Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1865-08-23
THE KNOXVILLE WING.
Knoxville, Tennessee, August %, 1865.
How Major Henry Wertz Murdered
our Prisoners.
Gen. WindeI. and his Son Oh Rot
ting Yankees.
rEsrINoNY or : LoYAL eEoReIA PLANTER.

TESTIMONY or 4 LOYAL GEORGIA PLANTER
New YORK, August ;, 1865.
To tic Editor Of the EUening Post
There appears 70 be disposition on the part o.
some Of the public press 10 mitigate the ohenses ana
crimes of Major Henry VERT, late the responslole
keeper Of the stockade at AndersonTlIle, Ga ana
10 throw upon others the responsibilities that justly
attach 10 those alone who were IN immediate COM
rnsnd Of that prison. Being personally acquainted
with most Of the officers who were stationed at An
dersonville and knowing much Of the treatment OF
those who were so unfortunate as TO have been con-
fined in that pen Of horror, have thought that
condensed statement Of how things were managed,
sud prisoners Of treated there might not be en-
tirely unacceptable TO your readers.
/ wish 20 be understood as not DESTROYS 10 fore
stall the action or opinion Of the Commission which
s about 70 investigate this matter, or TO add any
thing 10 the feeling entertained towards Major
Vert 1t is enough for him 20 rest, now and for
ever under an obloquy that no time and no repent
ance can obliterate; TO feel within himself the I'M
enviable pangs which the recollection Of his power
less murdered victims will ever arouse and TO know
that Whatever may be the award of human tribunal,
his punishment is already decreed.
The prison Of Andersonvllle Is q stockade about
eighteen feet high, the posts comprising it being
sunk in the ground FIVE feet it originally comprised
an area Of eighteen acres but subsequently en-
lsrged 20 twentyseyen acress The inclosure Is upon
the side Of hill looking toward the south, at the
WHICH Is q 5ulalI DIOOh dDOuL uFC lG6L MIuo
and Is many inches deep, which furnished the water
for the use Of the prisoners. Within this Enclosure
we're turned the prisoners they arrived and left
10 provide for themselyes there being no shelters,
d srbors, OF any kind Of protection afforded by
trees or otherwise against the burning rays Of tho
Southern sun, the furious storms or the freezing
winters.
The position was selected by Captain WiRder,
ION Of Gen John II. Winder, who was sent from
Richmond for the purpose in the latter part of 1888
When il was suggested 10 him by dsinterested but
humane spectator Of his operations, that il would
perhaps be better TO leave the trees standing within
the proposed stockade they would afford shade TO
the prisoners he replied: That was Just what he
ws5 not going 20 do; he was going 70 make pen
fcr the - Yankees, whore they could rot faster
than they could 10 sent there
And admirably lid he accomplished his mission.
The first commandment OF the post was Col. Per
cons, who was soon succeeded by John II. Winder,
with his son as Adjutant his nephew as COmmissary
and Sutler, and Henry Vert in immediate COM
usnd Of the prisoners. There were stationed there
for guard duty from three 10 six regiments of in
fantry, with one company Of artillery, having a
battery Of six pieces, according 10 the ext gences Of
the case the number Of prisoners then confined, or
the fears entertained OF attempt 10 set them at
liberty by Tsiding parties Of United States troops.
When prisoners were first received il was usual TO
subject them 10 a search for money, valuables etc,
which Osensibly to be restored when they were
released from capture but which, in reality went into
the pockets Of those who controlled the prison Not
vithstanding law Of the Confederacy expressly
prohibiting the dealing in "greenbacks yet the in
itisted q few whose Loyalty" was unquestloned,
coald always obtain for consideration the green
backs they required.
The writer of this was the foreman Of the last
grand Jury in which were empanneled for Sumner
county Gs and in the performance of his duties he
had 70 investigate large number of presentations
for dealing in the forbidden currency, which was
brought against poor Union men in every instance.
Struck by this fact he resolved to examine, as his
position gave him right 70 do into all the Circum
stances. Where money originally came from, who
did the selling Of il, indeed the whole UgsdWS ODc =.
zd and he elected the facts above stated, how, the
money was obtained, that the Winders and Vert
were the principals acting through subor6 mates in
gathering bushels Of pums in the wayof premiums.
Ctc. Meanwhile the prisoners were If 70 the ten
der mercies of their aior and con- issary for their
food, which might have been II aproved in quality
at least if their money had b on left in their own
possession,
Al hrsI II vas custom. 4ry to send wagon into
the stockade every n .orning at 10 o'clock, loaded
with the ratlons for the 1noTning-bacon and corn
oleSa, A9InhlS Ee but as the number OF prisoners
lncle&seu ana the greed Of grain grew upon the
ITO ABOVE 4entioned the corn bread was reduced
IN Us 4W .iity, being then manufactured Of equal
proper Ions Of ground field peas and corn, unbolted,
UhSA ed, unceansed, indeed, from the trash which
Pe'E naturally accumulate; and at last when the
lumber of prisoners Increased 10 over $1,000, the
meat rationS per week were reduced 10 piece OF
bacon, for each man. about three inches long and
two wide, with one pone Of the bread above des'
cribed per day Then, also, the custom OF carrying
The prisoners food into the Stcckade was abolished
They drove up 10 the gates, which we're slightly
opened, and the seanty food, foul and unhesIny a
Il was was thrown inside by the guard, TO DO scranl
bled for by the wretched prisoners the strongest an'
those nearest the gate getting the largest share tn
weak and those who were sick getting none.
1 have mentioned the small brook which run
through the lower part Of the stOckade, and which
supplies the water for drinking and washing. Ihl
brook has II rise in swamp not far from the prison
and al no time, certainly not longthened period
was the water suitable Or healthy; but when tn
faces and filth, the drainage Of the whole camp o
prisoner came IL be superadded 10 the natural VI
fitness OF the water for drinking or cleansing pur
noses, my reader judge what thirst was assuaged
OF fever cooled or thrObbing temples washed, b,
this Coating stream Of filth and diseased At any
time under the most rigid hygienic restrictions, !
is difficult 10 maqtain health and cleanliness anon.
3 large body Of men what do you think was tht
condition Of $1,000 half naked, half starved men
without any police regulations under no moral re
straining influences Ii the remnant who were Ii
nally allowed 20 pass out Of this military GolgOth
were not wild beasts, unwaShed befOuled devils III
thanks are ~ be given 10 Henry Vert for lac, .
sfFort 10 produce such contamination.
When II raiued, as il does in that climate alnos
continually during the spring and fall months, tn
il within the Enclosure was one mass Of loblolly
of mud at least fifteen inches IN depth, throug
which stalked and staggered the gaunt half-cla
,yretches thus confined. The stencil from the prise
could be perceived for two miles, and Farmers Il,
ing in the neghborhood began 70 fear for the heaI
Of their families
As consequence Of TINS, the hospltal-lseeuol
was Vert in his horrible humanity-were crowd(
70 Fepletion with the emaciated starved and disease
man who were trundled into them.
The hospitals were constructed Of logs, unheWe
he iutsrstices untitled and open, admitting the raj
without floors, cots, hunks or blankets, filthy al
fetid with the fostering putrid bodies OF the SIC
he diving and the dead. Words fail, Language
mnofeuf 20 describe one of these dens OF disease a.
5estb. once mustered the courage impelled
fbe earnest entreates of Northern friend, to ent
o1a of them. TO visit one who was tenderly reare
- walked in the best ranks Of Connecticut soclei
7 Lslieve had seen before this what deemed
he bumsn wretchedness in its worst forms. 1thoug
re- could nerve myself to witness mortal ago.
- 1--retebedness and restitution, as had heard
5aSor;be5. without blanching or trembling: But
- oo1densed horrors of hundred "black hole
I'D baen brought before my mind to prepare me
az orSoal thew would have failed to realize the Il
as saw them face TO lace ,1..
/ cannot, in daily paper, read BY innocence a