The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1865-09-14
A Confederate Matrnn

matron ip the rebel hospitals in Geor-
gia throughout the entire period of
the rebellion. She left her home and
friends in Tennessee at the beginning
Of the war. and offered her services as
nurse to the rebel authorities, with
the full determination, if her services
we're accepted, to deal with gentle
hand and administer to the wants of
the sick and wounded alike TO both
friend and Zoe. How well she has
kept this truly christian resolve
throughout her lengthy experience
with ihc maimed and fallen victims of
the recent bloody war, is best known
to herself and to him who prompted
her Christian Administration.
We believe her to be a good woman,
as the sequel viii bear testimony. We
acknowledged her refinement and in
tclligcncc, and learned from her the
following sad account of affairs at An
dersonville and Albany, under the
management of the notorious Wirz, in
the winter of 1864.
Mrs. Warren was sent from the En-
pirc Hospital, at atlanta, on or about
the first of December, to lend her aid
to the sick and wounded, at Albany
Hospital, Doherty county, Georgia.--
On her way thithcr she visited Ander-
sonvillc, at which place she stopped
over for several days, for the ostcnsi-
bic purpose Of waiting on the sick,
wounded and prisoners, and leran from
personal observation whether the sick,
&C., were being treated in such cru
el and inhuman manner as reported
and whispered among the more Chris.
tain aud humane people Of Atlanta.
Mrs. w. visited the sick, wounded
and prisoners, but ere she half com
pletcd her contemplated tour, her
heart so siskencd at what she saw in
that foul den, that she covered her
eyes with horror, and turned away
and sought refuge beyond the limits
of the place whore naught could be
seen but man inhumanity to man. y
She saw half-clad, living skeletons,
devoid Of shoes and stockings, stand
ing upon the frosty ground, and oc-
casionally lift their feet, goose-likc,
and wrap them in the tattcred rags
that hung about their person, and
press their feet close to the body, for
its warmth to shield them from the
| frost. -
Groups of men could be seen how
cred around and over green pinc-wood
fires with their faces and persons so
blackcncd with the SCOT of the pine
wood smoke that they appeared like
negroes. '-
Other men could be seen engaged
in carrying the dead bodies from the
straw pallets of the den, stacking them
up at the entrance, to be carried away
for intcrment without collins, or friends
or comrades to follow the corpse to
its rcsting-placo.
| Inhuman wretchcs were there, clad
in gray, with muskcts, overlooking
these sad and solemn movements of
the dead, and should ono fthe priso-
ners engaged in moving the dead, fall
under the weight imposed upon him,
the wrctchcs in gray would prick them
with their bayonets and curse them
! for neglect of duty. And not untrc-
quently the bodies Of soldiers were
carried away before life was extinct.
Other bodies were carried past with
wisps of straw in either hand, graspcd
in the last agonics Of death. . .
o, horror! Let justice be quickly
moted out to those who are guilty Of
such shocking crimes. .EI
We did not further question Mrs.
w. for particulars respecting the foul
deeds she saw enacted, and crimes
perpetratcd at Andcrsonyille upon
the prisoners, for fear oftouching up
on too delicate matters, for we had
already discovered that our fair in
formant's modesty prompted her to
keep silent.
She further stated, however, that
while in company with several ladies,
she saw Wirz, at which time she ad-
dressed him and demonstrated against
such inhuman treatment of the priso-
ners under his command. The colo
guy terminated by Mrs. W. calling
Wirz "Dutch monster" Wirz re-
plid by saying that sererdl tddies Of
Iad~sonriiie had recently re,y mystic
riousy left The torn for making sini'
Tar expressions, and yon may 90 in tie
same pay if yon persist d" making
Sach expressions. "
Mrs. Warren became frightened at
this remark of Wirz, and the ladies
accompanying advised her to leave
Andcrsonville at once, for if she re-
NAMED, Wirz would certainly do as
he said, or intimated; put her out of
the way.
Mrs. w. left the town the following
morning, and went direct to Albany,
Dohcrty county, Georgia, where she
entered the hospital as matron.
On or about the 18th of December
the prisoners of Andersonville were
removed TO Albany in consequence of
an unexpected advance of the Federal
cavalry, At Albany the prisoners, or
many of them, were forced to climb
the china trees at that place and eat
the dry berries, which are very in
stringent aud said to be poisonous
The china tree berries Of the South
are never eaten by anybody, under
any circumstances.
At this place the prisoners were
eamped in an open field, grown up
with scdgc grass, without tents OF
blankets, and with scarcely sufficient
clothing to cover their nakedness.-
On aceoant of the severe cold, the
prisoners dug holes in tho ground and
buried themselves, as best they could,
| 10 shinlh ihnnnsnl,.n. Grnn, a. uIo,,,-