The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-01-25


cial ::chargc OF the Executive depart
msnt Of tho government and ola Joint
committee Of the two Houses. So
mach for the responsible character of
the charge. TO this should add that
this charge is believed to be true by a
great majority Of the people whom We
represent on this floor.
/ now inquire is this charge true?
The gentleman from Georgia denies
generally the charge that atrocities
were practiced upon our prisoners at
Andersonyille. He make general de-
NAL, and asserts, that Mr.. Davis did
observe the humane rules Of modern
warfare. As q proof he quotes the gen.
trail order issued by the president OF
the Confederate government under
which the prison was to be established,
located on healthy ground, where
there was an abundance Of good water,
trees for healthful and grateful shade.
That is a perfect answer so far as il
goes. But 1 ask how that order was
executed? To whose hands was COM
mitted the work of building the Ander-
sonville prisonS To the hands Of Gen.
Winder, anintimate and favored friend
OF Mr.. Davis. And who was Gen. Win
der ? He was a man of whom the
Richmond Examiner used those words
the day he took his departure from
Richmond to assume command OF the
proposed prison: ~
Thank God that Richmond is at
last rid Of old Winder. God have ner-
cy upon those to whom he has been
sent" .1A '-- sil1'i !
He was, as the testimony In the
Wirz trial shows, the special aud init
mate friend OF Jefferson Davis, and by
the president of the confederacy he
was detailed on this business, and de-
tailed with such send off as have
read you from paper OF his own city
warmly in the Interest OF the rebel
cause.
What next? How did Gen. winder
execute the order after he went there
turn to the Wirz trial, and read from
il only such authorities rs the gentle
man from Georgia recognixes-officers
of the rebel army. Tho gentleman
stated yesterday that there was nothing
in this book connecting the head of
the Confederate government with the
Andersonville atrocities. Before am
through we will see. On the 9th day
Of January, 1864, a report was made by
ID. T. Chandler, lieutenant colonel Of
the confederate army. This report
was offered In evidence in the Wirz
trial, and Col. Chandler was himself
witnass at the trial and swears that the
report is genuine: quote from page
224: - . -li-l'loe
ASpERsoSvILLE, Jan. 8, 1864.
COLONEL: Having, in obedience to
instructions OF the 25th ultimo, care
fully inspected the prison for Federal
prisoners of war and post at this place,
l respectfully submit the following re-
port:
The Federal prisoners Of war are
confined within a stockade fifteen feet
high, OF roughly hewn pine logs about
eight inches in diameter, inserted five
feet in the ground, inclosing. including
the recent extension, and nrea OF $40
by 2G0 yards. A railing around the in
side Of the stockade, and about 30 feet
frsm il constitutes the dead "dead
line" beyond which the prisoners are
not allowed TO pass, and about three
and one-fourth acres near the center Of
the inclosure are so marshy as to be at
present unfit for occupation, reducing
the available present area to about 23i
acres, which gives somewhat less than
six square feet TO each prisoner. Even
this is being constantly reduced by the
addition 10 their number. A small
stream passing from west to east
through the iuclesure, at about $50
yards from il southern limit, furnishes
only the water for washing accessible
to prisoners. Some regiments Of the
guard, the bakery, and the cook house
being placed on the rising grounds
bordering the stream before IL enters
the prison, renders the water nearly
unfit for use before it reaches the
prisoners.
ID. T. CHANDLER,
Asst Adj't aud Inspector Gen.
Here is an official exhibit of the man
ner in which the officer detailed by JEFF
Davis chose the place for health, and
running water, and agreeable shade.
He chose piece OF forest gronud that
had n miasmatic marsh In the heart OF
il and q small stream running through
il; but the troops stationed outside OF
the stockade were allowed to defile its
pure water before it could reach the
stockade, and then, rs il the very re-
finement Of cruelty, as il to make
mockery OF the order quoted by the
gentlemen from Georgia, he detailed
men to cut down every tree and shrub
in the inclosure, leaving not green
leaf to show where the forest had been.
And subsequently,, when the burning
sun of July was pouring down its fiery
beat upon the heads OF these men, with
but six square feet Of ground TO man,
piteous petition was made by the
prisoners to Winder to allow these poor
men TO be detailed to go outside under
guard and cut pine from the forest to
mako arbors under which they could
shelter themselves, and they were an
swersd with all the loathsome brutali-
ty of malignant hate, that they should
have no bush to shelter them; and thus
under the fierce rays OF the Southern
sun, they miserably perished. l
These last statements are made on
the authority OF Ambrose Spencer, q
planter of Georgia, who resided within
4 i've miles OF Andersonville. i quote
from his testimony (Wirtzs trial. p 500
Between the lst and 18th Of December.
1868, / went up 10 Andersonyille with Gen.
winder and four or Eve other gentlemen, out
| of curiosity, 10 see how the prison was 10 be
| laid out - 1 asked him II he was CO.
| Ing 10 erect barracks OF snetttr Vi auy hihu.
He replied that he was net; that the damned
Yankees who would be put in there would
have no need OF them. i asked him why he
was cutting down all the trees, and suggested
that thcywould prove shelter 10 the prisoners
from the heat ef the sun, at least; That Is
just what 1 am going TO do; 4 Ala gosng To
| build pen here that will Kill more damned
! Yankee. than can be destroyed In the 'front.'
Those are very nearly his words, or equiva-
lent 10 them.
Il
So much for the execution OF the
Presidents order TO locate the prison.
But am not yet done with the testi-
mony Of Col. Chandler. A subsequent
report was made by him in the month
OF August. He went back and re-ex-
amined the horrors of that pen, and as
the result Of his examination he made
q report, from which quote the last
few sentences, (wirx's trial, p. 227) 's
/ ASprRsoSyILLr, August ), 1864.
Nv dnii requires me respectfully 90 recon-
mend change In the officer IN command oi
, the post, Brig Gen. J. H. jWinder, aud the
substitution In his place Of some Que who
| unltes both energy and good Judgment with
some feeling Of humanity and consideration
for the welfare and comfort Go far o. Is con-
sIstens with their safe-kecping) Of the vast
number OF unfortunstss placed under his con-
J troll; some one who at least VIII not sdyCcate
deliberately and In cold blood the prorricty
OF leaving them In their present coudltion an.
. iii their number has been Sufficiently reduced
hv death 90 make the present arrangement
for their accommodations; who rin n9i CON
| ii-s U /. ,oaffer "a ALI -lsudafion aud boast