Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-09-08
THE wIRZ TRIAL.
coNrINUAT1oN OF THE TESTIMONY.
w.sur~arou Senf. Q

! Mr. y. y. Beicher testified that he had
served in the l6th Illinois Cavalry, and was
a prisoner at Aodersonville from the 9th oil
March until September, 1864. He thought
tina, Capt. Wiz assumed command about the
\ 1T Of April. On one occasion Wifz came
into the stockSde, when cripple, walking on
crutches, approached aud asked to so OUTSIDE.
TIE request was refused, and the cripple
said be would rather be shot than stay here.
The witness soon heard Wirz order seItl'
mel to tell that man il be did not go back he
would shlot him. The man did not return,
when the sentinel fred and shot him in the
jaw. WIZ sferwsrd threatened 10 shoot
the other men If they did not go away. On
another occasion. while the prisoners we're
being divided into squads Of hundreds, one
of the men, owing to Sickness, did not iall IN,
and Wirz threatened to shot hin, and did
shoot him the bal went through the mans
hat. The prisoners were kept in the sun all
day, and NOS allowed to procure water. IL
the squad could not give a satisfactory account
of any one of their missing number they were
deprived Of their rations. This was the case
for three days early in July. lie had heard
4 WIZ say he was killing more Yankees tnan
those who were serving at the front. Wit
ness had seen twenty or thirty men shot ov-
err the dead line" and others fred at who
iwere not over the "dead line"
The witness gave various instances OF men
! being shot one was sho, while in his tent
for merely stretching his arm beyond the
'desd line !" another was shot for TIRE aiding
over the line. He heard Capt. WIZ order
the sentinel to shoe. the cripple. Some Of
I those shot were killed and others taken to
/ the hospital.
James II. Davidson testified that he was u
member of the Iowa cavalry and taken pris-
oner to Andersonville on the 8th of March.
tie described the filthy condition Of the pris-
oners. For a week he drove the dead wag-
on 4; sometimes twenty-five men we're thrown
into the wagon at time and on the return
be would bring wood and rations in the same
cart. He had seen the rebel soldiers wi Ia
shirts, blankets and shoes on them that were
sent there by the Sanitary Commission for
the use OF our men. Capt. WHg, he knew,
made a breakfast on some of the crackers,
cheese and beef sent there Tor our prisoners.
lie had seen four hundred or five hundred
boxes at the depot with supplies. They were
marked "U. s." 1t was common thing for
men to be put in chain gang One man died
in the chain gang with an iron collar around
his neck. He had seen the hounds there
there were two kinds, catch dogs and bull
terriers. One OF the dogs badly tore the
flesh from a mans leg. Another man was
hanging up his clothes which he had washed
to dry one OF the pieces blew over the "dead
line" he stepped beyond the line to gel
the piece, when he was fred upon and shot
in the breast. Another man had reached be-
yond the "dead line for some crumbs OF
bread, when he was shot in he head. Wrz
shot man short time after he assumed
command of the prison; the latter was sick
lying on the ground, aud asked Wiiz fol
something, when VIM shot him. Wirz re-
marked that he toas killing more Yankees ther'
than Lee paS at Richmond. I his was said il
August. WIZ was at the time with witnes,
in the graveyard in the wagon with a desC
body. The witnes, had seen men stsrve Il
death. Food was so scarce at one time tina
some Of them picked up PARTICLES of food thu
had already passed trough the system
Witness had never seen WIz shoot NOR,
than one man. The grave-diggers we're I'm
ion soldiers.
! Capt. j. III. Wright and Col. Tanning
formerly of the Confederate service, testified
| ms TO the signatures of Gen. Wipder ant
Capt. WiTz to a consolidated return for Aug
, last, which was exhibited to them. Mao
= Hosmer, Associate Judge Advocate, was sworr
, aud testified that he obtained the paper from
J the chief clerk having custody Of the rebe
papers at the War Department. The pape
, was read in evidence and is as follows:
} =" Consolidated Return for the Contederat
t States M,litary Prison, Camp Sumter, Ga
l Tor the Month of august, 1854; Prisoners OF
hand on the last Of August, l664--in camp
29,9S5 in hospital, l69S--totai, 81 ,67S.-
Received from various places during August
in the aggregate "a 100. Died during tie
month of August, 1908; sent to other prs.
ons, % exchanged, 81 escaped, so; max.
ing 306l-of all OF which here were ON the
3lst of August in camp, 20 473 in hospital
1920; total, 81, 693. Tue same complaint
has to be made against carelessness and inef-
iciency of the guard. OF the 80 prisoners
wac escaped, l l of them did so while on rheir
par Die Of honor not to ESCAPE as long MS they
were employed TO work Outside. The balance
19, escaped, some by bhhins the sen,inei'
with gseepoacks. some by simply walking of
while returning with the guard from the place
where the tools are placed at night that arr
used in the stockade in the daytime, Perhaps
, rs m IRE escaped during the mon b, but they
were taken up by the dogs before the DAILY
return was made. and for that reason they
are not on the list Of escaped or recaptured
That only four we're recaptured Is owing tC
the fact that neither the gard Lur officers Of
the guard reported the men escaped. The
roll calls IN the morning would show a man
missing, but he would be too far gone then
to be tracked. As we have 20 general court
martial here, all such otfenses go UNPUBLISHED
or nearly so. II. WfRz, 900.
h.n Captain Commanding" 81
The Endorsement on the paper is as follows
Respectfully forwarded to Gen. s. Coop.
er, Adjutant and Inspector General.
JoHN n. WINDER, Brig. Gen.
September @, 1864" aa.a 200 Io ono .ast
Thomas Hall testified that he belonged to
the marine corps and was prisoner at An
deTsonviile. He had chargsof squad of 80
prisoners, but only one out OF the entire num-
Der survived. They gave him another squad
from the new stock. TIE men died off rapid
ly. A good msny sunk down from exhaus-
tion and starvation and could not get up
Capt. Wiiz threatened that il they did not
rise be would blow the brains out OF the G.
d. Yankees. WiTz threatened 10 FIRE grape