Andersonville in Macon County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Unknown Soldier

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 6, 2021

1. The Unknown Soldier Marker

Inscription. The Union dead in this section did not die in Andersonville prison. Buried in haste on battlefields in central and southwest Georgia, many of these soldiers were never identified. There was no system of military "dog tags" during the Civil War.

A memorial at the north end of the drive honors all the unknowns in this cemetery. Of the 12,920 who died at Andersonville, only 460 have graves marked "unknown U.S. soldier."

"Those who expect to reap the blessings of Freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
—Thomas Paine, 1777

By 1868 more than 800 remains from surrounding counties were disinterred from common graves and brought to Andersonville — the nearest national cemetery — for reburial in pine caskets. The historic photograph shows a similar reinterment in Virginia after the battle of Fredericksburg.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the National Cemeteries series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1868.

Location. 32° 12.245′ N, 84° 7.916′ W. Marker is in Andersonville, Georgia, in Macon County. Marker is on Cemetery Road, half a mile north of Prison Site Road, on the left when traveling

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north. Marker is located on the south side of Andersonville National Cemetery, overlooking unknown soldiers' graves to the west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 760 POW Road, Andersonville GA 31711, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Raiders' Graves (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); In Memory of ... (about 400 feet away); Massive Monuments (about 500 feet away); New York State Monument (about 500 feet away); Memorial to American Former Prisoners of War Stalag XVII-B (about 500 feet away); Grave Markers (about 700 feet away); Prisoner Burials (approx. 0.2 miles away); Andersonville National Cemetery (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Andersonville.

Also see . . . The Story of the Headstones. We are fortunate that a burial record was kept at Camp Sumter (Andersonville Prison) during the camp's operation. We know that Union soldier Dorence Atwater was responsible for recording the names of the dead for several months and others kept it before and after him. The recorders of the dead had little to rely on as they carried out their grim task. Without dog tags they had to depend on others for information; writing the name how it sounded and hoping the regimental and other information was correct. As the Army found out, a lot of it was not. (Submitted on May 13, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 6, 2021

2. The Unknown Soldier Marker

Unknown Interred Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 6, 2021

3. Unknown Interred Memorial

Dedicated
to the memory of
the unknown
interred here
• • •
Oddfellows & Rebekahs
of Georgia

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 6, 2021

4. Unknown Interred Memorial

(located at north end of Andersonville National Cemetery)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 13, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 10, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 265 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 10, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 13, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.