Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-09-09
Trial Of Henry Wirz.
ENrHtDRY.'r

his counsel He looks feeble aud sits in his chair
with his head resting on his hand.
The reading Of the testimony taken yesterday
was concluded at ten minutes past II /; when
col. n. =. CHANDLER, .-- .--
having been swo worn, testified that he had bken In
the service ofthe Confederats 'GoSernmen I from
feb., lses, until April 1884 Witness N's 9n
the report which was offered In evidence Yester-
day. iHo had no retracton TO make In the re-
port. It was all trIe. Witness devoted about q
usek 10 the inspection Of Andersonvule. Had
onlcisl eommu nicatiOns from Gen. Winder on the
tsubject Had examined the books aud records.
and had some conversation with the prisoners.
wtums noticed that Gen. Winder seemed very
Indifferent a. to the welfare Of the prisoners or to
alleviate their suferngs. When witness made
suggestions as to draining the stockade and far
nishing proper and better foodto the prisoners to
avoid the great mortality, stating to him that the
siekly season was coming on, Gen. winder re-
a piled Il would be better II half OF the prisoners
wonld die. winder made use OF a similar ex-
4 precision to Major Hall.
termaster Of the post and cousin 70 Jno. H. Win
der. lie showed the efforts he had made to OBJ
tain ansportation and Informed witness OF the
dificnItei under which he labored. Shortly
after witness arrived at Andersonyille he rode
around the stockade and examined the stream
which flowed through the sink found 1t very
offensive. Witness spoke to Gen. winder about
having the place drained Winder had civil
engineer to survey the place, and he made a re.
port showing how tho place could be drained
very we'll Witness thought more wood could
have been furnished to the prisoners. They
might have been allowed to go out for wood
under guard.
Cabbage could have been obtained for the prIs.
oners In limited quantities Green corn was
plentiful and could have been furnished. Wit
ness made calculations and found that the pris-
ouers In the stockAde had about six square feet
for each man, not place six feet square, but one
foot wide and SIX ~ fee. long Witness SyEea on
He also recommended the removal Of the assist
ant commissary. Also recommended that addi-
tional transportation be furnished and saw mills
be established to furnish lumber to construct
barracks. Witness at the time no made his re-
port thought that wirI was an efficient officer.
Had no suspicion Of the facts subsequently de-
veloped. ''
There were ffteen or eighteen surgeons on duty
at the hospital who should have been compelled
to reside NJ tho posi-. Witness opposed tho pun-
tshmcnt of soldiers for attempting to eseape lie
told Gen wlnder that Il was the duty Of soldier
to escape II he could to his country, and 1t was
Mis- (winder'sJ duty to keep add not punish him
II recaptured! Witness had himself been prls-
onerp and know how unwilling prisoners used to
| make complaints in the presence OF officers for
fear OF being punished. Witness took some Of
the prisoners aside aud talked with them pri-
Iyately. None made complaint against Capt.
WirI: They complained Of the want Of food,
About two months and q half af.er witness
made his report, Wlnder was promoted and made
eommissary general Of prisoners. General Card
ner was hrst appointed, but few days after
Winder was appointed to succeed him. The re-!
port Of witness was not acted on because General
Winder denied the truth Of 1t. Witness furnished
another report with the evidence. Witness
| thought the report was never sent to Jefferson
Davis. The stream which flowed through the
stockade was formed by two streams on which
wsre encamped the Georgia reserves. winder
was appointed Comnis-ary General Of prisoners
by the Secretary Of War ... u.. a.....!
Gross. examined: Witness went to Anderson
Vile to inspect the post, by order OF the War
| Department, through tho AdJutant General.
| Witness arrived at Andersonville about the 3lst
ofJuly. The report was dated 9Th Of, July by
mistake; II should have been 9th Of August. The
| report was written by Major Hall, assistant to
| the witness. He wrote II In the presence Of wit
ness from notes and statements furnished by
him. First consulted with Gen. windsr when
he arrived at the prison. lie was then com
mander Of the post His duties were to guard
the prisoners, keep them safe and clean. He
commanded all the troops there. All the de-
p.rtments there were presided over by his staff
officers. 90. O.. ltH
ON the evening Of the day on which witness
| arrived there he looked in the stockade. The
stockade was then very much crowded. Many
.men died In the stool ade who had never re-
| ceived any care from-the surgeons aud we're
never brought to the hospital. Ii was the duty
OF the surgeons to go In the stookade TO see the
| sick. Witness noticed the general conduct of
Capt. WlrI. His headquarters were In one Of
the tOrthcationE or near one. a.I
1 Witness considered all orders as coming from
| WindeT, although WirE's name was signed to
them Winder'a ineilloieney arose from his Bit
ter feeling towards the prisoners. The su uaerings
OF the prisoners was more from negligence than
acts Of commission. Witness thought he saw In
Winder a disposition not to exert himself to
alleviate the snRerings ofthe prisoners. Looked
| upon Wirz as executive ofdder for wnder.
| Witness saw vary little In tho store house a
| few worm eaten pears, which he condemned as
UNIT for use. Witness visited the bake house !;
foundit clean, and the bread was as good as could
| La IN adj tVilh m d.
from the bake house went to the brook which
ran through the stockade. witnoss asked the
4 prisoper. sbput the water. Some OF them had
Blythe Court: General windsr was regarded as
the supreme commander Of the post prison, aud
hospital. The surgeons were nnder him Cap
! gations at the C9mmissary Department, The po-
signed By captais wfrr. Did not think the
power Of life and death had been given him by
General Winder. Tho deadslipe was established
with the knowledge and consent, II not by iu-
structions OF General Winder. Witness thought
the regulations governing the dead .llno were
| that any man who crossed the line would bo
shot rThe men msde NO compliant in reference
" water for drinking purposes. The bread was
| made Of ulboltsd meal. II was good bread fIr
men In health. Tasted the meat Ii was very.
| rusty. The wells In the stoekads were nuIner-
Gus. They were in different parts Of the stock
| ada, .,n o.. ~ a,
Witness did not hear Of wlru1 deprivlng the
mah " thtlr fhllOnb lOr TWO Orl threo days at u
time. Witness did not know the amount Of
rations received by the men. II was customary,
70 Issue unbolted meal, being Impossible. to- OBJ
tain sieyes To bolt the meal with, Witness
thought Wlrz told him that ho had been trying
to get the Commlssary to Issue bolted meal. Wit
| mesa met Gen. Winder at AndersonvLlle '. a
Mr.. Sohade asked that the Court ad JOuru until
Monday moprng, giving rs = reason that the
prisoner was very much indisposed.
l. M, Baker thought they could go on this even
ing. He would rather tho Court would continue
Its session.
The Court decided not to adjourn, but took u
recess until two O'Clock. i" 'r,i
kt2 O'Clock the Court reassembled, when
| JOHN PAsQQE ~ q"
Having been sworn, testified that bs was IN tho
| naval serViee Of the United States Had been II
prisoner Rt Andersonyilie., Had seen the chain
gang. -Four men were chained to d S. pound
| solid shot. One man died there In July, 1861
| Witness saw him when he was put In the chaiu-
| gapg, and saw him when he was taken out dead
Witness saw the man 10 the chain gang, and saw
| Witness had asked Captain Wirz for wood. He
said; Now, you d--n Yapkue, you want wood"
Had heard the rebel guard say that every man
who shot a Union prisoner Inside the st6ckade
Tough. Witness asked ( rebel serseaat Tor
coffin to bury u eomrade ip. The sergeant said
| Captain Wirz would not allowit. "
| Cross examined Witness knew It was In July
| the man died, because In June; tho month before,
there were q rainy days. The men in the chain.
| gang had shacklo ou the ley Of each ono, with
| u IS pound shot In the middle Another chain
reached from the 6s.pound shot to the left leg of
| each man