Thomasville in Thomas County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Civil War Prison Camp
Photographed By David Seibert, January 10, 2005
1. Civil War Prison Camp Marker
Confederate authorities, fearing a raid on Andersonville by Sherman’s marching army, chose Thomasville as a safe, temporary prison camp. Five thousand Federal prisoners were brought here on the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad Line via Blackshear in the second week of December 1864. Colonel Henry Forno commanded the 2nd and 4th Georgia Reserves and the prison camp. The camp was a five acre square bounded by a ditch six to eight feet deep, ten to twelve feet wide. Several hundred prisoners died of smallpox, typhoid fever, diarrhea, and a few from trees felled for firewood and shelter. Some sick prisoners were cared for at the Methodist Church and at Fletcher Institute. The dead were buried in the Methodist Cemetery. Local citizens helped the sick and provided prisoners with food. With Sherman settled at Savannah the emergency camp at Thomasville closed. The prisoners were marched sixty miles to Albany and entrained for Andersonville where they arrived on December 24, 1864.
Erected by Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the City of Thomasville. (Marker Number 136-5.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Georgia Historical Society series list. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1864.
Location.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. First Black Graduate of West Point (approx. ¾ mile away); Thomas County Confederate Monument (approx. 0.9 miles away); Thomas County Honors African-American Leaders (approx. 0.9 miles away); Thomas County (approx. 0.9 miles away); Old Post Office (approx. one mile away); The Big Oak (approx. one mile away); Flowers Baking Company (approx. 1.1 miles away); The Plaza Restaurant (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Thomasville.
Also see . . . Civil War Prisons. New Georgia Encyclopedia website entry:
Offers some additional information about the prison in Thomasville, and covers many other prisons in Georgia. (Submitted on December 28, 2008, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia.)
Photographed By David Seibert, January 10, 2005
2. Civil War Prison Camp Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 28, 2008, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. This page has been viewed 4,419 times since then and 22 times this year. Last updated on May 3, 2015, by Mike Camero of Edwardsville, Illinois. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 28, 2008, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
