Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-09-28
Trial Of Henry Wirz.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 2s, 1855.
UNITED STATES MILITARY COMMISSION
0BS. LEw. WALLACE, President,
Col. n. r. CHIPnAN, Judge Advocates.

all the members present, the Judge hdNOohteh,
and the counsel for the accused.
Tho prisoner was brought in at IL clock, ant
Immediately laid dswn on the sofa.
Tho reading Of the testimony Of yesterday wa
concluded at IL o'clock, when
COL. PERSONS
was recalled and examined by Mr.. Baker. Ho tes.
tined that before he left Andersonville q numbtI
ofsanitary boxes reached Andersonyille and were
piled up near the depot Witness was In the
stockade, and the men asked him to have the
boxes sent In Witness told them he would do
what he could the boxes were sent In. The pris
oners afterwards thanked witness for having
them sent in. Capt. wirE asked witness what
should be done with the boxes belonging to men
who had died, and at the same time suggested
that they be turned over to the Union hospital.
Witness told him 1t was a good suggestion.
Wlrz rode q gray mare which was kept In the
stable with the other horses. Never knew Of
wirz TO be absent with the hounds hunting pris-
oners. The prisoners were buried In collins un- .
I'll the lumber gave out, then the puneheons were
used. The lumber gave out about May. When
witness left, the prisoners were coming In very
rapidly, sometimes two or three trains per day.
Part OF the dead line had washed down, Some
negroes were at Andersonville. Never saw chain
gang or stocks. Had seen ten or fifteen prison
ers chained together, but did not think that was
the chain gang. 1t was a penitentiary offence to
trade In greenbacks. Apdersonville was a very
poor section Of che country, There was a small
market attended by twenty or thirty kucksters
who would come In from different parts Of the
country. Did not think they brought sufficient
supplies for the hospitals. They brought about
enough to feed one hundred and dny or two hun
dred men. Never knew Of sentlnels being over
the dead house. Never heard Of a negro being
shot by Capt. Wirz. Never saw Wrz with q rid
ing whip. Knew nothing about prisoners trad :
ing with the guard, only what he heard. Had
seen an order In the rules and regulations OF the
prison, signed by Capt. Wirz, prohibiting trad
Ing between prisoners and guards.
Cross-examined: Was at Andersonville from
February to June. The official business Of Wirz
and witness brought them together daily. Wit
ness received his instructions from Gen Winder
He said there were three distinct departments,
the commander Of the post, Of the prison, aud Of
the troops Witness requested the removal Of
the hospital from tho stockade for the sake Of
humanity. wirE said he would have dead
house built himself Some shelter might have
been built for the living. Thought the quarter
had. witness had no right TO Interfere with the
Interior Of the prison. The hospital was moved
outside about one month before witness left
there. II was done at the instance Of witness,
II was taken out In violation Of Winder's order.
Witness did not know what transpired at Capt.
WirZ' headquarters while he was there. Wit
ness had no right to punish prisoners Of war.
Thought wirI had the right; he was the COM
mander Of the prison. Witness had power to
grant furloughs for seven days. Had heard
wirE say he was an assistant adjutaut general on
Winder's staff Capt. WirZ drew the rules and
regulations Of the prison. Witness know WirE
labored indefatigably for the relief Of the pris.
oners, but knows the prisoners were badly cared
for. Thought the fault was in sending SO many
prisoners to such q small place.
By the Court: Witness had nothing to do with
the stocksde. 1t was under command Of Captain
Wlrz. Witness had no knowledge Of ever Civ
ing an order for double ration. II he gave such
an order 1t came from Capt Wirz's office In such
a way that he had no knowledge Of 1t being
double ration.
NAZARETH ALLEN
testified that he was connected with the Sd
Georgia Reserves, formed in May, 1854, at Macon,
Georgia.
Question by Mr.. Baker: What was the condi.
ton Of the troops and peopleH
The Court remarked that they could not see
the relevancy Of the question. ..-
Mr. Baker said 1t was part Of their defence to
show that the whole Southern COnfederacy was
In a state Of starvation. Much evidence had been
offered In that respect by the Government.
Mr. Baker said he would try to conhne the ex-
animation to that point
Witness resumed: The regiment was badly
furnished with clothing. The clothing they had
was furnished by themselves. Tho rations were
corn meal and bacon. Much sickness in the reg
iment, but witness did not know from what
cause. About two thirds OF the regiment was
At for duty. The men had to perform regular
guard duty, and frequently the next day would
have 10 guard prisoners at their work. The mon
had to perform picket duty about two miles
from the stockade. Had to scout around the
country to look out for the enemy and keep In
the Confederate soldiers aud escaping prisoners.
The tents were very inferior, old and worn out.
Never saw more than 1 or wagons about there.
Thought at one time some wagons were i'm
pressed to haul stockade timber.
The 5jth Georgia were trading with the pris-
Dners. Some Of the regiment which witness was
A member Of began trading, and the 0jth Georgia
cursed about It they wanted all the trade themE
selves Much trade was carried on. Saw some
Of his comrades wearing clothing bought from
nIl laln htah hal
been worn. Had seen prisoners searched once.
They were Stoneman' g raiders. Money, jewelry,
and shawls were taken from
them. Saw some spoons. Never knew OF any
others but Stonemau's raiders being searched.
It was often reported that the prisoners were
out. The regiment would then have
TO go down and guard the place. Had heard little
talk about furlough. Never knew Of any being
given. Did not know any one who got fur
lough.
Cross examined. Had known Of Confederate
soldiers getting days furloughs. Witness never
drew any clothing from the Confederate Govern
ment. Never saw any Confederate soldiers die OF
The impression among the troops
was that the quality Of the rations produced
diarrhGa Witness was on duty from the 20th Of
May to the 7th Of July, 1854. Witness preferred
Of the stockade principally.
By the Court: Witness only Judged as to the
strength Of the regiment
DIR. FLUELLEN
Recalled, and testified that he arrived at Ander-
sonville In July or August. Over 1000 prisoners
were at Andersonville then. Went there for the
purpose Of inspecting hospitals. Called Dr.
Whites attention to the ineiiciency Of hospital
accommodations. He said he could not get lum-
Der or necessary tools to put up hospital build
ings. He said there was 2, 800 mechanics In the
stockade who would be glad to come outside to
work. The Federal hospital was composed ofa
board fence In which were all kinds OF tents:
The Confederate hospital was a wo-story board
building, and disgrace to the service. witness
knew nothing Of the vaccination at Andersonyile.
Mr., Baker inquired as to the effect OF yacclna-
ton throughout the South.
Col Chapman objected on the ground that the
ect OF the vaccination in all places at the South
bad nothing to do with that at Andersonville. II
were poisoned throughout the Con-
1t was no reason that the prisoners at
Andersonville should be.
Mr.. Baker said he intended to prove that spu-
riOus vaccine matter was common throughout
the South. Families were poisoned by 1t, aud
no physician could tell the bad matter from the
good.
The objection was not sustained.
While the army Of Gen. Bragg was in Florida,
in one division a thousand men were unht for
duty on account Of spurious vaccination. Many
physicians regarded 1t as vaccine virus with
syphilis. Never saw any soldier permanently
disabled from II. In many cases 1t would spread
all over the body and render them unit for duty
for time Had seen men, women, and children
affected In the same way. In the spring and
summer Of 1868 1t was the most violent. Wit
ness did not know from what source the Govern
ment obtained the vaccine matter They had
very imperative orders requiring all the soldiers
to be vaccinated.