Georgia, Andersonville Prison Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection contains images of records of Federal (Union) prisoners of war confined at Andersonville prison 1864-1865. The collection consists of prison hospital admissions, death and burial records, registers of prison departures, prisoner claims for reimbursements, and consolidated monthly reports. This collection is NARA microfilm publication M1303 and is from Record Group 249 Records of the Commissary General of Prisoners.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts in these records. However, they generally include the following:


 * Name of prisoner
 * Date of entry in the report, list, or ledger
 * Reason for entry in the repost, list, or ledger

Depending on the list, the following information may also be included:


 * Birth date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Burial date and place
 * Cause of death
 * Age
 * Physical description
 * Names of relatives or friends
 * Enlistment date and place
 * Last residence prior to enlistment
 * Monies exchanged
 * Release or transfer date

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know the full name of the soldier and some other identifying information such as age, birth, or death date.

If you are having difficulty finding your ancestor, look for variations in the spelling of the name. If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names. You may also want to search the records of other prisons.

Compare the information in the record to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. This information will often lead you to other records.

For example:


 * Death dates may lead to death certificates, mortuary, or burial records.
 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the prior residence, enlistment place, or place of birth to locate census, church, and land records.
 * Place of enlistment or previous residence may lead to other military or pension records. Be aware that Confederate pensions were awarded by the individual states.
 * Prisoners who enlisted in the United States military may have service records or pensions from the United States.

You may also find these search tips helpful:


 * Compile a list of other prisoners with the same surname. If the surname is uncommon, they may be relatives.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Related Websites

 * Union and Confederate Prisoner of War Camps

Related Wiki Articles

 * Union Prisoner of War Records
 * United States Civil War
 * United States Civil War, 1861-1865
 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865, Part 2

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
“Argentina, Buenos Aires, Catholic Church Records, 1635-1981,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 28 February, 2012), La Plata &gt; San Ponciano &gt; Matrimonios 1884-1886 &gt; image 71 of 389 images, Artemio Avendano and Clemtina Peralta, 1884; citing Parroquia de San Ponciano en la Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Matrimonios. San Ponciano, La Plata.