The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-08-12
The AnderSOnyiilG Murders.

The New York Post of Thursday, the "rd
inst. publishes the following letter IN rela-
tiun to the treatment of Federal prisoners
at Audersonvie by " Hog" Winder, of
MARYLAND, and Captain Wcrtz. the com.
,nandants of that post. The Post says the
author is Il loyal Georgian, gentleman well
known in New York city and State. who
speaks of what he saw and knew of the con
dition and treatment of our unhappy men
who were in the hands Of Wcrtz and
Windcr.
There appears to be disposition on the
mart of some of the public press to mitigate
the ofenses and crimes of Major Henry
Wertz, late the responsible keeper o. the
stockade at Andersonville, Georgia, and to
throw upon others the responsibilities that
Justly attach to those alone who were in i'm
mediate command of that prison. Being
prrsonalv acauain ed with most of the Off
GERS who were stationed at Andnrsonvile,
aid knowing much of the treatment Of those
who were 50 unfortunate as to have bccn
confined in that pen OF horror, have
tn ,ught that Il condensed statement OF how
things were managed and prisoners of war
were treated there might not be entirely
unacceptable to your readers.
| wish to he understood as not DESTROYS to
forestall the action or opinion of the com
mission which is about tn investigate tins
matter. or to add anything to the feeling
entertained towards Major Wer'z. 1t is
enough for him to rest, now and forcrcr,
Under an obloquy that no time and no re
pentancc can oblicrate: to feel within him
self the unenvablc pangS which the rccol'
lection of his powcfiess murdered victims
will ever arouse, and to know that whatever
may he the award OF a human tribunal, his
punishment is already decrced.
Of AnI,rsnnrill.. ia. - stcrl,..Gn
of about EIGHTEEN feet high the posts com
prsing it being sunk in the ground five feet
1T originally comprised all area of eighteen
acres but was subsequently enlarged to
twenty seven acres. The enclosure is upon
the side Of a hill. looking towards the South,
ut the foot of which is small brook about
five feet wide and as many inches deep,
which furnished the water for the use OF the
prisoners. Within this enc 'Surc were tura
ed the prisoners as they arrived. and left to
provide for themselves, there being no shell
tiers, Or arbors. or any kind of protection
afforded by trees or otherwise against the
burning rays of the Southern sun, the furious
storms or the freezing winters.
The position was selected Ivy Captain
Winder, a son of General John FL. Winder,
who was sent from Richmond for the pur
pose in the latter part of 1862. When it
was suggested to him by disinterested but
humane spectator of his operations that 1t
would perhaps be better to leave the trees
standing within the proposed st"ckadc, as
they would afford shade to the prisoners, he
replied, THAT was just what he was not
going to do he was going to make a pen for
the id Yankees, where they could rot
faster than they could be sent there
And admirably did he accomplish his mis-
sion.
The first commandant ofthe post was Col.
Parsons, who was soon succeeded by John
H. Winder, with his son as Adjutant, his
nephew as commissary and suter, and
Henry Wertz in immediate command of the
prisoners. There were generally stationed
there for guard duty from three to six rcgi
ments of infantry. with one company of
artillery, having battery of six pieces,
according to the exigencies of the case, the
lumber of prisoners then confined, or the
fears entertained 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, Sc, which ostensibiy were to be
restored when they were released from cap
tivity, but which in reality went into the
pockets Of those who controlled the prison.
Notwithstanding u law Of the Coufe1eracy
expressly prohibited the dealing in green.
backs" yet the initiated, @ lew whose 10Y
atty was unquestioned, could always obtain
for o consideration the g.eenbacks which
they required.
The writer of this was the foreman Of the
last grand jury which was emranneled for
Sumter county, Georgia, and in the per
Torrance of his duty he had to investigate
large number Of presentments for dealing
in the forbidden currency, which were
brought against poor Union men in every
instance. Struck by this fact, he resolved
to examine, as his position gave him right
to do, into all the circumstances I; where the
money originally came from. Oho did the
selling of it indeed, the whole modns
operandi---aud he elected the fact above
stated how the money was obtained that
the Winders and Vert we're the principals,