andersonville-第131章
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advancing Spring； and every step one sauntered through them was a new
delight。 A magnificent band gave us sweet music morning and evening。
Every dispatch from the South told of the victorious progress of our
arms； and the rapid approach of the close of the struggle。 All we had to
do was to enjoy the goods the gods were showering upon us； and we did so
with appreciative； thankful hearts。 After awhile all able to travel were
given furloughs of thirty days to visit their homes； with instructions to
report at the expiration of their leaves of absence to the camps of
rendezvous nearest their homes； and we separated； nearly every man going
in a different direction。
CHAPTER LXXXII。
CAPTAIN WIRZ THE ONLY ONE OF THE PRISON…KEEPERS PUNISHEDHIS ARREST；
TRIAL AND EXECUTION。
Of all those more or less concerned in the barbarities practiced upon our
prisoners； but oneCaptain Henry Wirzwas punished。 The Turners； at
Richmond； Lieutenant Boisseux； of Belle Isle； Major Gee； of Salisbury；
Colonel Iverson and Lieutenant Barrett； of Florence； and the many brutal
miscreants about Andersonville； escaped scot free。 What became of them
no one knows； they were never heard of after the close of the war。 They
had sense enough to retire into obscurity； and stay there； and this saved
their lives； for each one of them had made deadly enemies among those
whom they had maltreated； who； had they known where they were； would have
walked every step of the way thither to kill them。
When the Confederacy went to pieces in April； 1865； Wirz was still at
Andersonville。 General Wilson； commanding our cavalry forces； and who
had established his headquarters at Macon； Ga。； learned of this； and sent
one of his staffCaptain H。 E。 Noyes； of the Fourth Regular Cavalry
with a squad。 of men； to arrest him。 This was done on the 7th of May。
Wirz protested against his arrest； claiming that he was protected by the
terms of Johnson's surrender； and； addressed the following letter to
General Wilson：
ANDERSONVILLE； GA。； May 7； 1865。
GENERAL：It is with great reluctance that I address you these lines；
being fully aware how little time is left you to attend to such matters
as I now have the honor to lay before you； and if I could see any other
way to accomplish my object I would not intrude upon you。 I am a native
of Switzerland； and was before the war a citizen of Louisiana； and by
profession a physician。 Like hundreds and thousands of others； I was
carried away by the maelstrom of excitement and joined the Southern army。
I was very severely wounded at the battle of 〃Seven Pines；〃 near
Richmond； Va。； and have nearly lost the use of my right arm。 Unfit for
field duty； I was ordered to report to Brevet Major General John H。
Winder； in charge of the Federal prisoners of war； who ordered me to take
charge of a prison in Tuscaloosa； Ala。 My health failing me； I applied
for a furlough and went to Europe； from whence I returned in February；
1864。 I was then ordered to report to the commandant of the military
prison at Andersonville； Ga。； who assigned me to the command of the
interior of the prison。 The duties I had to perform were arduous and
unpleasant； and I am satisfied that no man can or will justly blame me
for things that happened here； and which were beyond my power to control。
I do not think that I ought to be held responsible for the shortness of
rations； for the overcrowded state of the prison； （which was of itself a
prolific source of fearful mortality）； for the inadequate supply of
clothing； want of shelter； etc。； etc。 Still I now bear the odium； and
men who were prisoners have seemed disposed to wreak their vengeance upon
me for what they have sufferedI； who was only the medium； or； I may
better say； the tool in the hands of my superiors。 This is my condition。
I am a man with a family。 I lost all my property when the Federal army
besieged Vicksburg。 I have no money at present to go to any place； and；
even if I had； I know of no place where I can go。 My life is in danger；
and I most respectfully ask of you help and relief。 If you will be so
generous as to give me some sort of a safe conduct； or； what I should
greatly prefer； a guard to protect myself and family against violence；
I should be thankful to you； and you may rest assured that your
protection will not be given to one who is unworthy of it。 My intention
is to return with my family to Europe； as soon as I can make the
arrangements。 In the meantime I have the honor General； to remain； very
respectfully； your obedient servant；
Hy。 WIRZ； Captain C。 S。 A。
Major General T。 H。 WILSON；
Commanding； Macon。 Ga。
He was kept at Macon； under guard； until May 20； when Captain Noyes was
ordered to take him； and the hospital records of Andersonville； to
Washington。 Between Macon and Cincinnati the journey was a perfect
gauntlet。
Our men were stationed all along the road； and among them everywhere were
ex…prisoners； who recognized Wirz； and made such determined efforts to
kill him that it was all that Captain Noyes； backed by a strong guard；
could do to frustrate them。 At Chattanooga and Nashville the struggle
between his guards and his would…be slayers； was quite sharp。
At Louisville； Noyes had Wirz clean…shaved； and dressed in a complete
suit of black； with a beaver hat； which so altered his appearance that no
one recognized him after that； and the rest of the journey was made
unmolested。
The authorities at Washington ordered that he be tried immediately； by a
court martial composed of Generals Lewis Wallace； Mott； Geary； L。 Thomas；
Fessenden； Bragg and Baller； Colonel Allcock； and Lieutenant…Colonel
Stibbs。 Colonel Chipman was Judge Advocate； and the trial began
August 23。
The prisoner was arraigned on a formidable list of charges and
specifications； which accused him of 〃combining； confederating； and
conspiring together with John H。 Winder； Richard B。 Winder； Isaiah II。
White； W。 S。 Winder； R。 R。 Stevenson and others unknown； to injure the
health and destroy the lives of soldiers in the military service of the
United States； there held； and being prisoners of war within the lines of
the so…called Confederate States； and in the military prisons thereof； to
the end that the armies of the United States might be weakened and
impaired； in violation of the laws and customs of war。〃 The main facts
of the dense over…crowding； the lack of sufficient shelter； the hideous
mortality were cited； and to these added a long list of specific acts of
brutality； such as hunting men down with hounds； tearing them with dogs；
robbing them； confining them in the stocks； cruelly beating and murdering
them； of which Wirz was personally guilty。
When the defendant was called upon to plead he claimed that his case was
covered by the terms of Johnston's surrender； and furthermore； that the
country now being at peace； he could not be lawfully tried by a court…
martial。 These objections being overruled； he entered a plea of not
guilty to all the charges and specifications。 He had two lawyers for
counsel。
The prosecution called Captain Noyes first； who detailed the
circumstances of Wirz's arrest； and denied that he had given any promises
of protection。
The next witness was Colonel George C。 Gibbs； who commanded the troops of
the post at Andersonville。 He testified that Wirz was the commandant of
the prison； and had sole authority under Winder over all the prisoners；
that there was a Dead Line there； and orders to shoot any one who crossed
it； that dogs were kept to hunt down escaping prisoners； the dogs were
the ordinary plantation dogs； mixture of hound and cur。
Dr。 J。 C。 Bates； who was a Surgeon of the Prison Hospital； （a Rebel）；
testified that the condition of things in his division was horrible。
Nearly naked men； covered with lice； were dying on all sides。 Many were
lying in the filthy sand and mud。
He went on and described the terrible condition of mendying from
scurvy； diarrhea； gangrenous sores； and lice。 He wanted to carry in
fresh vegetables for the sick； but did not dare； the orders being very
strict a
