Submitted photoThis commemorative courtyard, “The Price of Freedom Fully Paid,” is a memorial to all prisoners of war.

Getting to visit the Andersonville National Historic Site for a second time was exciting for me. The first time I visited the prisoner of war camp was on an eighth grade school trip. This time, I experienced the site with members of my high school Advanced Placement United States History class. This excursion further opened my eyes to some of the Civil War’s tragedies.

Andersonville was a Confederate prisoner of war camp during the Civil War. Thousands died there before the liberation at the end of the war. Andersonville was later turned into a historic site to commemorate the survivors and the unfortunate victims.

Currently, my AP U.S. History class is studying the Civil War. When I found out about this Andersonville trip, I was interested in a second chance to explore the site. It may seem strange to get excited about going to a place where thousands of people died, but that’s why I appreciate going so much. I enjoy learning about other people’s lives, and Andersonville gives me a perfect opportunity. The prisoners’ stories deserve to be heard. I feel learning about them honors their sacrifice and memory. And it was an opportunity to tie in our lessons to a real-world experience.

When we arrived at Andersonville, our teacher Mrs. (Farran) Burnette and fellow chaperone assistant principal Dr. (Jim) Rehberg told us to pair off and explore. We only had an hour before we had to get back on the bus, so my friend and I took in as much as we could. 

We spent most of our time in the National Prisoner of War Museum. It’s filled with diaries, objects and clothing that belonged to the prisoners. Everything was so interesting to us that time flew. We only had minutes to walk around outside, so we decided to walk to the place we knew deserved our attention the most: the national cemetery. 

The cemetery was strangely peaceful to me. The tombstones were plotted in lines by the hundreds. They were white, and it almost looked like they were shimmering in the sunlight. It was incredibly quiet. I felt the need to whisper because I was scared I was going to wake someone up. But I got to pay my respects to those buried there.

I never wanted to leave. I could have walked all day if I had the chance. I felt like there was still so much to see and discover. Sadly, we had to return to Thomasville before school ended so everyone could get home on time.

I can confidently say that Andersonville is one of the best field trips the schools offer. It was a place no one wanted to be during the Civil War; however, today, it serves as an important educational tool and a reminder of one of the most pivotal events in our nation’s history. I would gladly go again.