andersonville-第105部分

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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　against　such　thing。　　He　thought　the　prison　authorities　might
easily　have　sent　in　enough　green　corn　to　have　stopped　the　scurvy；　the
miasmatic　effluvia　from　the　prison　was　exceedingly　offensive　and
poisonous；　so　much　so　that　when　the　surgeons　received　a　slight　scratch　on
their　persons；　they　carefully　covered　it　up　with　court　plaster；　before
venturing　near　the　prison。

A　number　of　other　Rebel　Surgeons　testified　to　substantially　the　same
facts。　　Several　residents　of　that　section　of　the　State　testified　to　the
plentifulness　of　the　crops　there　in　1864。

In　addition　to　these；　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　Union　prisoners　were
examined；　who　testified　to　all　manner　of　barbarities　which　had　come　under
their　personal　observation。　　They　had　all　seen　Wirz　shoot　men；　had　seen
him　knock　sick　and　crippled　men　down　and　stamp　upon　them；　had　been　run
down　by　him　with　hounds；　etc。　　Their　testimony　occupies　about　two
thousand　pages　of　manuscript；　and　is；　without　doubt；　the　most；　terrible
record　of　crime　ever　laid　to　the　account　of　any　man。

The　taking　of　this　testimony　occupied　until　October　18；　when　the
Government　decided　to　close　the　case；　as　any　further　evidence　would　be
simply　cumulative。

The　prisoner　presented　a　statement　in　which　he　denied　that　there　had　been
an　accomplice　in　a　conspiracy　of　John　H。　Winder　and　others；　to　destroy
the　lives　of　United　States　soldiers；　he　also　denied　that　there　had　been
such　a　conspiracy；　but　made　the　pertinent　inquiry　why　he　alone；　of　all
those　who　were　charged　with　the　conspiracy；　was　brought　to　trial。　　He
said　that　Winder　has　gone　to　the　great　judgment　seat；　to　answer　for　all
his　thoughts；　words　and　deeds；　and　surely　I　am　not　to　be　held　culpable
for　them。　　General　Howell　Cobb　has　received　the　pardon　of　the　President
of　the　United　States。〃　　He　further　claimed　that　there　was　no　principle　of
law　which　would　sanction　the　holding　of　hima　mere　subordinate
guilty；　for　simply　obeying；　as　literally　as　possible；　the　orders　of　his
superiors。

He　denied　all　the　specific　acts