The National tribune., 1883-02-22
FATE OF B MONSTER
Arrest, Trial, and Execution of COM
mandant WirZ, of AnderSOnVille.

vile. Is q SIT1klllE liIuSlfdllOu Ol iHt IIuJH VI
the old adage that Justice travels with a
leaden heel but strikes with an iron hand"
The man who gloried in his power to torture
his fellow-men. and took a fiendish delight IN
their sufferings, was destined TO feel the pangs
of captivity himself and expiate his crime upon
the gallews.
The circumstances of his arrest were as fol-
lows: The military convention between Sher-
man and Johnston having been signed April
&C. 1865 and the rebellion being virtually at an
end, Wirz, who was still In command at Ander-
sonville, became solicitous for his personal
safety, and addressed the following letter to
Major General Wilson, which was delivered to
him at his headquarters at Macon by a Union
officer, who had been detailed to visit the stock
ade:
ANDFRsoNvuIE GA, May 2, 1865.
GENERAL: 1t is with great reluctance that ad-
dress you these lines being fully aware how little
time iS left you to attend TO such matters as now
have the honor 10 lay before you, and If could see
any other way 10 accomplish my object would not
1ntTude upon YOU am a native oi SWitleri'iid
and before the a citizen of Louisiana, and
by profession a physician Like hundreds and
thousands of others. 1 was carried away by the
msilstrom of excitement and Joined the southern
army. / was very seriously wounded at the battle
of seven Pines" near Richmond, Va, and have
nearly lost the use of my right arm Unfit for field
duty, / ordered 10 report 10 Breyet Major
General John ii. Ninder in charge of Federal prls-
oners of war. who ordered me to take charge OF
prison in Tuscaloosa, Ala. My health falling me,
applied for q furlough and went to Europe, from
whence returned February. lSfLB. i Was lfitn
ordered TO report the commandan Of the military
prison at Andersonville, Ga, who assigned me to
the command of the interior Of the prison. The
duties had to perform were nTduous ana unplcas-
ant and satisfied that no man or will justly
blame me for things that happened here and which
were bevond my power to control. ! do not think
that ought be held responsible for the shortneSs
of ratons for the overcrowded state of the prison,
(which of itself prolific source of fearful NOR
tality for the inadequate supplies of clothing want
of shelter, &c. sc. still now bear the odlum, and
men who were prisoners have seemed disposed to
wreak their vengeance upon me Tor what they nave
sufIered-I, who only the medium, or, may
better saw the tool in the hands of my superiors.
This Is my condition. am man with family, j
lost all my property when the Federal army be-
seged Vicksburg. i have no money at present to
go &c any place. and even if had, know of no
place where 1 can 90 Nv life is in danger and
most respectfully ask of you help and relief. If
you viii he so generous as to give me some sort of
a saie-cOnduct, OF, what should greatly prefer,
guard protect myself and family against violence
] shonld be thankful TO you; and you may rest as
sured that your protection will not be given to one
who is unworthy OF it. My intention Is TO return
with my family TO Europe as soon as can make
the arrangements. In the meantime have the
honor. General. TO remain,
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
HY. WIRZ,
Captain c. S. A.
Major-General ]. II. WILSON, Q. S. A,
Commanding, Macon, Ga.
THE STORY OF THE ARREST.
To this letter General Wilson made no reply;
for, having learned from Captain Henry c.
NONeS--NnO Esiu passed InrOuSn AnueTbOuNlIle
about the first of May while on his way to
notify the Union forces at Eufaula, Ala, that
the military convention had been repudiated
at WashingtOn-that Wirz was requiring the
prisoners TO sign paroles prior to setting them
at liberty, ordered the captain to arrest him and
bring him to Macon. In pursuance of this
order CAPTAIN Moves proceeded the next day
(about the 9th of May) to Andersonville with a
party Of men to effect the arrest We give the
story of what followed as he related it subse-
quently when summoned as witness before
the military commission which tried the pris-
oner:
The immediate circumstances Of Captain Wirz's
srresi were these: / went TO his house and saw him
there; the family were about him. that is, his wife
and two daughters. Ii Is very hard thing to take
man from his family, and particularly so IN that
case, Mrs. Wiz and of the daughters at least
were crying and having considerable trouble. To
pacify them, and TO do the thing quietly as
could. told Mrs. NirZ and also told the captain
that they need not distress themselves at all that
his arrival at Macon, If General Wilson was sat
isfed that he had done no more than his duty, and
had simply acted in accordance with his orders, he
would probably be released That was the sum and
substance Of the conversation. General Wilson did
not direct to make any promise TO the prisoner,
to give him any safe-conduct, and do not con-
slider that did.
He was conveyed to Macon under guard and re-
manned there under guard he was not on parole at
ali. have doubt that my conversation might
have been construed, by those who were very anx-
Ious that it should be so, into promise that he
would he returned but had no doubt in my mind
that General Wilson would hold him prisoner.
INTENDED 10 convey him 40 promise of safe retuin,
but merely intended to paclfy his family and him.
self: he very much excited These are all the
circumstances which remember, particularly con-
nected with the arrest
He remained under our headquarter guard until
about the 2Hh of May, when was ordered TO con-
vey him to Washington, with all the Andersonville
records including the hospital records, which Cen
eral Wilson had sent officer for, and the flags
which General Wilson had captured in his cam
paign through Alabama and Georgia / had trou-
HE slf4 he till north the Ohio
on account of our men who had been al Anderson
vile recognizing the prisoner. i have read in the
newspapers that j endangered my life to protect
him. There is nlisconception on that point, but
do not think the prisoner could have got here alive
II there had not been an oiilcer IN charge OF the
party. At Chattanooga, where was stopping tenn
porar1ly. sent him TO the post prison TO be taken
Of as knew that outside Of that he would col
1ect great crowd He had on good taIr-lookIng
Confederate clothes and hat and was pretty de-
Gently dressed generally. When j saw him again
hardly knew him; ali his clothes were stripped
of him; he had only part OF his hat, coat,
very dirty shirt, portion OF pair OF pants pretty
badly torn and shoes. Whenever got him where
there any of our soldiers j had to hurry him
of and get hiIn under a strong guard IN order to
him. / had trouble in getting him on board
the Loaf al Nashville. think that but for the
guard had and my personal presence, they would
have taken hold Of him there, and if they had got
hold Of him do not suppose he would ever have
reached Washington He was afterwards dis
At Louisville he st had his extremely diIapi-
dated appearance which if there was nothing else
had some friends there. Between those friends and
myself succeeded in getting complete suit Of
black and beaver hat. He had also his face shaved
clean, which entirely altered his appearance, so
much 80 that were not troubled at all after that
lido not think he recognized after that although
good many soldiers must have seen him, particu-
larry 1t Cincinnati.
ARRAIGNED FOR TRIAL.
On his arrival in Washington, ,Wirz was con-
fined in the Old Capitol prison, and on the 23d
Of August following, a military commission was
convened for his trial. The detail was as fol-
lows:
Msjor-General L. Wallace L. 8 vols
Brcvct Major General g. Mott, L.. $ vols.
Brevet Major-Geucral J. W. Geary, U. s. vols
Breyet Major-General l.. Thomas Adj't-General
L. :. Army.
Brgs.iier-General Frances Fessenden, L. S. vols
Brigadier-Gencral L. :. Bragg, u. S. vols.
BIevet BrigadieT-G General John II. Ballier, colo
mel Ninety-cighth Pa vols.
Brcvst Colonel r. Allcock, lieutenant colonel
Fourth New York art'y.
Northumberland J. ii. Stibbs, Twelfth Iowa
vols.
Colonel " p Chipntan, additional aid-dc-caInp,
ants 'ss me may select. " n the approval of the
Judge Advocate General.
The commission will sit without regard TO hours
BY order OF the President Of the United States:
L. ID. townsend
Assistant Adjutant General
The prisoner was arraigned on two charges,
70 wit:
Charge !. Hialicousy willfully. and traitorously,
agans; the United States Of America on or about the
lSt ,lay o March. a. ID lht,4 and divers other