The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-08-29
ANDERsoxyILLE HORRORS.
Letter from Georgia planter to the
Editors Of Tie Neao York Eve. Post.

Editors Of Tie Aeao York Ere. Post.
There appears to be disposition on
the part of some of the public press to
mitigate some of the offences and crimes
Of Major Henry Wertz, late the respon-
sible keeper of the stookade at Anderson
vile, Georgia, and to throw upon Others
the responsibilities that justly attach to
those alone who were in immediate COM
mand of that prison. Being personally
acquainted with most Of the officers who
we're stationed at Andersonyille, and
knowing much of the treatment of those
who were so unfortunate as to have been
confined in that pen of horror, l have
thought that a condensed statement of
how things were managed, and prisoners
of war were treated there, might not be
entirely unacceptable to your readers.
l wish to be understood as not desir-
Gus to forestal the action or opinion Of
the commission which is about to inves.
tigate this matter, or to add anything to
the feeIiog entertained towards Major
Wertz. 1t is enough for hin to rest, now
aud forever, under az obloquy that no
time and nc repentance can obliterare;
to feel within himself the unenviable
pangs which the recollection of his pow
erless murdered victims will ever arouse,
aud to know that whatever may be the
award of human tribunal, his punish
ment is already decreed.
The prison of AndersoaviIle is stock
ade of about eighteen feet high, the posts
comprising it being sunk in the ground
fve feet; it originally comprised an area
of eighteen acres, but was subsequently
enlarged to twenty y-seven acres. The in
closure is upon the side of hill, looking
towards the south, at the foot of which is
a 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 protestion afforded
by trees or otherwise against the burning
rays of tie southern sun, the furious
storms, or the freezing winters.
The position Was selected By Captain
Winder, son of General John Fl. Win
der, who was seut from Richmond for the
purpose in the latter part of 1868. When
it was suggested to him by disinterested
but humane spectator of his operations
that it would perhaps De better to leave
the trees standing within the proposed
stockade, as they would afford shade to
the prisoners, he hereplied: "That was just
what be was not going to do; he was 60
ing to make a pen for the - Yankees,
where they could rot faster than they
could be sent there"
Aud admirably did he accomplish his
mission.
The first commaudant of the post vas
Colonel Parsons, who was soon succeeded
by john H. Winder, with his son as Ad-
jutant, his nephew as Commissary and
Sutler, and Henry Wertz in immediate
command of the prisoners. There were
generally stationed there for guard duty
from three to six regiments of infantry,
with one company Of artillery, having
battery of six pieces, according to the
exigencies of the case, the number of
prisoners then confined, or the fears en-
tertained of an attempt to set them at
liberty by raiding parties of United States
troops.
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 Unreal,
ity went into the pockets of those who
controlled the prison. Notwithstanding
a law of the Confederacy expressly pro-
hibited the dealing in "greenbaeks," yet
the initiated, few whose "loyalty" was
unquestioned, could always obtain for
consideration the greenbacks which they
required.
The writer of this was the foreman of
the last grand jury which was empan-
neled for Suupter county, Ga. and IN
the performance of his duty he had to
investigate a large number of present
meuts for dealing in the forbidden cur
rencG which were brought against poor