Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-06
Trial Of Henry Wirz.
sTiRTLING IGNORANCE on A WITNESS
He Don't Know the New YORK New-is d
DislOyal Sheet. @v.
Ben. Woods Reporter on the stand
He Undertakes 60 Make an Inventory
Of Things He Don't Know.
FRIpAr, October Q, 1855.

STL Ta; x VHIrsss Hossss Judge Advocates.
The Commission met this morning at ten
o'clock; all the members present, the Judge Ad.
vocAtes, and the counsel for the accused. -.
The record Of yesterday was read, when
w AUGUSTUS KLEIcH,. htN
having been sworn, testified that he had been In
the United States service as member Of the sth
Penna. cavalry. Was captured and taken to
Richmond, where he remained until March 4,
1854. Was then taken 10 Anderson lille and re-
msined there until the lsth day ofNovember.
Was in the stockade. On the 4th day Of July
was taken out Of the stoqfade and went to cut
ting wood. Was sick am not able to perform
such hard work. Was then put In the stable to
take care OF private horses OF WirI, Winder, and
others. Never heard Of wirI killing a man.
Win was sick during August. Lieut.. Davis was
then in command. ~ .' ..r . f.rH
Cross ss-examined .--witre.s wrote letter TO
Capt. wirz told him he would be willing to 90 out
and cut wood was too weak to cut wood. Witness
was at the stable most Of the time Heard wirz
was sick. Witness drew clothing-at one time
pair Of pants, and . few days after whole suit
In November got another suit Witness received
a double ration while he was outside. wirz
would curse man for nothing at all. At roll
call he would pull fellow around very roughly
II he was not standing In his place.
MARTIN s. HARRIS, .u
testified that he had been In the United States
service as q member Of the 5th New York Vol
unteer Artillery, from the 10th Of January, 1862,
until last June. Was taken prisoner at Har-
per's Porry, on July 4th, and taken to Anderson
Vile. Was confined In the stockade from July
%, until the lst Of November, 1854, Held the
position Of sergeant over q squad Of ninety men.
Was appointed by Capt. wirt at the solicitation
OF the men Of the squad. After the removal Of
prisoners commenced to remove the dead line
and used 1t as fuel. During the time the dead
line was down the prisoners had unrestricted
intercourse with the guard, and the officers Of the
II NhaV aaAl, AAs.a.. tl.a..
II was done with the full knowledge Of wirz.
Don't know II he gave an order allowing them
do so. ."
Complaints were made against the sutlsr, who
was q Jew. WirI came In aud told the sutler he
would give him ave minutes to remove his per-
sonal effects; and the goods In the store were
among the prisoners, except some
vegetables, which WirE reserved for the use Of
the sick In the hospital. The water In the creek
was not 1T for use, either for drinking or cook.
ing. There were several wells In the stockade.
A spring was discovered between tho dead line
and the stockade. TWAS cleaned out, and trough
1t was enough for the prisoners II they
did not crowd on II too much. Fifty or sixty
wells were in the stockade.
After number Of the prisoners had been ex-
changed, the camp was reorgsniZed. Captain
wirI sent for the sergeants and told them that
owing to the decrease in the number Of prison
ers the rstions would be increased and be Of bet
ter quality. He permitted 20 from each 100 to gO
Of fuel in the camp. On the evening Of the Slst
Of October the rebel sergeants came In and told
them TO be ready to tske the train next morning
at s o clock. Witness left on the LIST Of Novem-
those who were sick and not able to 20 on the
train, should report themselves at the hospital
inside the stookade. Never knew Of WirI kill
ing or abusing man. He often cursed the men.
Witness knew Of many stores In the stockade.
Many OF the prisoners would peddle soap, can
dies and such stuff about the stockade. Had
seen the guards trade with the prisoners. They
would give clothing, watches, knives, pocket
books, or any thing they had for eggs, vegetables
and such things. The rations were never stopped
In the squad which witness had command Of
Had known the issuing Of rations to be delayed,
but they were always made good. Wirr rode
gray mare. Never saw Wirz dressed In q whole
rebel uniform. In the summer time he wore
linen clothes. The duty Of witness was to call
roll, then attend the south gate and the sick
and then carry out the dead then to draw and
issue rations. The men were frequently absent
at roll-call II they were sick, the rebel SER
geants were taken to his quarters to see that he
was sick.
In the stookAds at Andersonville was a luxury
Sale tied up In bags at the bake house was pur-
chased and thrown over In the stockade at night
II was purchased by traders and by them exposed
for sale. By this means, for a long time we had
no salt In our bread. Witness wrote q note to
Wirz complaining Of how the salt instead Of being
put In the bread was sold. WirI issued an order
the police to seize aud connscate all
salt found exposed for sale After this salt WAS
Gross examined: Witness never went by any
other name. Never belonged to any other regi-
ment. Never jumped the bounty. Never wrote
q letter to Wirz asking to be detailed for duty
outside. When witness arrived at Anderson
vile he was taken to wirE's headquarters ard
appointed sergeant, at the request Of his men.
Never saw wirI draw his pistol. Had frequent
ly seen him get in violent rage In the stoekade
tha nFia Duth I'm
Witness did not know OF any prisoners being
shot the dead line after the 10th OF September.
The sutler had In his tent potatoes, tobacco,
onions, and such things. The water In the creek
wells, or had an interest in them by purchase,
would not allow the other prisoners to use the
water, unless paid for; the ordinary price was
chew Of tobacco for drink OF water. The south
side was the lesser half Of the stockads; they
could go on the north side II they wanted to. At
that time wood was plentiful before that II was
very scarce. Witness never bought or sold.
Witness never took wood from the the rest Of the
the wood was issued to him. Witness
generally liked his rations warmed. During his
stay, his rations were generally served cooked.
Uncooked rations were sometimes issued. Had
heard the prisoners say they would rather stay
at Andersonville than go to other stockades which
they knew nothing about T. .I
Sometimes the sick In witness squad were as
many as six taken outside the stockade. Thought
about twenty Of his squad died, About ten died
the stockade. Sometimes men were unable to
attend sick call. Witness would 30 " the sur
geon and get prescription for them. They were
waited upon by himself and comrades. As men
would be sent to the hospital or died new ones
would be sent to the squad to hll up. Some OF
witnsss' men wero paroled aud detailed out
side. Witness was in the stockade at Millen, from
the LIST to the 2lst Of November. Never applied
to Gen. Winder to be detailed. Witness was
sent from Andersonville to Vicksburg to be ex-
changed. Witness was allowed double ration
while he was sergeant Never ate his extra ra-
tiOn; gave 1t for the shelter which he had
Thought the prisoners had enough to sustain
life, providing they could eat i, In many ia
stances they could not eatit. Had seen nlly
die for the want Of water and food. Men wl-o
had sore mouths could not eat the corn bread
They would abstain from 1t and become ena-
ciAted.
Witness thought IS, 600 prisoners were In the
stockade at the time salt was being thrown over.
All who could afford II purchased salt. AbOu.
one third could purchase II. Had seen salt thrown
over. Each man would purchase what he could,
about spoonful There was always great traffic
going on with salt. Witness was captured by
karly's advance guard; had been Intoxicated;
was lying down asleep when he was captured
his comrades were on the Maryland side, on the
opposite side Of the river; rebels were all about
witness when he was captured. Witness was
comparatively sober when he was captured.
Witness suffered Immediately after his capture;
suffered at AndersOnyille principally from the
heat Of the sun suffered from the diarrhGa and
confinement.
Witness had been out Of the service since May
18th. Had written two or three letters to the
New York Net1s about the trial, q plain state
ment Of the facts Of the case. Thought WirL was
man wrOngfully accused. Knew that II was
called a copperhead sheet. Did not know II was
in sympathy with the rebellion. Selected that