Camp Oglethorpe: Macon's Unknown Civil Warprisoner of War Camp, 1862-1864

The history of Camp Oglethorpe is largely overshadowed by that of nearby Camp Sumter in Andersonville, Georgia. It exists primarily as a footnote in the telling of Civil War prison narratives. A comprehensive reckoning reveals a saga that brings to light Camp Oglethorpes decades-long role as a military training ground for Georgias volunteer regiments and as a venue for national agricultural fairs which drew thousands of visitors to Macon. Its proud heritage, however, attracted the attention of leaders of the Confederate government. To the chagrin of Macons citizens, the acreage at the foot of Seventh Street was surreptitiously repurposed in 1862 and 1864. Although conditions at Camp Oglethorpe never approached the appalling state experienced by POWs at Andersonville, its proximity to Camp Sumter cast a pall over the site. As Central Georgia recovered from the tangible vestiges of war, bitter memories minimized interest in restoring the property to any of its previous incarnations.