The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-24
CHARGE AND SPECIFICATIONS.
Terrible Record of Barbarities.
CONSPIRACY TO DESTROY AND MURDER
GEN. IL. Z. LEE LD[PLICA TED.

WASHINGTON, August q, 1865
The special Military Commission con-
vened this afternoon in the Court of
Claims room, at the Capitol, Major Cen
cral Wallace President and Col Chip
man Judge Advocate.
AT half past one o'clock Captain Wirz,
the prisoner tobe tried, was brought into
the room, guarded on each side by sol
der. The prisoner was requested to
rise, when Colonel Chapman said
Captain Wirz, you are to be tried by
this Military Commission. Have You
any personal objection to any of Its menu
bers ?'
Judge Hughes, one of the counsel,
said he proposed to make no objection of
a personal character, They would, how
ever, at a subsequent stage of the pro-
ceedings, ask to be heard ON the plea of
general Jurisdiction, especially objecting
to the mode of constituting the court
But II the prisoner was to be tried by
military commission he would as soon
be tried by this one as any other.
The members of the commission were
then sworn, ls# 1ga15f
The Judge Advocate informed the
prisoner that he was arraigned for trial
under the name of Henry Wirz Was
that the name?
The prisoner replied that it was
Judge Hughes desired to say that the
charges and specifications We're not de-
Hyered to the prisoner until yesterday
afternoon, and were not seen by his
counsel till this morning; therefore they
had not sufficient time to examine them,
THE CHARGES AND SPECIFICATIONS.
/ Colonel Chapman said the counsel
could ask for delay after the arraign-
ment, ana then proceeded to read the
charges and specifications preferred
against Henry Wirz, as follows /
Charge First -Maliciously, wiIfully
and traitorously, and in aid of the then
existing armed rebellion against the
United States of America, on or before
the first day of March, A. D. 1854, and
on divers other days between that day
and the tenth day of April, 1866, COM
bining, confederating and conspiring
together with Robert E. Lee, James A,
Seldom, John H, Winder, Lucius d,
Northrop, Richard B, Winder, Joseph
White, w. s. Winder, R. r. Stevenson,
- Moore, and others unknown, to in
jure the health and destroy the lives of
soldiers in the military service Of the
United States, then held and being
prisoners of war within the lines of the
so-called Confederate States, and in the
military prisons thereof, to the end that
the armies of the United States might
be weakened and impaired, in violation
of the laws and customs of war.
Specifcation.-In this, that he, the
said Henry Wirz, did combine, confede
rate and conspire with them, the said
Robert Z. Lee, James A. Seldom, John
H Winder, Lucius III. Northrop, Rich
ard B. Winder, Joseph White, w. S.
Winder, R. r. Stevenson, - Moore,
and others whose names are unknown,
citizens of the United States aforesaid,
and who were then engaged in armed
rebellion against the United States, ma
liciously, traitorously, and, in violation
of the laws of war, to impair and injure
the health and to destroy the lives, by
subiecting to torture and great suffering,
by combining in unhealthy and unwhole-
some quarters, by exposing to the in
clemency of the winter and to the burn
ing sun of summer, by compelling the
use of impure water, and by furnishing
insufficient and unwholesome food, of
large numbers of federal prisoners, sol
diers in the military service of the
United States of America, held as pris-
oners of war at Andersonvflle, in the
State of Georgia, within the lines of the
so-called Confederate States, on or
before the 1st day of March, A.
d. 1864, and at divers times be-
tween that day and the 10th day
of April, A. d. 1865, to the end that the
armies of the United States might be
weakened and impaired, and the insur-
gents engaged in armed rebellion against
the United States might be aided and
comforted; and he, the said Henry
Wirz, an officer in the military service
Of the so-called Confederate States, be-
ing then and there commandant of q
military prison at Andersonville, in the
State of Georgia, located by authority
Of the so-ealled Confederate States for
the confinement of prisoners of war,
and, as such commandment, fully clothed
with authority, and in duty bound, TO
treat, care and provide for such prisoners
held as aforesaid, as were or might be
placed in his custody according to the
law of war, did, in furtherance OF such
combination, confederation and con-
spiracy, and melted thereunto by them,
the said Robert Z. Lee, James A. Sed-
don, John H. Winder, Lucius II. Nor
throp, Richard b. Winder, Joseph
White, w. s. Winder, r. r. Stevenson,
- Moore and others, whose names are
unknown, maliciously, wickedly and
traitorously confine large number of
such prisoners of war, soldiers in the
military service Of the United States, to
the amount of thirty thousand men, in
unhealthy and unwholesome quarters
in a close and small area of ground,
wholly inadequate to their wants and
destructive to their health, which he
well knew and Intended; and while
there 20 confined during the time afore-
said, did, In furtherance Of his evil de-
sign and In aid of the said conspiracy,
wIlfully and maliciously neglect to fur
nish tents, barracks, or other shelter suf-
fcient for their protection from the in
clemency of winter and the dews and
burning sun of summer; and with such
evil intent did take and cause to be Ia.
ken from them their clothing, blankets,
camp equipage and other property, OF
which they were possessed at the time Of
being placed in his custody and with
| like malice and evil intent did refuse to
| furnish or cause to be furnished food
either of quality or quantity. sufii-
/ cient to preserve health and sus
tain life and did refuse and neglec
4 to furnish wood sufficient for cooking IL
summer and to keep the said prisoner
warm in winter, and did compel the sale
prisoners to subsist upon unwhoIesom,
water, reeking with the filth and garbag
Of the prison and prison yard, and th
4 80 r. L