The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-06-10
THE ANDEltsONVILLE PRISON
The Battles Fought Over this His
toric Prison Long After tho War
Ended.

= toric Prison Long After tho War
{ Ended
Inc Andersonville prison, which was
'ocated IN Southern Georgia, has caus-
: eo more talk than any other Confeder-
ate place OF confinement. In all there
were 40,O0O prisoners who passed
through that enclosure, and it is stated
that l2,oOo died. 1t has generally been
compared TO the Federal prison at El-
: mira, N Y, where greater proportlon
perlshed. The mortality among pris-
oners ol war on both sides Of the groat
cohnlct was very great. OF 22O, 600
taken by the Federals and confined in
Northern prisons, 26, 600 died. OF 27O :
Oo0 taken by the Confederates and con-
nned In Southern prisons, % 600 died
Inc worst experiences Of all Southern
prisons were those at AndersOnville,
The horrors o. war were then apprava.
ted by the fact that medicine could
not be had. 1t had been made con
trdband OF war by the Federal govern
mont, and all but home made medicine
nad TO como in through tho blockade.
10 relieve this situation the Confed-
crate government asked for an eX.
change, but 1T was broken in 1868, and
all efforts To get new cartel we're
futlle. When Alexander II. Stephens,
vice president Of the Confrderacy. ON
sen~ through the Union admiral at
Hampton Roads Il request for con-
ference, and an opportunity to deliver
communication from President Davis
proposing cartel for exchange, the
answer came back from Gideon Wells,
acting secretary of the navy, that the
proposition could not be entertained.
Inls was the liked policy OF the Federal
government after the early part of
1863, and General Grant gave the rea-
son 1orlt. He said that the Confeder-
ates exchanged would be forced back
into the lines, whereas those liberated
1rotn southern prisons, when they got
, back home, would take u furlough, and
3 hall OF them would never return to the
army. Exchange, he said, would rein
forcU the Confederate armies, cause
the defeat Of Sherman, and prolone
) the war. which would be greater
hardship on those who were fighting
the battles of the Union than cOnfine-
ment WAS to those who were in South
ern prisons.
Railing to get a renewal Of the cartel
} Tor exchange, the Confederate govern
ment asked the Federal government
TO SEND for the sick AM wounded
Federal soldiers confined in the South
! ern prisons. This was done in August
lo64, and 1T was not until Decem Der
} that the ships sent for this purpose
reached Savannah. During the four
or live months Intervening between
tnose dates the greatest mortality uc.
CURED at Andersonville. BY law Of
the Confederate Congress. SIC prison
ers OF war received the same rations as
the Confederate soldiers, and whom
Lees army was ragged, barefoot and
nall starved In front Of Richmond, the
Federal soldiers confined in Southern
, prisons. felt the Same hardships, but
thoso who had money were allowed to
buy provisions. Being unused to the
climate and depressed by homesick-
ness and suspense, they were an easy
prey to disease, and the lack of medi-
, cines made it impossible for Confeder.
ate surgeons to cope with the diseases
which attacked the prisoners. It as
for this reason that Jefferson Davis
: asked the Federal government to send
, Tor the sick and wounded without the
fOrmality of exchange. This invita-.
I tion was accepted after several months
: delay, and after Sherman's march TO
: the sea.
3 Captain Wirz, who had charge Of the
} prisoners at AndersOnvillo, was after
: wards tried for murder, and as the
. trial occurred when the passions of
war were at white heat, there could
( DC but one reSult-COnvictOn. An ef-
: Tort was made to implicate President
Jefferson Davis, then prisoner, and
the counsel for Captain WirZ has
stated that message came to him
3 from q cabinet officer to the effect that
, Wlrz could have clemency if he would
l give testimony making President
Davis directly responsible for the
deaths OF prisoners at Andersonville
. Facing death Wirz reiterated his for
mer statement that President Davis
8 had no direct connection with the con.
duct OF affairs at AndersOnville, and
3 with this statement he went to his
' death.
1t was years afterward in the House
4 OF Representatives at Washington
3 that James g. Blaine, the leader OF
3 his party in the House, and aspiring
I to the Presidency, moved an amend
. ment to the amnesty bill excepting
Q Jefferson Davis from its provisions
\ On that question Mr.. Blaine made q
t speech in which he charged the Prcsi-
dent of the Confederacy with murder
d and with responsibility for the "hor.
:. rors OF Andcrsonville," beside which,
a he said, the deeds Of the Duke OF Alva
4 in the low countries and the tOrtures OF
), the Spanish inquisition paled into in
. significance.
n Then came the memorable speech OF
Ben Hill, the first great defense Of the
If South in Congress after the war, q
a speech which broke the head Of sec
r tonal animosity and made disreputablc
Il the waging of war in time of peace
v 1t was an epoch-making speech, com
:. pletely refuting the charges Of Mr.
. Blaine, and its temper, SO admirable
p 80 broad, 80 lofty, commanded the
l. admiration OF the entire country. II
g was that speech which sent Mr.. Hi
}. to the Senate, where he was to tn,
J. day of his death, its most commanding
l. figure.