The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-08-23
The Charges Against Wertz.


his trial: Charge violation of the
laws of war. Specification first, in this,
that Henry Wertz, at Andersonville,
in the State Of Georgia, continuously,
from tho 1st day Of March, 1864, to
the 10th day Of April, 1865, then and
there being an officer in the military
service of tho so.callod Confederate
State Of America Of the rank Of Captain,
and as such officer then and there COM
mandant Of the prison, therc located by
tho the authority Of the so.callcd Con.
federate States, for the confinement Of
prisoners Of war taken and held by tho
50 called Confederate States from tho
armies Of the United States of America,
was, as such commandant, there and then
fully clothed with competent authority,
and in duty bound to treat, care and
provide for such persons belonging to
the United States as were or might be
placed in his custody as prisoners Of war,
according to the laws and usages of war,
which he then aud there we'll knew but
he, the said Henry Wertz, willfully and
maliciously designing and contriving to
impair and injure the health and destroy
the lives of such persons ir his custody
as prisoners of war, did, during the time
aforesaid, in violation Of his duty in that
regard, and in furtherance Of his said
evil design, conGne large number OF
such prisoners of war belonging to the
United States, to tho number Of 10000
men, in unhealthy and uuwholesomo
quarters, in o close and small area OF
ground wholly inadequate to their wants
and destructive to their health, which he
we'll knew and intended; and while
there confined during the time aforesaid,
did, in furtherance Of his evil design,
willfully and mnliciously neglect to fur
nish tents, barracks or other shelter suf.
fcient for their protection from tho IN.
clemenvy of winter and the deWs and
burning sun Of summer, and with such
evil intent did take and cause to DO taken
from them their clothing, blankets and
camp equipage, of which they were pos
sessed at the time Of being placed in
custody, and with like malice and evil
intent did refuse to furnish, or cause to
be furnished, food either Of a quality OF
quantity sufficient to preserve health
and sustain life, and refuse and neglect
to furnish wood sufficient for cooking in
summer and to keep said prisoners warm
lin winter, and did compel tho said pris'
oucrs to subsist upon unwholesome food,
and that in limited quantities entirely In
adequate to sustain health, which is well
known, and did compel said prisoners te
use unwholcsome water, with filth and
garbage of tho prison and prison yard
whereby the said prisoners became greatly
reduced in their bodily strength and
cmanciatcd, and injured aud their intel
ect broken and many of them, whose
names are unknown, sickened and died
by reason thereof, which he, said Henry
Wcrtz, then and there we'll knew and in.
tended, and 50 knowing and evilly in.
tcnding, did refuse and neglect to pro.
vide proper lodgings, food or nutrimeRt,
for tho sick, and necessary medicines
and medical attendance for the restora.
ton of their health, and did knowingly,
willfully and maliciously, in furthcrancc
of his evil designs, permit them to Ian.
guish and die for want of care and
proper treatment, and when dead, the
said Henry Wcrtz, still pursuing his
cril purposes, did permit to remain in
said prison, among tho emaciatcd, sick
and languishing living, tho bodies of the
dead, until they became corrupt and
loathsome, and flled tho air with noxi.
lious cffusions, and thereby greatly In
creased the unwholesomencss Of persons
insomuch that great numbers of tho pris.
oners, whose names are unknown, died
all of which he, the said Henry Wertz,
there and then we'll knew, and cvilly
and maliciously designed and intended.
. The second specification charges the
prisoner with willfully and maliciously
intending and designing to impair the
health and destroy the lives Of the pris'
onors under his control, to the end that
tho armies of the United States might
be weakened and impaired thereby. In
the third specification he is charged with
maliciously causing, procuring and or
dcring soldiers in the service of the so:
call ed Confederate States to shoot and
kill such prisoners as we're in his custo'
dy as prisoners Of war, upon slight,
trivial and fictitious prctenscs.; by means
whereof large number Of soldiers from
the armies Of the United States were want
only killed and murdered while prisoners
of war.
!, In the fourth specification, Wertz is
accused of willfully, and with malice
aforcthought, killing and numbering, dc.
fensclcss prisoners in his custody. F.
The fifth and last specification charges
him with keeping and using ferocious
aud, bloodthirsty beasts, dangerous to
human life, called bloodhounds, to hunt
down prisoners Of war who had made
their escape from bis custody, aud did
then and there willfully and maliciously
allow the said beats to seize, tear, and
uanglo and main, the bodies and limbs
Of fugitives, which they there: and then