards, stand alert. A Union soldier offers them money for some corn. He is instructed to step over the fence and approach; this contradicts rules of the camp that forbid any approach even near this line. But reluctantly the soldier steps over the line, and the young rebel soldiers shoot him dead. One yells "I warned him lieutenant".
As the story unfolds some soldiers ally with the band captured at the beginning of the film, and continue working on a tunnel under the wall. Eventually the tunnel is complete, but one man tries to inform the Rebel guards. He is stopped and TT (for tunnel traitor) is cut into his face so everyone would know. As the escape is attempted all goes well until the last man is spotted, and the guards and dogs are unleashed. In a very short time, the soldiers are back in the camp - this time in the stockade. But ultimately punishment ends and life goes on.
The situation with the rogue union soldiers slowly becomes unbearable. After a banjo is stolen one man fights to get it back. Things progressively get worse until one scene when new recruits arrive and one man named Jim decides he has seen enough of the "vultures out to rob and murder the new boys.". He rallies support yelling "WHO, WHO, WHO'S WITH ME." Within minutes hundreds of his fellow comrades are charging the Raider's camp. A massive fight ensues, the confederate soldiers watching as they are powerless to stop it.
In the end the Raiders are caught. Many want them all hanged out right. But upon the insistence of a few, a request for a trial is given to the Confederate commander of the prison camp. A trial ensues, conducted fairly, but which ultimately resulted in the ring leaders of this gang being found guilty and sentenced to hanging. After the death of the troublesome "inmates" life became peaceful, but the cold reality of starvation began to set in. As the film ends, an announcement is made that all the soldiers are free. They are offered transport via a train to wherever they wish. In reality the trains transported the men to another POW camp.
The movie's end coda reads:
In 1864-5, more than 45,000 Union soldiers were imprisoned in Andersonville.
12,912 died there.
The prisoner exchange never happened. The men who walked to the trains were taken to other prisons, where they remained until the war ended.
Cast
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- Ethan - Peter MurnikPeter MurnikPeter Murnik is an American actor known for his various roles in television. Such shows include: JAG, Pensacola: Wings of Gold, Martial Law, and ER. He also had a role in the 1998 movie Hard Rain; where he played Phil....
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