I reviewed the bio on Wm Heath. After re-reading it and looking up the info on sites where Wm was hospitalized - I believe that when Aunt Georgie spoke about Andersonville - she may not remember correctly. I don't believe he was ever at Andersonville. The R R was a prison as well as the Local Pointe in Maryland.
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I looked William A. Heath in the Andersonville Prison records. He was never there which I pretty much already knew. There was another William Heath from NY but the infantry unit, age and location doesn't match our ancestor.
Our William Heath did spend time in a prison hospital at Weldon RR and Point Lookout, MD because there were probably not many non-prison hospitals available. He was confined with a fever for 10 weeks in the hospital.
Thats where the confusion about the prison war camps come from.
Tonie Heath Schramm recorded her father's memories of his family history shortly before he passed away. Albert also mentioned that he thought that William had been in a prisoner war camp. Albert stated that William Heath suffered from post traumatic stress syndrome and was a quiet man who waited till late in life to start a family. The post traumatic stress syndrome was probably a result of being surrounded by dying and wounded soldiers & prisoners and nearly dying himself.
Another interesting fact, William listed his brother Frank in his pension application.
I would love to see a picture of William and his family. I will talk to you later.
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