nd of the month the 7th Tennessee had lost forty-four more men. This brought their losses since capture to nearly 24 percent, or almost one out of every four. In order to cope with seeing so many of his regiment sick and dying, Private Davenport met together with some of his Henderson County neighbors who were also prisoners. They helped each other as much as they could with what little they had. They brought water to the sick, attempted to keep the flies off of them, and tried to encourage them. They talked about home and friends and how they would like to be back home. They sang, told jokes, and walked around the camp to exercise and to see what was happening. On the 6th of September several detachments were told to be ready for departure on the 7th. The explanation given was that they were to be exchanged. The real reason for removal, however, was that Sherman had captured Atlanta and it was feared that the Union Army would attempt to liberate Andersonville. Departures from the camp continued through October. The men soon realized that the trains only moved them to smaller prisons in Charleston, Florence, and Columbia, South Carolina and Savannah, Blacksheare, Millen, and Thomasville, Georgia. Conditions were somewhat better in these prisons or at least they were not as crowded. Also there were more chances for escape enroute to these prisons and several of the West Tennesseans took advantage of their opportunities. Members of the 7th Tennessee were both among those moved to the smaller prisons and among those who remained at Andersonville. The number of inmates at Andersonville was reduced from about 33,000 in August to about 2,000 in November. Those left behind were usually too sick to move. This accounts for the continuing high number of deaths at Andersonville. In September the 7th Tennessee lost fifty-two men at Andersonville and seven more in the smaller prisons. This total of fifty-nine deaths in one month made September the m...
