The Raiders' Graves

The Raiders' Graves. . , These six graves were deliberately set apart; these six prisoners were buried with dishonor., Only enlisted soldiers were buried at Andersonville. With no Union officers to maintain order, life in the pen became anarchy. A gang known as the Raiders roamed the prison yard, bullying, robbing, and even murdering other prisoners. Eventually, with the blessing of Commandant Wirz, the prisoners formed a police squad called the Regulators, arrested the Raiders, and tried and hanged the six ringleaders., "Raiders took $170.00 from Dowd, he was badly cut up, but finally got away and reached the gate, and reported to Capt. Wirz, who came up with him and demanded that the robbers should be given up under penalty of no rations for one week." , Eugene Forbes, 4th New Jersey Cavalry , June 29, 1864, The names on these headstones may not be accurate. Several of the Raiders were deserters who re-enlisted under aliases., (caption) , Before their execution, the six Raider leaders were court-martialed by their peers. Confederates provided lumber for the gallows, which was erected near the prison's South Gate. The remaining Raiders were forced to run a gauntlet formed by their fellow prisoners.