Case-D

Chronicling Andersonville Prison Camp

These documents were all prepared by Thomas M. Seaton, a pharmacy student enlisted in the 18th Illinois Infantry Regiment and captive at the infamous Andersonville prisoner of war (POW) camp. Due to dwindling supplies and the breakdown of the Civil War prisoner exchange system, the camp became a hellscape of disease and malnourishment. It ultimately claimed the lives of 45,000 U. S. soldiers.

Seaton’s capture probably occurred at the battle of Chickamauga in September 1863.

He attempted to escape from Andersonville in December 1864 but was tracked down by hounds after two days. As a POW, Seaton compiled a record of all the Illinoisans who died in the camp. The documents here are from an alphabetical list of casualties he personally compiled and a monthly death tally he appears to have kept in real time. In total, Seaton chronicles 874 Illinoisans who perished in these horrible conditions.