The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-08-22
The Trial Of Capt. Henry Wiriz-The
Charges nud Specific ations
(By Union Line

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2l.-lue special
military commission convened this morn
ing in the Court of Claims room ut the
capitol, Maj. Gen. Wallace, President,
and Col. Chapman, Judge Advocate.
At half-past one o'clock Captain Wirtz,
the prisoner to be tried, was brought into
the room guarded on each side by SOL
der. The prisoner was requested to
rise, when Col Chapman said:
Captain Wirtz, yon are to be tried by
this military commission. Have you any
personal objection to any of its members!
Judge Hughes, one of the counsel,
said that he proposed to make no obiec-
ton of personal character. They
would, however, at q subsequent stage of
the proceedings, ask to he heard on the
plea of general jurisdiction, respectfully
obiecting to the mode of constituting
the court, but if the prisoner was to be
tried by military commission, he would
as soon be tried by this one as by any
other
The members of the commission We're
then sworn.
The Judge Advocate informed the pris'
oner that he was arraigned for trial nm
der the name of Henry Wirtz. Was that
the name2
The prisoner replied that it was
Judge Hughes desired to say that tue
charges and specifications were not de
livered to the prisoner until yesterday
afternoon, and were not seen by his conn'
sci till this morning Therefore they had
not sufficient time to examine them.
Col. Chapman said the counsel could
ask for delay after the arrangement, and
then proceeded to read the charges and
specifications preferred against Henry
Wirtz as follows
Charge lst-Maliciously, wilfully and
traitoronsly and in aid of the then OK
isting armed rebellion against the Unit
ed States of America on or before the
first day of March, A. D 1864, and the
Goth day of April, 1865, combining con
federating and conspiringitogether with
Robert E Lee, James Seddon, John II,
Worders, Lrcius ID Northrop, Richard
B Winder, James White. W s Arveter,
R. R. Stevenson, Moore and Others
to iniure the health and destroy
the lives Of soldiers in the military
service of the United States then held
and being prisoners Of war within the
lines of the so.called Confederate States
in the military prisons thereof, to the
end that the armies of the United States
might be weakened, and in violation of
the laws and customs of war
Specification this, that he, the said
Henry Writ, did combine, confederate.
and conspire with them, the said Robert
Z. Lee, Jas A. Sedden, Jno d Winsler,
Lacius II Nurthrop. Richd f Winder,
W. S. Winder r. r. Stevens, and Others.
of the United States aforesaid. and who
were then engaged in armed rebellion
against the United States, maliciously,
traitorously and in violation af the laws
of war, to impair aud iniure the health
and to destroy their lives by subjecting
to torture and great suffering by confin-
ing in unhealthy aud UNIV wholesome quar-
ters, by exposing to the inclemency OF
the winter, and to the dews and burning
sun of summer; in compelling the use Of
impure water, aud by furnishing unsutfi
cient aud unwholesome food, Of large
numbers of Federal prisoners, soldiers
in the military service of the United
States Of America, held prisoners of war
at Andelsonyille. in the State OF Geor-
gia, within the lines VI the so-called
Confederate States, on or before the
first day of March, A. D. lSGi
and at divers tunes between that day aud
the 10th day of April, A. D. 1865, to the
end that the armies of the United States
might be weakened and impaired, and
the insurgents engaged in armed rebel
lion against the United States might be
aided and comforted, and he, the said
Henry Wirtz, an officer in the military
| service of the so-called Confederate
States, being then and there comman
dant of military prison at Anderson
Vile, in the State Of Georgia, located by
authority Of the so called Confederate
States for the confinement of prisoners OF
war, and as such commandant fully
clothed with authority, and in duty
bound to treat, care and provide for such
prisoners held as aforesaid, as were or
might be placed in his custody accord
| ing to the laws Of war, did, in further
snce Of such combustion, confederation
and conspiracy, and incited there
INTO by them, the said Robert E.
Lee, Jr., q soldier, John H Winder.
L. H. Northrop, Richard B. Winder James
White, w. g. Winder, r. R. Stevenson,
Moore and others whose names are un-
known, msliciousiy, wickedly and trait
orously confneds large number of such
prisoners Of war, soldiers in the military
service Of the United States, to the
amount Of $4,000 men, in unhealthy and
unwholesome quarters in q close and
Il III - - = n l. a