Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-09-23
NCThe gyyirtz TrinI.Vr.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22.-In the Wirtz tri-g
al today, DR.. Hopkins testified that on the
22d OF July, 1864, he was assigned to duty in
the hospital at Andersonville, and together
with Surgeon White, were ordered to make
a thorough inspection Of the prison and
hospital, with view to their Improvement.
The witness here read the. following letter
as the'report which he had made: lHI
ANDERsoNvILLE, GA, Aug. II, 1864.
TO Brig. Gen. Jlo. A, TYibdef:. oHiHf 7"S
GENERAL-In obedience to your order of
the 24th of July requesting us TO make ex-
aminationof the Federal prison and hOspi<
tai at this place, and to ascertain and report
to you the cause of disease and mortality
among the prisoners, and the measures ne
cessary to prevent the same, has been COM
pleted, and we respectfully submit the fol-
lowing causes OF, disease, and mortality:
First, The large number ! of prisoners
crowded together; Second, The entire alb
sence of all vegetables as diet, so necessary
as 0 preventive of scqrvey; Third, The want
OF barracks to shelter the prisoners from
the sun and rain; Fourth, The inadequate
supply of wood and good water; Fifth, Bad
ly cooked food; Sixth, The filthy condition
OF the pTisoners;l = Seventh, THE morbid
emanations from the branch or ravine pass
Ing through the prison, the condition Of
which cannot be better explained than by
naming it aamorass of human excrement
and mud. ls.mI. D.. 8. % ffse aald Z s1u
Preventive measures. rFirst,rlThe re-
mOval Immediately from the prison of not
less than 10000 prisoners, Second, Detail or
parele sufficient number efiprisoners to
cultivate the necessary supply OF vegetables
until this can be carried into practical loper-
alton, and the appointment of agents along
the different lines of railroads, to purchase
and forward supply; Third, The immedi-
| ate erection of barracks to shelter the
| prisoners; Fourth, to furnish the neces-
sary quantity of wood and have wells
dug and supply the deficiency; 5th, Divide
the prisoners into squads, place each squad
Under the charge of q sergeant, furnish the
necessary quantity of soap, and hold the
sergeant responsible for the personal clean
illness of his guard; furnish the prisoners
with clothing at the expense of the C0nfed-
crate Government, and II that Government
be unable to do so candidlyi admit our in
ability and call. upon the Federal Govern
ment to furnish them; 9th, By a daily in
spectiOnI OF the bake house and cookery:
9Th, Cover with sand the entire merass not
less than six inches deep, board the stream
| or water coarse, and cOntine the men TO the
use of the sinks and make the. penalty for
disobedience Of such orders severe! y asf
For the hospital we recommend, LIST,
That the tents be floored with plank, il
plank cannot be had, with puncheons, and
if this be impossible, then with fine straw,
to be frequently changed; I'd, We find an
inadequate supply of stool boxes, and re-
commend thatthe number be increased and
that the nurses berequired to remove them
as soQn, as used, and before returning them
soc that they are well washed and lined;
Sd, The diet for the sick is not such as they
should have, and we recommend that they
| be supplied with the necessary quantity of
.beef soups With vegetables; 3 J4thyg We siSo
recommend that the surgeon be required to
visit the hospital not less than twice day.
We cannot too strongly recommend the
fiecessity of he.appointment of an efficient
medical officer to the exclusive duty of ih-
specting daily the prison hospital, and re-
quire of him daily reports of their eondi-
ton to headquarters! iiEWHNtId 81 s.
II We have the honor to remain, very re-
spectfully. your 1obedient servant,
[Signedl ginF. S. HOPKINS,
A. A. Surgeon,
DR.. Hopkins further testified that he sub
mitted two reports to Dr.. White for his sig
nature. The latter, said it contained the
truth, and that he would sign it and send it
to General Winder; but he did not sign it,
and the witness did not know that anything
had been done to carry out the suggestions.
Judge Advocate Ghifman then submitted
a general order of General Winder address,
ed to DIR. Hopkins, to show that the Rich
mond authorities had knowledge Of the
condition of the Andersonville prison, and
that General Winder had authority to ap-
ply remedy. Dohr,.'s.' aal3 rr [
Cross-eXamined by Mr.. Schade: The
witness said he did not know who was to
blamesT Captain WirtZ signed the ordersas
commander of the interior of the prisons.
He could see no great difficulty in the way
of Improvement 1t was the implicitcon-
tidence which General Winder had in Wirtz
that caused the state of things tooexist.
Otherwise General Winder would hayeryls-
ited,t the prison. d. to. -t4s..fq ,77g
II. B. Harold, who was shipper of sup
plies at Americas, testified that he did net
think they were ever out of bacon or meal;
there was as much there as could be. ship
ped. . .r,v.l ,,sy .....-.... ,,..'.-,T
| Cross examined: He said the provisions
furnished to the prisoners were the same as
furnished to the Confederate soldiers.
DR.. G., i. Rice, on duty at Andersonville,
testified as to the terrible condition of the
hospital. Men died from starvation, cold
and exposure, and other causes. Medicines
were not furnished in the professional way,
but by formula or number, according TO
the rules of the prison. For Instance, in
stead of mentioning the medicine, the pre-
scription would be for No. l or 2, or any
7other number, specific for any disease be-
ing designated by number. There was
no other way in which medicines could be
obtained. .s,-.Hrr s''ug o.. -.fF
DIR. Stevenson, who had been in charge
of the hospital, was tried and found guilty
of embezzeling the hospital funds, which
amounted to from 100000 to $150,000. al
bi Captain Wilson French, of the 18th Con-
neetiaut, testified that he with sixty five
other officers were confined in a room six
ty feet long and twenty-five feet wide.
They were there five weeks. If they had
not had the privilege of buying provisions
they would have starved to death from in
different fations, r.. .. ..,,......,..,.-,-,I,g
j. r, Griffin, Sergt. J. E. Allen, Robert
Tate and others, testified relative to affairs
at Andersonyille and the conduct of Capt.
Writ. ,,l,a o.,
The Commission then adjourned. 49,
nfT'he proyinciaI Exhibitiou. 'u