Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-09-22
MORE TESTIMONY AGAINST THE
MONSTER wIRZ FEDERAL
SOLDIERS BURNT
TO DEATH


SOLDIERS BURNT
TO DEATH.
Mrs +. NJ. Warren Of Nashville. Tenn,
who served as nurse and matron in the rebel
hospitals in Georgia throughout the rebellion,
describes to the editor Of the Chattanooga
Gozeas what she saw at Andersonville during
visit Of several days. 1t makes the blood
run cold to read her narrative. We quote:
" She saw half-clad, living skeletons. de-
void Of shoes and stockings, standing upon
the frosty ground, and oocasionly lft their
feet, and wrap them in the tattered rags that
hung about their person, aud press their feet
close to the body for its warmth to shield
them from the frost.
Groups Of men could be seen lowered
around and over green pine wood fires, with
their faces and persons so blackened with the
SCOT Of the pine wood smoke that they APP
peared like negroes. Other men could be
seen engaged in carrying the dead bodies from
the straw pallets Of the den, stacking them
up at the entrance, to be carried away for in
terment without coffins, or friends or COM
rades to follow the corpse to its resting
place.
lnhuman wretches were there, clad in gray,
with nuskets, overlooking these sad and sol
emn movements Of the dead, and should one
Of the prisoners engaged 10 moving the dead
fall under the weight imposed upon him, the
wretcbes in gray would prick them with their
bay onets and curse them Tor neglect Of duty
And not unfrequently the bodies Of soldiers
were carried away for interment before life
was extinct.
Other bodies were carried past with wisps
Of straw, in either hand, grasped in the last
sgonies Of death"
Mrs. Warren rebuked Wirz for his inhu-
manity, when he threatened her life, and she
Immediately left the place by advice Of her
friends. About the l5th of December the
prisoners Of Andersonville were moved to
Albany in consequence Of an expected adj
vance Of the Federal cavalry. OF their treat
ment here Mrs. Warren states:
" At this place the prisoners were camped
in al open field, grown up with sedge grass,
without tents or blankets, and with scarcely
suffioen. clothing to cover their nakedness.
Ga account of the severe cold, the prisoners
dug holes in the ground and buried themselves
as best they could, to shield themselves from
the inclement weather The prisoners re-
manned at this place three weeks, with barely
sufficient food to sustain life, in consequence
of which many Of them became so weak and
faint that they could not wax.
At the close Of the time stated above the
prisoners were ordered to return to Ander-
sonville. Those that could not march did not
fall 10 when so ordered, but remained in the
camp In their holes, covered with grass which
bad been found in the field, and was gathered
BY hand and thrown upon the loose rail, over
the holes on the ground, forming covering
that shielded them from the frust- of winter
to be burned alive, as lPrz ordered The camp
to Be fred and many poor, SICK fai"t prjso-
ner i0ds burned 10 death on The sOOt and manv
died after in consequences Of ,helr injuries ."
The Norfolk Post gives additional pa, ii u.
lars Of the capture of the box Of watches be
fonging to the Andersonville prisoners. The
box was found in possession Of u. T. Garti-
son Of Accomac, who was on the way from
Richmond 10 his home on the Eastern shore.
Mr.. Garrison is man above all suspicion,
and council for r. b. Winder, now confined
in the Old Capitol PRISON. He voluntarily >
gave up the articles ced in his possession
TO Captain Gilmore, Provost Marshal. as we'll
all papers connected with his clients case.
We give below correct copy OF all the pa
pers given up. The papers will no doubt he
returned to Mr.. Garrison for the benefit OF
his client: