Blackshear Prison
Encyclopedia
The Pierce County Jail was a temporary prisoner of war camp located in Blackshear, Georgia
, during the American Civil War
.
During Union
Maj. Gen.
William T. Sherman's 1864 "March to the Sea
," Confederate
officials hastily made plans to evacuate a number of existing POW camps and relocate their occupants farther from the Federal army. As Blackshear is deep in southeast Georgia in a pine forest, it was thought to be a safe place for this relocation. The new prison was simply an open camp in a remote place, surrounded by a guardline, including some heavy artillery
pieces. During the month of November in 1864, some 5,000 Union Soldiers began arriving at Blackshear. The first shipment of 600 prisoners arrived by the Atlantic & Gulf Railroad on November 16 from Savannah
. Within a few weeks, the population had swelled to nearly 5,000.
As Sherman approached the coastline, most of the prisoners were further evacuated to Charleston, South Carolina
, and other places. By December, the "corral" at Blackshear was empty of Union prisoners. Approximately 27 Union soldiers were buried in Blackshear until the close of the war, when they were reinterred at Beaufort National Cemetery
, Beaufort, South Carolina
. Their names are unknown.
Blackshear, Georgia
Blackshear is a city in Pierce County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,283 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Pierce County.Blackshear is part of the Waycross Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, 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...
.
During Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
Maj. Gen.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
William T. Sherman's 1864 "March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
," Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
officials hastily made plans to evacuate a number of existing POW camps and relocate their occupants farther from the Federal army. As Blackshear is deep in southeast Georgia in a pine forest, it was thought to be a safe place for this relocation. The new prison was simply an open camp in a remote place, surrounded by a guardline, including some heavy artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
pieces. During the month of November in 1864, some 5,000 Union Soldiers began arriving at Blackshear. The first shipment of 600 prisoners arrived by the Atlantic & Gulf Railroad on November 16 from Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
. Within a few weeks, the population had swelled to nearly 5,000.
As Sherman approached the coastline, most of the prisoners were further evacuated to Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, and other places. By December, the "corral" at Blackshear was empty of Union prisoners. Approximately 27 Union soldiers were buried in Blackshear until the close of the war, when they were reinterred at Beaufort National Cemetery
Beaufort National Cemetery
Beaufort National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Beaufort County, in the city of Beaufort, South Carolina. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 18,511 interments.- History :...
, Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
. Their names are unknown.
- See also:List of Civil War POW Prisons and Camps