Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-09-11
Grial OF wertZ.

WAsHINGTox, Sept. 9-More documentary
evidence was submitted to day
letter from Acting Adjutant and Inspector
General ID l. Chandler was the first In this
he lauds the administration of Capt Wertz for
his untring energy and general competency.
and suggesting the removal Of Gen. Winder and
substitution OF pure, good judgment and hu-
nanty.
Col Chandler was then sworn He had no re-
traction to make Of anything in bis report; he
had a consultation with Gen. Winder ab out the
bad condition of the prisoners Wnder said il
would be better 10 let half die so they could
take care OF the remainder. He told by a
rebel sentinel that every Yankee be shot he re
ceiyed thirty days furlough and three months
extra wages.
j A Waistall, of the Forty Second New
FORK, testified that he knew of man who died
from effects OF dog bites
Wm NJ. Fable, of South western Georgia, who
detailed as clerk to Col Forno, rebel off
Ger in command. testified that while riding out he
saw a man in the stocks who he thought would
drown, heavy rain falling upon his face
witness held his umbrella over him for a while
and then went TO Wertz to express his apprehen
sion; w ertz said, "et the d-d Yankee drown &"
Ia few minutes thereafter. however, an officer
was sen, from Captain Wertz' headquarters,
who took the man out of the stocks; the crops
but the farmers bad a surplus.
W. W Crandell, Of the Ninth Iowa, testified
to a man being badly bitten in the calf by dogs;
he had ball and chain fastened TO his legs, and
was kept in this condition several weeks; witness
went to Wertz and pleaded for the release of the
prisoner. but Wertz said be could not do IT, The
legs were swollen aud had purified look; a
rebel surgeon being appealed to- said he could
not con,centously take off more than one chain
which he did; the man inally died; witness, as
one of the detailed sections, helped bury thirty
or forty of the men who had been shot, during
the time General Sherman was mqrching from
Atlanta to the coast. the prisoners were OF course
very anxious TO hear the news; a report came
that Sherman and his staff, and ID 900 prisoners,
had been captured; Captain Wertz said he hoped
this true, ard if the prisoners were sent there
he could take care of more Id Yankees than
four regiments in the front; on one occasion
barrel OF rotten pork sent to the Comms-
sarys Office TO be used by the Yankees; witness
vas employed ia the office; next day he received
orders TO weigh out the same number of pounds
beef, and turn it over to Captain Wertz who
wanted the best, saying il Tor his own eating
he knew the pork came from Captain Wertz's
headquarters; prisoners who had money could
procure food
Cross examined by Mr. Baker-The dead
were buried by the Union prisoners under the
VI ItDtl StEBctnl. ne OOuleS
were not treated indecenty, except that they
carted like logs of wood, in order to get
full load, as there was onlv one wagon The
officers and soldiers frequently came to the
graveyard and upbraided them for not burning
the dead 10 better style, saying they ought to
work night as well as day. There we're not more
than 30 men employed in burying the dead, and
in vain they had endeavored TO procure more
help. Some Of the visiting rebels said this grave
yard would make good vineyard, the Yankee
bones afording good manure; let US invite their
Yankee friends to come and eat the grapes He
himself was put in the stocks for attempting to
escape He had proceeded l6O miles before he
was apprehended by the scouts as a rebel de
serter. Fearing he would be hung for being a
rebel, be told them be was a Yarkee This was
in September, 1851.
VIM Van Buren, OF the Second New York
Cavalry testified TO blankets and pants from
the Sanitary Commission having been appro-
priated by the rebels. Wertz said to him he
could take care Of more Cd id Yankees
than are at the front. Nertz had threatened to
shoot the witness for some trivial complaint, and
ordered the guard TO FIRE upon man who had
stepped out to pick up piece OF wood he
FASTENED back To the ranks before the guard
could shoot The witness said among other
things. that the prisoners we're reduced TO skele.
tons and would GO TO sinks to pick up undigested
particles OF food He mentioned several cases
OF shooting men; one OF them was said by at
least twenty men, to have been shot BY Wertz
himself
Adjourned