American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-08-09
The Rebel Golgotha.
ANDERsoNvILLE FIENDs.
Systematic Torture of Our Soldiers.


fishes letter upon the manner IN which
our soldiers prisoners at Andersonville,
were tortured. We presume the author
is Ambrose Spencer, formerly of New
York, but for many years resident of
Andersonville. who has voluntarily came
North to testify in the ease of Capt. Hen
ry Wirtz, who is soon to be tried for his
inhuman treatment of our soldiers while
keeper of the prison at the latter place.
The prison is a stockade of about eigh-
teen feet high, the posts being sunk five
feet; it originally contained eighteen,
but was afterwards enlarged to twenty
seven acres, situated on hill side at the
foot of which flows brook five feet wide
and as many inches deep. The position
was selected by Capt. Winder,sou of Gen.
John III. Winder, in the latter part of
1868. When it was suggested to him to
leave the trees standing as shade for
the prisoners, he replied "That was just
what he was..not going to do; he was going
to make pen for the id Yankees,
where they could rot faster than they
could be sent there"
Colonel Parsons was first commandant
of the post, but was soon succeeded by
Gen Wiuder, with his son as Adjutant,
his nephew as Commissary and sutler,
and Henry Wirtz in immediate command
Of the prisoners.
When prisoners were first received it
was usual to subject them to search for
money, valuables ETC., which ostensibly
were to be restored when they were re-
leased from captivity, but which in real
ity went into the pockets of those who
controlled the prison. Notwithstanding
law of the Confederacy expressly pro.
hibited the dealing in ',greenbacks," yet
the initiated few whose "loyalty" was un-
questioned, could always obtain for a
consideration the greenbacks which they
required.
The writer of this was the foreman of
the last grand jury which was empaneled
for Sumpter county, Ca, and in the per-
tormance of his duty he had to investi-
gate large lumber Of presentments for
dealing in the forbidden currency which
were brought against poor Union Men in
every instance, Struck by this fact, he
resolved to examine as his position gave
him right to do, into all the circum-
stances where the money originally came
from, who did the selling of it-indeed,
the whole mo7Hs operdadi--and he elci-
ted the fact above stated, how the money
was obtained that Winders and Wirz
were the principals, acting through sub
ordinates, in gath ring bushels of plums,
in the way of premiums, &c Meanwhile
the poor priaoners were left to tender
mercies or their jailor and commissary
for their food, which might have been
improved in quality at least, if their mon
ey had been left in their own posses
sion.
AT first it was customary to send a
wagon into the stockade every morning
at ten o'clock, loaded with the rations for
the day-bacon and corn bread, nothing
else; but as the number of prisoners in
creased and the greed of gain grew upon
the trio above mentioned, the corn bread
was reduced in its quality, being then
manufactured Of equal proportion OF
ground field peas and corn, unboltcd, un.
sifted, uncleansed indeed, fran the dirt
and trash which peas naturally accumu.
late ; and at last, when the number OF
prisoners increased to over thirty-seven
thousand, the meat rations per week were
reduced to piece Of bacon for each man
about three inches long and two wide
with one pound Of the bread above de
scribed per day Then, also, the custom
of carrying the prisoners food into the
stockade in wagons was abolished. They
drove up to the gates, which were slight
ly opened, and the scanty food foul and
unhealthy as it was, was thrown inside
by the guard to be scrambled for by the
wretched prisoners, the strongest and
those nearest the gate getting the largest
share, the weak and sickly getting none,
have mentioned the small brook which
runs through the lowerpart of the stock
ade, and which supplied the water for
drinking and washing. This brook has
its rise in a swamp net far from the pris-
oh, and at no time, certainly not for a
heightened period, was the water suitable
or healthy; but when the fieces and filth,
the drainage of the whole camp of pris-
oners, came TO be superadded to the nat,
ural unftness of the water for drinking
or cleansing purposes, my readers can
judge what thirst was assuaged, o, fever
cooled, or throbbing temples washed, by
this floating stream of filth and disease
At any time. under the most rigid hygi-
enic restrictions, it is difficult to main
tain health and cleanliness amongst a
large body of men-what do you think
was the condition of thirty-seven thous-
and half naked, half starved men, with
out any police regulations, under no NOR
al and restraining influences IF the
remnant who were finally allowed to pass
out of this military Golgotha were not
wild beasts, unwashed, befouled devils,
10 thanks are to be given to HenryssWirz
for lack of effort to produce such con-
summation.
When it rained, as it does in that eli
mate almost continually during the spring
and fall months, the soil within the en-
closure was one mass of loblolly, soft mud
at least fifteen inches in depth, through
which stalked and staggered the gaunt,
halfclad wretchcs thus confined The
stencil from, the prison could be perceived
for t,co miles and farmers HUiRy az hc
bLo.LonI Ia,,o., 10 fa,S f,., a. I..kI