The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-08-26

of the sick. am, sir, very respectfully,
J. EDWARD PrLor,
Asst Surgeon P. A. C. s. and Officer Of the
Day.
To Surgeon f. o. Erland, in charge Of 1st
Div. G. s. NJ. p. Hospital
The Court at ] o'clock took rscess till
O'Clock, when the direct testimony Of DR..
Bates was concluded.
Cross examined by Mr.. Baker.
/ am a resident Of Louisville, Jefferson
county, Georgia, and was there when the war
broke out. Up to June, 1864, be remained at
home as practitioner Of medicine, being in
consequence of his profession exempted him
from duty in the confederate service he had
had no sympathy or wish TO 20 into it !; he did
not vote or do anything else to bring on the
war he counted himselfa Union man when
Gov. Brown resolved to bring all males be-
tween IA and 60 years into the State militia,
he became contract surgeon to keep out Of
the State trenches; he took an oath TO the
confederacy; it was forced upon him at the
point of the bayonet, and being under duties,
&c, at the time, he did not consider it was
binding upon him. Requisitions were made
on DR.. Clayton for medical supplies, and not
upon Capt Wertz never had any blame been
rations, nor his name mentioned in that con-
nection. Capt. Wertz had always treated the
witness kindly; he never saw him use harsh
means on anybody. The confederate soldiers
had several wells On the outside of the prison.
Witness did not think they were supplied
from the same source as the Union prisoners
were, the latter. drawing their supplies from
the stream running through the prison. He
judged the stream was not unhealthy. but the
lower part of it might have been from the
drainage of the camp.
Andersonville was merely railroad station
until the war commenced, when military shan
ties were put up.
The witness was asked if he had any opinion
that there was conspiracy there to cause the
death OF l mon prisoners.
Judge Advocate Chapman objected to the
question. II might as we'll be asked if the
witness believed the prisoner guilty it was
OF no consequence.
sufficient importance 10 cause an objection
from the learned gentleman
The court decided not to sustain the OBJ
lection.
Witness was then asked whether he knew
of any person who then by their conduct con
spired TO murder or otherwise cause the death
of [ mon prisoners.
He replied that he had never been so i'm
pressed. he had always objected to the inetfi-
cheney of the character of the rations that
shortness Of the allowances was owing 10 lis
having been furnished by the Southern Con
federacy. Further supplies could not be fur
! uished except by going to the country, and
none OF the officers had the right to go forag-
ing. Surgeons always did the best they could.
and frequently complained to the Surgeon
General about the insufiiciency of meals fur
nished by the government Supplies were
| received from the North, from the SANITARY
Commission, and he saw some Of the prison
ers giving the clothes which had been fur.
nished.
Dr. Burrows being sworn. stated that he
served as physician to the 27th Mass: was
taken prisoner al Plymouth: finally found
his way 10 Andersonville, where he was pa
rolled by Capt. Wertz and placed in charge of
| two wards of the hospital. He remained
! there six or seven months, till the 9th Of Sep
tember. when he made his escape, since
which time he had practiced medicine a,
home.
When he went to Andersonville there were
900 or 700 patients living on the ground
Some had broken limbs and gangrene, scurvy
and chronic diarrhea. Nine ten;hs of the
patients were dying on the ground. while
others had insufficient shelter Capt. Wertz
would say, when any prisoners escaped or at
tempted to escape, that he would starve
every damned ankee. For such attempt the
prisoner was punished either in the stocks or
chain gang. shocking mode of punish
ment was putting their fee; in stocks, their
| feet being elevated and the other part of the
body lying on the ground. The witness new
er got from DIR. White he asked for.
there always being some excuse or other
| answer. and hounds were kept near the hos
pital to get the trail of escaping prisoners who.
when cought, were brought back and put in
stock.
Witness knew of case where man under
the circumstances was mangled in the face
by one of the dogs but recovered. another
came under his observation, it was in August
or September, 1864, when Union prisoner
was wounded by one of the hounds and died
indirectly from the bite but directly from gan
creme. He had seen Capt. ". on horseback
with the bounds but Turner seemed to have
direct charge of the dogs.
In the month of August there appeared
from official reports that nearly 5000 died on
the removal of the prisoners from Anderson
vile. One of them fell back, when the wit
ness saw Capt. Wertz knock the man down
and stamp upon him, this was in September,
1864. Wertz had revolver in his hand, but
witness did not know that Wertz used it to
knock the prisoner down.
At quarter to 1 clock the court adjourn
ed until tomorrow.