The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-09-29

WAShINOfON, oep6 70.
The Wirz military commission reasse mble,

Il
The Wirz military commission reasse mble4
to-day.
! The examination Of Col Person was re
sumed. While he had commanded at Ander
sonville, boxes of supplies from the Sauitar,
Commission reached there, and he had then
sent into the prisoners, for which they thank
ed him. Witness never knew of Capt. Wiz
being absent with the dogs 1t was q peni
Tertiary offence for Confederates 70 trade 70
greenbackss He thought this was 80 declar
ed by act of Congress, and by the statutes O
the State of Georgia The country aroun,
Andersonville was very poor, and a. conse
quence vegetables were scarce. Soon ate
the negroes had reached Andersonville b,
had addressed communication to Gen. Win
der, asking what disposition should be mad,
OF them. The reply was, that the questio,
was forwarded to Richmond, and it vas deci
ded that they should be treated as prisoner
OF war. Witness did not know whether sen
tries were rewarded for shooting Union pris
oners or not, such information never reaches
him.
Cross examined by Judge Advocate Chip
man,
Witness was first assigned to the comman,
OF the troops, and then to the post. A grea
effort was made TO build commodious quarter
for prisoners captured. Capt. Wirz assum es
the responsibility of erecting houses
| Judge Advocate-Would il not have bee,
better TO build shelter for the living.
Witness-I think it was impracticable fo
Capt. Wirz to furnish all the shelter re
quired.
Judge Advocte-You do not answer m,
question
| Witness-Then answer you Some shell
ter might have been built. l think the auarte
master had not sufficient energy, never ex
ercised the right TO punish prisoners. Capt
Wirz never received any order for that pur
pose. The latter was responsible for what h.
did there. Capt: Wirz drew up his rules and
Wirz labored indefatigably. Whether or no,
he accomplished all he desired do not know
but | do know that the prison was not hal
| cared for. think the responsibility restee
on those who crowded so many prisoner,
there.
| By the Court-Capt. Wirz drew IN ID,
prison rules by his own authority.
Witness-l approved Of them because
| thought they were right. There was no deae
| line provided. 1t was subsequently createt
by virtue, he supposed, of Capt. Wnz's ovr
rank.
Nazereth Allen, Of the third Georria re
| serves, who had been examined for ,he pros
ecution, was called for the defense Their,
was good deal of sickness. in the regiment
and owing to private duty required, much dis
satisfaction existed among the men, and som,
of them strsyed away. The effect of the bae
| rations was diarrhea and other diseases amont
the troops. He saw some of the men wear
ing old clothing which they had purchased
| from the Union prisoners. When Gen Stone
man was captured, the raiders were brough
to Andersonvitle. They we're searched, ant
jewelry, paper money. shawls, pocket books
gold table spoons, and silver spoons and forks
and daguerreotypes we're taken from tn.
prisoners Witness never heard that fur
| loughs could be received for shooting Unior
prisoners.
Cross examined by Judge Advocate. Wit
| ness knew of no soldiers dying from starva
| ton or emaciation because of insufficient food
Question-Was the clothing which you saw
on the rebel soldiers, taken from dead Unor
soldiers7
| Answer do not know--but believe Mr.
Baker can tell us all about it.
The Judge Advocate objected. saving III,
witness had answered the question. Nothing
further of Importance was elected. The cour
adjourned.