The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-01-23
JEFFERSON DAVIS ON AN
DERSONNILIE.

prisoners at Anfersonville pr;-
son. Mr.. Davis article on the
Tatter, published in he Janua-
ry number of Belford's Maya
zine, explodes all the former
grievances. He says:
"Andersonvjlle was selected |
after careful investigation for
the following reasons 1t was in
a high, pinc-wood region, in a
productive farming country, had
never been devastated by the |
enemy, was well watered, and
near TO Americas, a central de-
pot for collecting the tax in kind
and purchasing provisions. The
climate was mild and there were
"nO recognizable sources of dis
ease Persistence on the part
Of the United State to exchange
prisOrer ers "caused SO large an in
crease i'm the number of the
captured sent to AndersOnville
as to exceed the accommodation
provided and thus augment the
discomfort and disease Of con-
| finement.
1t was not starvation, as has
! cen alleged, but acclamatiOn,
unsuitable diet, and despond
ency, which were the potent
agents of disease and death.
Statements from gentlemen of
high standing who speak disin-
terestedly are submitted as con-
elusive on the question of
quantity Of food at Anderson
Vile prison"
GENERAL. WINDER's WORK
Quoting from a letter, Mr.. Da-
Wis says: az can with perfect
truth declare as my conviction
that General Winder. who had
control Of the prisoners, was an
honest, upright, and humane
gentleman. He had the repnta-
tiou of treating the prisoners
confided to his general supervi-
sion with great kindness and
consideration.
Both the President and Secreta.
, ry of War always manifested
great anxiety that the prisoners
should be kindly treated an6
amply provided with food tc
; the extent Of our means"
Again Mr.. Davis quotes: "Tht
, Federal prisoners were removed
to Southwestern Georgia in The
early part Of 1864, to secure
more abundant supply Of food
Quoting from Austin Flint, Jr.'s
"Physiology of Man," Mr.. Davi
says: "'The effects Of salt meat
q and fariDaceous food (at Ander
r. sonvillel without vegetable
> were manifest in the great pre-
y valence OF scnrvey. The scOr
: butte condition thus induce'
d modified the course of every dis
e ease, poisoned every wound, an
, lay at the foundation of thOs
. obstinate and exhaustive dial
rheas and dysenteries whic
swept off thousands of thes
q unfortunate mem ii. E., tn
+ Federal prisoners at Anderson
Vile. "'President DAVIS ha
permitted three of the Andel
sonville prisoners to go to Wasl
~ ington to try and change the d.
III termination of their Cover
W ment and procure resumptio
% of exchanges. The prisone1
n knew Of the failure of the
= mission when | was at Ande
- sonville, and the effect was
Oh plunge the great majority
We them into the deepest mela
er choly, home-sickness, and d
l9 spondency. \
WIRZ's HUMATTY.
W The same Captain Wirz wi
"a was tried and hung as a mnrde
wv W. er warmly urged improvement
- for the benefit Of the unhapl
ha prisoners under his charge.
A. ] mention these facts to she
10 that he Captain Wirz) was n
Ia the monster lie was afterwar
'na represented to be, when L
,c. blood was called for by ilifu
ate fanaticism. 4
The facts alluded to satisfied
sc that he was a human man.
" The real cause of all the p1
tracted sufferings OF prisone
INT North and South, i directly d
ms to the inhuman refusal of
~ Federal government to exchal
he prisoners of war.
ing The greatest difficulty was
re- perienced in procuring me
OBJ cines and antiscorbutics. Th
EN- were made contl aband by orr
It," Of the Federal government.
ave For period of some tn
Try, months Captain Wirz (who !
nts himself suffered from gangr'
in an old wound and a few fai
ith full officers were engaged nj
and day in ministering to
.ooS sick and dying. x
,ico In his trial certain Federal
ing. ileoses emo'o % a; w I n;Sp, N
as in August, 1864, when he
he actually absent on sick leav
al Augusta, Georgia, at the tin
Qouting from the words {
Federal prisoner, in relatlo