West from the south gate Gen. Winder had his head-quarters, also the guard house and Wirz’ quarters.
About a quarter of a mile north of the stockade was the cemetery, then a sandy barren, with occasional jack pine growing.
I have now given the reader a general description of the Prison Pen, or Stockade, of Andersonville, as seen from the outside.
I will now attempt to give a view of the inside, as seen during five months confinement.
Upon our arrival at Andersonville on the 22d of April, we were halted at Gen. Winder’s quarters and registered by name, rank, company, and regiment. I will give the reader the form as written, in the case of one of my tent mates who died at Charleston, S. C. the following October.
George W. Rouse, Co. D. 10th Wisconsin Inf.—16-3.
Which meant that he was assigned to the 3d company and 16 detachment.
Wirz had originated a very clumsy and unmilitary organization of the prisoners. He had organized them into companies of ninety men and assigned three companies to a detachment. At the head of these companies and detachments was a sergeant. For convenience in dividing rations, we subdivided these companies into squads, or messes, each mess electing their own sergeant. As at Richmond and Danville I was elected sergeant of my mess at Andersonville.
We were marched into the north gate and assigned grounds on the east side of the prison, next to the Dead-line, and near the swamp on the north side.
We were not subjected to the searching process at Winder’s head-quarters, as most of the prisoners were. I suppose we were not a promising looking crowd. Had we been searched, the rebs would have found nothing but rags and graybacks.