Daily national Republican., 1865-09-01
Trial Of Henry Wirz.
HIGHLY YIMPORTANTTEsTIMONY
HoRRons OF ANDERsoNvrLLE.
THE CRUELTY OF wIRz
7 Il N T II D AY .
SITED STATES MILITARY COMMISSION

standing room A great portion Of the audience
this morning was ladies, old and young, some OF
them having been In attendance nearly the whole
time the trial has been progressing.
A few minutes past ten o'clock the prisoner
was brought into Court, attired the same as
usual and shown to his usual seat, when the
reading Of the testimony taken on Wednesday
was begun by Mr.. Hays, one Of the Official ro-
potters. .....
Among those present this morning was the
Hon. Alfred Riy, who was captured and confined
for some time in Richmond ,.-
wir1 this morning looked very pale, and sat
much Of the time with his head leaning on his
hand.
The reading Of the testimony was concluded at
ten minutes before l2 o'clock: when
-snAsArErH ALLEN .s D..
was called aud sworn. He testified that he had
been In the confederate service for the past four
| years; belonged TO the 10th Georgia reserves.
knew the accused. He was commander Of the
prison at Andersonville. Witness had seen many
persons in the stocks. Had seen ten or twelve In
the chain gang. Knew prisoner who died In
the stocks or chain-gang sometime In August,
1854
witness did not know what was the matter
with the prisoner who died In the stocks. Did
in the stocks Witness thought he was confined
in the stocks for an attempt to escape. The
stocks were between Capt. wirx's headquarters
aud the stockade Had seen prisoner come out
| the ranks to speak to Capt wirr. wirz threat.
ened to shoot him, cursed him, and ordered him
| back. Many prisoners died there. They no had
| shelter inside the stockade, except what they
built themselves. Witness had been on duty on
| the stockade as sentry. The prisoners had
built shelter out Of their Blankets and such stuff
| as they could get.
The prison was very much crowded. A portion
Of the stockade was a swamp. It was very dirty.
| ad oh tha aNn ada ff,En 4 Ia
| cook house, and up the branch, where the rebel
encampments were. Much washing was done
there When heavy rain would come the hlth
would all wash down through the stockade.
During the month Of June, 1854, there were very
heavy rains. The odor arising from the prison
was very offensive. Witness had smelled the
stencil from the prison at the distance Of mile.
/ Witness and other soldiers In the rebel service
had made complaints about the prison. Had
seen 4 prisoner sick, and receiving no attention ;
he was lying on the ground and calling for his
could not. Witness had known the prisoners to
get onions, vegetables, and cakes from the guards
while out getting wood. Atthe gate such things
| would be taken from them. The orders were not
| to allow any such things In the prison. Witness
understood Captain wirz issued all the orders.
Witness knew bounds were kept there to catch
the prisoners when they escaped.
| Gross examined: Witness resided In Bibb
| county, Ga. Entered the service In April, 1864
was conscripted, When witness hrst entered the
| service went to Macon; went from there to An :
dersonyille. The regiment was 900 strong. Wit
ness LEFT Andersonville in August. Went home
| sick. = d., -.
Many OF the regiment were sick. Harris was
colonel Of the regiment. The regiment did guard
duty about the stockade. Witness was on duty
| every other day. Witness had orders to shoot
any prisoner who crossed the dead line. Never
shot at any prisoner. Witness had seen twelve
men men in the chain gang. They were near Captain
| wirz's headquarters, Witness had seen six or
eight men in the stocks at one time. Captain
wirz had nothing to do with the location OF the
| camp above the stockade, as far as witness knew.
The camp was put there by order Of the colonel
| something to do withit Witness knew there were
81 rainy days, because he kept au account OF II.
Mr.. Baker put q number Of questions to the
| witness As 10 what ho supposed.
| The Judge Advocate objected, and the Commits
sion sustained the objection.
Witness did not know how many hounds were
kept there. Had seen eight. They were COM
a they had
/ Capt. Wirz while he was there.
! J.F. HEATH
testified that he had resided In Macon, Georgia.
Had been In the Confederate service. Knew the
prisoner Thirteen Union prisoners were sent
to headquarters from Capt. Wirz to be ironed
/ The order came from Capt. Wirz At the time
| the thirteen men were to be ironed one man got
away. The hounds were put on his track. Wit
ness heard the hounds run down to the swamp.
| Heard pistol fred. Saw the man up q tree. The
man begged Capt wirI not to let the dogs bite
him. Tho man came down aud the dogs seized
him. wirz could have kept the dogs from the
| prisoner had he chosen to do 80.
| One Of the men who was chained was sick at
the time the chains were put on. AL the mon
objected to being chained with him.
Question by Judge Advocate; Why1
Witness replied that II there were no ladies
present he would tell.
Judge Advocate; Never mind the ladies will
Witness stated that the man had the diarrhea,
judging from the looks of his clothes. The men
were all chained together and had to 90 with this
man when necessity required him to 60. In
muddy; there was no shelter. Had seen WirI
kick a prisoner because he attempted to get in
| another squad.
Cross. examined: The regiment that witness
belonged to went from Macon to Andersonville,
In May 1884. The regiment stayed there till oc-
tober. Witness saw the hounds after the man In
August. II was the only time he saw the hounds
Mr.. Baker proceeded to ask the witness what
was his impression about things.
Witness replied. My impression does not
witness did % not see w Wir. take hold Of the man
when he came down the tree. Witness after
wards saw the man under guard. Thought that
was severe punishment Witness thought any
| prisoner ought to get away II he could.
By the Court: Witness was native Georgian.
There rainy seasons. In June, 1854, 1t rained
| twenty or thirty days.
| The hour OF one having arrived, the Court took
| q recess until two o'clock.
At 2 0 clock the Court reassembled; when
Gen. Thomas said that he was desirOus that the
| prisoner should have fair trial, and he desired
to call the attention of the Court to a paragraph
published In regard to the records OF the Ander-
sonyille prison being lost. He asked the Judge
Advocate II he knew anything about the missing
records,
Col. Chapman replied that the record referred
| to had never been In his hands. There was one
book lost, but he thought 1t would be recovered,
and be introduced by the Government at the
proper time. The records were 80 indefinite that
It was impossible to know II they had ever been
In possession Of the Government
Mr.. Baker said he desired that all records Of
AndersOnyille should be laid before the court.
| Mr.. BILLIARD
Having been sworn, testified that he resided in
Macon, Ga. had been In the Confederate SER
vice from May to September, 1854; was at An
dersonyille four months and ten days; knew the
prisoner; had been on duty In the stockade.
The condition Of the stockade was very bad saw
one man who had not clothes enough on to hide
his nakedness had seen many sick men In the
prison. The odor arising from the stockade was
| very bad the stencil could be smelled mile.
| Witness guarded men In the chain gang. One
was very low had to run out every Ave minutes !;
the others wanted him turned out Of the gang.
This was during the month Of August. He was
finally released from the chain gang, and taken
away He could Just stand alone wnen he was
taken away Witness knew hounds were kept
there to catch men trying to make their escape.
On one occasion witness saw Captains Wirz and
Reed, Provost Marshal, hunting for the track Of
the mank finally found the man up tree heard
the repOrt Of the gun, and saw the smoke rise (;
don I know who fred the gun.