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Camp Lawton (Georgia)
Camp Lawton or the Millen Prison was a stockade which held Union soldiers who been taken as prisoners-of-war during the American Civil War. Located beside the Augusta and Savannah Railroad right-of-way five miles north of what was then Millen Junction (now Millen) in Burke County (since 1905 in Jenkins County), the new prison facility was modeled after Camp Sumter. It opened in October 1864 but had to be evacuated within six weeks, due to the advance of Sherman's army through Georgia. With an area of and holding over 10,000 of a planned 40,000 men, it was said to be the largest prison in the world at that time. The area of Magnolia Springs State Park that now comprises the day-use area was used as the prison. The park still houses remnants of the earthen fort that guarded the 10,000-prisoner camp. Two huge timbers, possibly from the prison but more likely from work done by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1938 and 1942, were recovered. The park's new History Center ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Millen, Georgia
Millen is a city, and the county seat of Jenkins County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,120 at the 2010 census, down from 3,492 at the 2000 census. The city is intersected by U.S. Route 25 and State Route 17, and the proposed Interstate 3 will pass nearby. History Millen was first settled in 1835 along the border of what was then Burke and Screven counties. It was originally named "79" due to its approximate distance in miles from the coastal city of Savannah. Planters cultivated cotton as a commodity crop with the use of enslaved Africans. In 1854, the Central of Georgia Railway and the Georgia Railroad connected at 79. The town became known as "Millen's Junction" after McPherson B. Millen, the superintendent of the Central of Georgia Railway. During the Civil War, a site for a prisoner-of-war camp to house Union soldiers was chosen about five miles from Millen's Junction. Camp Lawton included a hospital, fort and officer housing and had about 8,600 pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |