Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-08-30
Late Cant. and A.. G., G. S. A

Mai. Gen. Wallace said if there was 70
objection the gentlemen would be sent for.
No objection being made and the COM
mission being disposed to afford every
proper means for defense, an orderly was
despatched for Messrs. Baker and Scbade.
The court was then cleared for about three
quarters of an hour, and when the doors
were opened the record of yesterday was
read. .E a f..' IN ~
Messrs. Baker and Schade again appeared
in court as counsel for WirtZ. The room
was more crowded than heretofore with
snnn-s Tors. many women being in the
crowd. .G Pr. ~.
DIR. A. J. Roy was called, and, being ex-
amined by Assistant Judge Advocate Hos
mer, testified that he was on duty at Ander-
sonville. He was under the immediate
charge of DR.. Stevenson. The hospital was
in deplorable condition, there not being a
sufficient supply of tents and hunks. There
were no comforts and he was told there
were between 10000 and $4,000 prisoners
there. He did not find much difficulty in
obtaining medicines, excepting few of the
rarer articles. The men presented the most
horrible specimens of humanity he ever
saw. A large number of them were affect
ed with the worst forms ofscurvey. He at
tributed the sickness to long confinement,
exposure and the absence of the comforts
of life. There were maggots in. the swamp
near the hospital, the malaria from which
had a most fatal effect upon the patients
The insects, or white ants with wings, were
such as result from decayed animal and
numerous that it was dangerous for
man to open his mouth at sun
down. The witness heard that there
was dead line, and one of his pa
tients was killed, but he did not see him
shot. He stated the circumstances under
which the prisoners were when Wirtz had
command of them and while he was in the
administration of his duties as Surgeon.
All the Surgeons came to the conclusion
that Wirtz had full authority over the pris-
on, under Gen. Winder. He had seen the
| chief clerk of DIR. James bucked, and on
| inquiring the reason was informed that the
punishment was inflicted by order of Capt.
| Wirtz.
Cross examined by Mr.. Baker: The hos
| pitalfnnd about which he had testified. and
with which -delicacies for the sick were
purchased, was in existence when he went
to Andersonville. During the month OF
February or March last $4,000 in Confede-
rate money was drawn from the funds. AT
that time one dollar greenback would
purchase twenty of Confederate money.
| The witness was at Andersonville six
| months, and the bucking was the only in
stance of the kind he had seen. The medi-
| cal condition of the hospital was better
after DIR. Clayton came there. Capt. Writ
exercised no more influence over the former
physicians than he did over DR.. Clayton.
AT 1P. NJ. the court took recess until
o'clock.
On reassembling DIR. B. A. Vanderkieft
testified that he was on duty at Annapolis
from May 26th, 1868, to May 2Sth, 1865. He
attended to more than 1000 returned pris-
oners from Andersonville. They were suf-
fering from chronic diarrhea, scurvy, and
other diseases. Some were in dying con-
dition, and others had to be treated in the
hospitals before they gained strength
| which death ensued more than any Other
was chronic diarrhea. This resulted from
insufficient and improper food and expos
ure. Very little attention was paid to theii
condition at Andersonville. He was shown
the photograph of a living skeleton; he
| said he had seen many of the soldiers re-
turning in similar condition.
| Martin Il. Hogan testified as to his hav-
ing been a prisoner at Andersonville. He
had seen Capt. Wirtz with hounds trying
to strike the track of an escaped prisoner
for attempting to escape from prison, about
the Sth of October, 1854. After the most
obscene abuse from Capt. Writ, he was
fastened by the neck and feet and remained
there 6S hours. He heard Capt. Wirtz give
orders that he should not have food, but he
did get food from some paroled comrades
who stoleit to him. He had seen these
comrades put in the stock at the same time
One more was put in the stocks because he
asserted his manhood by resenting the
abuse of a confined soldier. .siss
When the prisoners were being removed
from .Andersonville to Millen, the witness
saw Capt. Wirtzl take man by the collar
because he could notwalk faster. The man
was so worn by disease he could not
Throwing the man on his back, he stamped
upon him with his feet. He saw the. man
bleeding, and he died short time after
In the dissectihg room he saw students in
the pursuit of knowledge, saving open the
skull of deceased prisoners and opening the
hOdipS