The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-08-31
The Werze Trial.

be consumed in bringing the proceedings to
close, as only half a dozen of the more
then 13o witnesses have as yet been exam
ined The Commission give the defense
the greatest latitude for examination.
Robert H. Kellogg, who was one of the
prisoners in Andersonville, testified as to the
loathsome condition of the prison, when he,
with 1000 others, arrived there, in May,
1864; the men were almost skeletons, dirty,
half.starved and diseased; that firing at men
for approaching the dead line was frequent.
He also states that he had gone to the stream
TO wash his hands, when shot was directed
at him, but luckily missed; and that nearly
800 out of the 400 who were taken himself
to Andersonville, died in few days after they
were paroled.
Thomas G. Allcock and Boston
Corbett, former prisoners at Anderson
vile, were examined before the Court
martial on Monday and testified to the
horrors of their imprisonment and the
cruelty of Wirz. Two brothers named
Brown we're than examined, when the
prisoners taking offense at some remark
by the Court, abandoned the case and
retired.
| Segeant Boston Corbett testified that
he was in the United States service was
captured at Centerville, Va, and con
veryed to Andersonville, where he arrived
in July before he and his compaution
entered the stockade, having remained
some time, they were divided into detach-
ments he was exceedingly thirsty and
asked man near Capt. Wirz's for drink
of water; the man was one of our own pris-
oners on his parole of honor for different
occupation but could not give me the
water another man was sick in the stock
ade, and asked the Lieutenant Of the
squad whether he could not be sent to the
Hospital; the officer informed him that
nothing could be done till tomorrow, and
that he must go into the stockade with the
others after he entered the stockade he
found nine men of his Company who had
been brought there three months pre-
|
men died of II men who were taken to
Andersonyille when he was, only two re
turned alive; he was one of them; when he
reached there he saw forts and guns he
noticed several men near the headquarters
in chains, with balls, exposed to the heat
of the sun; he still bore the marks of the
sun by exposure on his shoulders; he
had seen the stocks, but did not remem
Der seeing any persons in them the dead
line was slight wooded structure three
or four feet high, running twelve or tif
teen feet from the stockade the place
where the stream entered the stockade
was broken down he had seen men shot
and killed there the prison was in hor
rible condition of filth the swamp on
each side of the stream was so offensive
and the stencil so great that he wondered
every man there did not die he believed
it was the cause of the death of many Of
our men /; the maggots were foot deep !;
the soldiers dug up roots; they were dried
in the sun and used for fuel the sick
fingered around the swamp as soldiers lie
down to rest after march (; going to that
locality he would find dead men; the
feet of others were swollen; gangrenous
soreswere without bandages; the sores
were filed with maggots and flies the
men were unable to move, lying in their
filth they generally chose that position
and would prefer being near the sink in
one case a man, he was certain, died from
lice, which were as thick as the man
garments the food was insufficient even
when double rations were served for call
ing the roll or attending the sick when
the witness was sick within the stockade no
medicine was given to him; they however
gave him sour meat and water, and called
it vinegar; our own men made better
article, which they called sour beer the
sick men were carried out at the south
gate in some cases men would die while
waiting to be carried out; in regard to re
moving the dead, four men were assigned
that duty, and in return they were allow
ed to bring in wood, which, if they chose,
they could sell inside for dollar; the
men became so hardened that they would
say, "That's right, sell off dead man for
wood )" the water passing through the
camp was filthy generally, and not good
to drink /; at times those who had wells
gave him,,a drink; at times they would not, |
and were so rude that he would drink the
stream water rather than be abused; he had
seen onions sold for 20, so, aud Is cents
each the effect Of this treatment was to
demoralize the men some became idiotic
the nearer the stockade the clearer was
the water some men would 90 over the
dead line where it was broken, knowing
it, and had they not been warned, would
have been shot; hounds were kept there
to huntand recapture those who attempted
to secape; prisoners were allowed to 90
out In certain numbers to collect woodE;
the witness told his comrades that the
irst time he got out of the stockade he
would try and escape; he made the
attempt, and was hunted, but not i'm
found he lay concealed an
hour or two, and heard the yelping of
hounds in the distance. then nearer and