The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-10-25
A BIT OF SECRET HISTORY.
Father Hamilton's Strange Story OF How
Wirz was Sacrificed by Secretary Of War
stanton.
LOUISVILLE, KY, October IL.

Anc NeV. w llllam JOnn Hamilton
rector of the cathedral at Mobile, Ala,
who was one Of the four priests admitted
to the stockade at Andersonville Prison
to minister to dying soldiers, is in Louis.
vile visiting Bishop McCloskey Father
Hamilton was one of WirZ's witnesses
during the trial in November, 1865, and
he related to-day some Of the secret his
te:y Of the .r:nl that has never before
been heard. Father Hamilton, who is
benevolent looking man OF SO, was con.
stanlly at Anderson yille after tho carni
val OF death commenced, and while he
| admits the horrors and cruelties, he de.
fends Wirz, who, he says, was the most
humane keeper of prison he ever me:
and was constantly assisting in acts OF
charity.
1T is true." said Father Hamilton
that the suilerings among prisoners were
terrible, but Wirz, poor fellow, was no
more responsible than l, and 30 when he
was arragned i'll August, 1865, went
on 10 Washington to do what could in
his behalf. During the trial Captain
Wirz was suffering from various diseases
and wounds, and he was carried to and
from the court room by four marines
a medical commission had been appoint.
ed to examine Wirz, and this examiun.
tion resulted in tho conclusion that he
could not possibly live longer than two
months at .Le furthcst. This informa.
tion obtained through friend, and
felt 1t my duty TO inpart it to Wirz that
he might prepare himself for tho next
world. This was about two weeks before
the end Of his trial. He received the
information calmly, and then made re-.
quest of mo which shall never forget.
lie said he realized that his conviction
and condemnation to death was fore.
gone conclusion, and that he had no rea.
son to think otherwise. agreed with
him that OIL account of the feeling ex.
listing in the North nc would certainly
he condemned to death. He then re.
quested me to call upon Secretary Stan.
ton and say that he was willing to plead
guilty to the charges, provided that in
fixing the punishment tho commission
would sc. date for the hanging far
enough in the future to afford him an
opportunity of preparing himself for
death, and of his probably dying natu.
raj death before the day fixed.
called upon Secretary Stanton and
laid Wirz's proposition before him, an
made personal rcque.t myself that
be accepted. Mr.. Stanton thought favor.
ably of it, and said he thought the rest
OF the Cabinet would have no hesitancy
in ,~epting it. He said there was to be
binct council that day at o'clock,
and that Le would lay the matter before
the Cabinet and would inform mo later
in the day what action had been taken
in the premises. After the meeting l
called upon him, when he informed inc
that the other members had refused to
listen to any such proposition as that
made by Wirz. / asked him what rea.
sons they gave, and he made this reply
Il will never forget it: "The people Of
the North demand the blood of some one
TOR the cruelties practiced at Anderson.
vile. WIZ has only two months to live.
Let's take this man and shed his blood
and by doing so we spare the life of a
better man." aud then he mentioned the
names of three men--Lee, Davis and
Stephens of Georgia.
:! saw that there was nothing more to
be done, and communicated this fact to
Wirz, who began preparing himself to
meet his Maker. In less than two weeks
he had been convicted, was sentenced
November 9th, and hanged next day.
felt that Wirz had eimply suffered for
others, and he knew it, but he died with.
out murmur; save at the ignominy OF
the means. Impressed with this belief,
when met President johnson, short
time afterwaFd, alluded to Wirz's prop.
osition to Stanton and asked him, for my
own satisfaction, why the Cabinet had
not favored it as did Secretary Stanton.
Mr: Johnson's reply was most startling
and surprising to me. What said he,
Stanton in favor of the proposition p
and he seemed greatly astonished. why
stanton was the only member of the
Cabinet opposed TO it. The reat OF the
Cabinet favored it, aud were about to &C.
cept it when Stanton threatened to re.
sign II the proposition was entertained
for moment. Mr.. Stanton's services
could not we'll be dispensed with, and
rather than have him resign we allowed
the matter to DROP"
"Did your interest in Wirz's case end
here 7" was asked of Father Hamilton.
mot my interest, but my inquiries
did. The times were troublous, and the
terrors of Andcrsonville were too odious
at the North to render prudent or posi-.
BILE any righting of the wrong. have
never said rny,hipg Of this, except con.
hdentially to one or two! friends, but
will shy now that Wirz was sacrificed,
and that he died to save ono of the lead.
era of the Confederacy."