Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-08-10
AN INCARNATE FIEND,

i
d Cutta Outdone--Infamy Never
NEqunled in History Of sInn--
Gen. Winder and Ills Som en
Rotting Yankees--The Testi-
mSny of a Loyal Georgian
Planter.
New YoRK, Thursday, Aug 3, 1865.
To the Editors Of the Ne,o York Post:
There appears to be disposition on the
part of some of the public press to mitigate
the offences and crimes Of Maj. Henry
Wertz late the responsible keeper OF the
stockade at Andersonville, Ga, and to /
throw upon others the responsibilities that
Justly attach to those alone who were in i'm
mediate command of that prison. Being
personally acquainted with most Of the Of
ficers who were stationed at Andersonyillo, |
and knowing much of the treatment of
those who were so unfortunate as to have
been confined in that pen of horror, have
thought that a condensed statement of how
things were managed and prisoners Of war
we're treated there might not be entirely
unacceptable to your readers. ..
| wish to be understood as not desirous
to ferestall the action or the opinion OF the
commission which is about to investigate
this matter, or to add anything to the feol
ing entertained toward Major Wertzud 1t
is enough for him to rest, now and forever,
under an obloquy that no time and no re-
pentance can obliterate; to- feel within him
self the uuenviable pangs which the recol
lection Of his poweress murdered victims
will ever arouse, aud to know that whatever
NAV be the award of human tribunal, his
punishment is already decroed. 5-rW I.n.-
The prison of Andersonville is stockade
of about eighteen feet high, the posts COM
prising it being sunk in the ground FIVE feet;
il originally comprised an area Of eighteen
acres, but was subsequently, enlarged to
twepty-seven acres. The iDclosure is upon
the side Of a hill, looking toward the South,
, at the foot of which is small brook about
FIVE feet wide and as many inches deep,
/. which furnished the water for the use of
the prisoners Within this inclosure were
: turned the prisoners as they arrived, and
left to provide for themselves there being
: no shelters, or arbors, or any kind of pro.
g lection afforded byItrees oIotherwise agains
q the burning rays Of the Southern sun, the
J. furious storms or the freezing winters.
g The position was selected by Captain
g Winder, son Of Gen. John H. Winder, who
q was sent from Richmond for that purpose
Is in the latter part Of 1868. When it wa
l. suggested to him by disinterested but hu
p name spectator of his operations, that i
v would perhaps be better to leave the tree
le standing within the proposed stockade, a
re they would afford shade to the prisoners, h
" replied. THAT was just what he was no
le going to do; he was going to make pc
nt for the - Yankees, where they could 70
,e faster than they could be sent there"
10 And admirably did he complish hi
VI nilsson. ...s -,
OF The first commandant of the post wa
Col. Persons, who was soon succeeded b
6c TnLn II Windar mi h hia CON 90 A dintop
1t bis nephew as Commissary and sutler, an
MS Henry Wertz in immediate command
We the prisoners. There were generally at
'r' toned there for guard duty from three
on six regiments Of infantry, with one cempar
nd of artillery, having battery of six piece
od according to the exigencies of the case, II
number of prisoners then confined, or Il
tears entertained of an attempt to set the
at liberty by .raiding parties of Unite
rs, States troops. J. .t #4 lnp- .a
40 When prisoners were first received it W
OF usual to subject them to search for none
to valuabes, &C., which ostensbly were to
As restored when they were released from Ca
ith tivity, but which in reality went into Il
,e" pockets Of those who controlled the prise
ing Notwithstanding a law of the Confedera
icy expressly prohibited the dealing in ''gree
wv backs" yet the initiated, few who
''loyalty" was unquestioned, could alwa
the obtain for a consideration the greenbac
to they required ae#
The writer Of this was the foreman Of t
'fts last grand jury which was empanneled
for Sumner county, Ca, and in the perfor
md ance Of his duties he mad to nvestigat,
ing large number of present ments for deali
in the forbidden currency, which "
to brought against poor Union men in eve
DOT instance. Struck by this fact he resolv
nile to examine, as his position gave him a rig
to do, inte all the circumstances where
to money originally came from, who did
her selling of it, indeed the whole modus O
randi, and he elioited the fact above stat
Who how the money was obtained, that the w
+? ders and Wertz were the principals, acti
itch through suberdinates, in gathering bush
rye of plums in the way of premiums, &c
the Meanwhile the prisoners were left to
,gs, tender mercies Of the jailor and commiss
n for their food, which might have been
you proved in quantity, at least, if their moi
ach had been lett in their own possession.
"a At first it was customary to send was
ERIK inte the stockade every morning at
cret o'clock, loaded with the rations for the
# of bacon and corn, bread, nothing else;
, az the number Of prisoners increased {
lent the greed Of gain grew upon the trio abb
nom mentioned the corn-bread was reduced
bold its quality, being then manufactured
equal proportions of fground field peas
SON. corn, unbolted, unsifted, uncleansed,
BOAT deed, from the dirt and trash which p
r. naturally accumulate and at last, when
in number of prisoners increased to over
; re- O00 the meat ratons per week were redu
t. to piece Of bacon, for each man, alb
~ threo inches long and two wide, with
o' pone of the bread above described per d
D. Then, also, the custom of carrying
res prisoners food into the stockade in wag
with was abolished. They drove up to the ga
,rty, which were slightly opened, and the sea
buse food foul and unhealthy as it was,
after thrown inside by the guard, to be scraml
Ugh for by the wretched prisoners, the stronl
was and those nearest the gate gctting
At to largest share, the weak and sickly gett
yeed none.
ohm l have mentioned the small brook WI
Had runs through the lower part of the ste
said ade, and which supplied the water
lot a drinking and washing. This brook has
him rise in swamp not far from the prison,
peri- at no time, certainly not for lengthe
,lace period, was the water suitable or healt
p but when the faces and filth, the drain
a Al Il n