On 14 Jun 1865. the Janesville Gazette of Janesville, Wisconsin, published a list of Wisconsin soldiers who were buried at Andersonville, based on Confederate records. The compiler of the list, Henry F. Lines of Headquarters Cavalry Corps, M.D.M., Macon, Georgia, stated that he knew that the list was incomplete and erroneous, but it was the best information available at present.

The Wisconsin Adjutant General's office added a note to the list agreeing that some of the information was incorrect but concurring that the list needed to be published. C.P. Tucker's name appears in the list, but details, including rank and date of death, do not agree with the official lists of Andersonville deaths and burials released later.

The outrage of the treatment and burials Union soldiers received was keenly felt and clearly expressed by Lines. I quote from his letter attached to the list:

"…[T]hat mistakes should be made is natural. I merely send it to you as it is, thinking that there may be no better opportunity, and that Wisconsin should have a record of her sons who have starved to death in that abominable hole prepared for their reception by the chivalry of the south -- the Prison Pen at Andersonville.

"The prison was established in February or March 1864, but does not seem to have received any prisoners until April. There were about 5,000 in prison up to the middle of April, 1865, when they were removed to Florida upon Gen. Wilson's approach. They have since been exchanged.

"The largest number ever together at one time in prison was on August 9th, 1864 -- 33,006. August can boast too of having had the most deaths of any one month -- 2992. Most on any one day, August 23, 1864 -- 127. [Note: Charles P. Tucker died on August 20, 1864, according to some records, or on July 16,1864, according to others .]

"The Hospital Register shows 12,848 souls to have been buried in all; though the graves number 12,940. Our soldiers were buried like carrion; a long ditch 3 feet by 6-1/2 wide was made, in which the chivalrous southrons placed them without a sign of a coffin, on their sides, so that each soldier occupied just about one foot of the length of the ditch. Thus they were packed and dirt shoveled over and onto their bodies.

"There stand the 12,940 graves an everlasting monument of damning infamy to all who were concerned in the starvation and killing of our soldiers…"

Source: Janesville Daily Gazette (Janesville, Wisconsin), 14 June 1865, Page 2. Viewed on 13 Jan 2014 at http://www.newspapers.com/clip/277308/wisconsinsoldiersburied_at/

This story was added by Genevieve Hill Netz. Write to gnetz51@gmail.com .

Charles P Tucker