Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-08-11
The Audersonville Prison.

pndeavOrlng to WnlteWash tile character OF
Capt. Wertz, the keeper Of the Anderson
willie prison pen. aud show that he was no t
responsible for the cruelties their perpetra:-
ed. Their love for the enemies of their
country and their race is so great that 1t is
only necessary for Il man to be rebel to
find in them Jealous defenders. even when
guilty of the worst of crimes. But these
svmpathizers with treason will find Mr..
Wertz's character hard one to defend.
Not only can thousands Of Union soldiers
testify to his nhumanity, but even Georg.
ians are ready to bear witness to his
abominable conduct. A loyal Georgian,
well known in New York, communicates
to the New York Post his own observations
at Andersonville, which fully subsidiaries
the reports heretofore given. We extract
as follows:
The prison of Audersonville is a stockade
of about eighteen feet high, the posts come
prising it being sunk i'll the ground tiv-
feet it originally comprised an area OF
eighteen acres, but was subsequently en-
larced to twenty seven acres. The enclo
sure is upon the side OF a hill, looking
toward the south, at the foot Of which is "a
small brook, about five feet wide and as
many inches deep, which furnished the
water for the use of the prisoners. Within
this enclosure were turned the prisoners
rs they arrived, and left to provide for
themselves, there being no shelters or arb
ors, or any kind Of protection afforded by
trees or otherwise against the burning rays
OF the Southern sun, tie furious storms, or
the freezing winters.
The position was selected by Capt. Win
der, son of General John H. Winder who
was sent from Richmond for the purpose
in the latter part of 1863. When it was
suggested to him by disinterested but
humane spectator of his operations that it
would perhaps he better to leave the trees
standing within the proposed stockade. as
they would afford shade to the prisoners
he replied: That was just what he was
not going to do he was going to make
a pen for the id Yankees, where they
could rot faster than they could be sent
there"
And admirably lid he accomplish his
mission.
The first commandant of the post was
Col. Persons, who was soon succeeded by
John H. Winder, with his son as adjutant,
his nephew as commissiary and sutler. and
Henry Wertz in immediate command OF
The prisoners.
At first it was customary to send wag
on into the stockade every morning at I'D
O'Clock, loaded with the rations for the day
-bccon and corn bread, nothing els, but
ms the number of prisoners increased and
the greed of gain grew upon the trio above
mentioned, the corn bread was reduced in
It's quality, being then manufactured OF
eaual proportions of ground field peas and
corn, upbolted, unsifted, uncleaned, in
deed, from the dirt and trash which peas
naturally accumulate and at last, when
the number Of prisoners increased to over
thirty. seven thousand, the meat ratiOns
pcr week were reduced to piece of bacon
for each man about three inches long and
two wide, with one POne OF the bread des-
cribed above per day. Then, also, the
custom of carrying the prisoners food into
the stockadc in wagons Was abolished'-
IAsy drore up TO the gates, rt,eh were
slightly opened, and the scaaty food, foul
and unhealthy as IL ,ras, mas hrorn inside
by The guard, to he scrambled for by, The
.cretched prisoners, the strongest, and those
nearest the gate getting the larg st share,
the weak and sickly getting none.
have mentioned the small brook which
runs through the lower part OF the stock
ade, and which supplied the water for
drinking and washing. This brook has its
rise in a swamp not far from the prison,
and at no time, certainly not for length
ened period, was the water suitable or
healthy but when the faces and filth. the
drainage of the whole camp OF prisoners,
came to he superadded to the natural un-
fitness of the water for drinking or cleans
ing purposes, my readers can Judge what
thirst was assuaged, or fever cooled. or
throbbing temples washed, by this floating
stream Of filth and disesse At any time
under the most rigid hygienie restrictions,
it 10 difficult to maintain health and clean
Illness amongst large body OF men-what
Do YOU think was the condition OF thirty,
seysu thou and half naked. half starved
men. without any police regulations under
no moral or restraining influences 1t the
remnant who were finally allowed to pass
ont OF this military Golgotha We're not
wild beasts, unwashel, beion!ed devils, nc
thanks are given to Henry Wertz Tor lack
OF effort to produce such IL eonsumInatlon'
When, il rained, as it does in that chm
ate almost continually during the spring
and fall months, the soil within the encios,
nre was one mass OF loblol.y, soft mud, Of
least fifteen inches in depth, through which
s,alked the gaunt half.clad wretches thus
confined. The stencil from The PRISON
could be pereeired for t,oo mates, ana Jarm'
.,s Gr;aS IN the aet.ghborhood bega" Il
rear for The health Of Their taait'es'
The ,rround lately occupied BY