Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-08-30
Trial Of Henry Wirz.
UNITED STATES MILITARY COMMISSION
Gas, LEW. WALLACE, President,
Cor. N. p. CHirNA., Jrdg. Advo..,os
MAJ. A. A. HosNRn, S'uoBeAoNoeates'
Yesterday, after our report closed
JOSEPH N. KEYSER

Yesterday, after our report closed
JOSEPH n. kEISER
was sworn aud examined by Major Hosmer.
Witness was member o. the 10th New York
volunteers, and was captured In James City
county, Virginia, October 10th, 1853, and was
confined at Richmond, whence he was taken to
Andersonyille in February, 1854 the stockade
oners were confined TO the north side. There was
no shelter, as the trees had all been cut down,
hut there was sufieienoy Of food, and the water
was good, Witness was one Of the frat load of
four hundred prisoners who were taken to An
dersonville; and, as they were the hrst arrivals,
there was enough food and water the hrst month,
but rs more prisoners arrived the wood became
scarce, aud the water became dirty, but the pris-
oners were obliged to use 1t, as they had no
The men were healthy when they hrst ar
rived at Audersonville, aud remained so until
May, 1854, when they began to get sick, and In
June, July aud August they died rapidly Of
diarrhGa, dysentery and gangrene There was
no means Of taking care Of the sick, and the
medical treatment was bad. There were but feT5
tents and no hunks, the men being therefore
compelled to lie upon the ground. The prisoners
had medicines at fret, but as the number Of in
mates increased the medicines became scarce.
Witness was placed In charge Of the sick as hos
pital steward, ard DR.. White, who was surgeon
In chief, did not take much interest in the sick,
but left all to the care Of his assistants. when
witness first arrived at the prison, the ration
much larger than II was at subsequent psriod.
prisoners cooked their own rat'ons until April,
when the cook houses were completed. Occa-
sionaiIy a small quantity Of vegetables would be
distributed to the hospitals, but the supply was
not large. -..r.
In July or August, 1854, an inspection Of the
hospital and prison was made by a confederate
major. He said he was horrihed at the condition
Of the prison, and made an estimate wherein he
concluded that the average length Of life there
would be about three hundred and eighty five
days. Witness has seen Wirz often, and has
heard him order the guard to shoot any one who
should pass over the dead line. Witness has
seen men who had been shot aud afterwards saw
the sentinel who had shot them. In April or May
the prisoners received their express boxes from
home, and some Of the men threw mouldy bread
aud cakes under aud outside the dead line. Some
who had not received boxes reached under the
| dead line to secure that which had been thrown
| away, aud one was shot in the head, the body
| falling half across the dead line. Witness has
seen wirz and Turner go around the prison with
dogs sea rching for the trail Of an escaped pris-
| oner Never saw man confined In the stocks,
| but knew they were there.
| In August, 1854, saw twelve men together In
the chain gang. They were connected with each
| other by chains fastened to their feet, and each
| had an iron collar around his neck with a chain
| extending from the neck to the feet. Two men
| were In the chain gang six weeks for attempting
| to escape. Never knew q man to die In the chain
| gang; but one man died In the guard house with
/ ball and chain on him. Asa general thug
wirz was overbcaring and abusive to the men.
Witness has seen men bueked by WirI's orders.
| Witness saw Gen. Winder at the hospital, and
| heard him give orders at the hospital 1t was
| understood that he commanded the post. On one
| occasion the prisoners ran to the gate to see
| winder, and he ordered the guard to shoot any
| one who came within fifteen feet OF the gate.
| Witness had seen negrOss In gangs cutting tim
| Dor.
| Cross.examined by Mr. Baker: Witness was
| 10 the stOckadc until May, 1854, and was after
| wards in the hospital Witness gave his parole,
but there were hospital attendants who were
| out without paroles Never saw WirI personally y
| comm, al agsaglt upon a prisoner, but has
| heard him give orlefs 10 septrios Rld guards
| wirz has rode between the stockade aud dead
line and given such orders. Never knew o!
heard Of but one instance OF u man having been
warned not to approach the dead-line. There
was no necessity for the dead line. There were
| 10000 prisoners IN the stockade when witness
| was there, and they we're very compact, be-
/ cause they had to huddle close together away
| from the dead line The line was not In ex
| istence when witness Grst went there. 1t was
| established afIer WirE assumed cppmand.
| WirZ ordered one man who had escaped and was
recaptured to be placed In the stocks twelve hours
| The man had no alteration with Wirz. The
| latter applied q very opprobrious and insulting
| epithet to him, and the man was about TO answer
back, when wirE presented his pistol at him, ant
| said he would * him II he said word Wit
| ness 10 positive It was wirz. He could not b.
mistaken. II was shortly after wirz had reeoy
cred from sickness.
The Court adjourned until 10 O'Clock thi'
| morning,