The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1906-09-05
CAPTAIN WRITES MoNU MENT.
G. A. II. and Ladies' AuXiliaries Pro-
testing Against Its Erection.

q. A. II. and Ladies' AuXiliaries Fro
testing Against Its Erection.
The Grand Army of the Republic
and the lady auxiliaries of that organi-
cation are protesting against the cree
ton of monument to Capt. Henry
Wirz. the martyr to Northern sectional
hatred, who was the cOmmandant at
the Andersonville prison. The mem
orv of no soldier has been more gross
" maligned than that of Captain Wirz,
and many people of the North actually
believe him to have been monster
of cruelty who took pleasure in the
sufferings of the prisoners over whom
he had authority. Nothing could be
further from the truth. He was kind
hearted and considerate, and the SUI
; ferings of the prisoners was a genuine
grief to him. But he could not help
himself nor them The prisoners re-
| ceived the same fare as was served to
/ the Confederate soldiers who guarded
them. 1t was poor and scant, but it
was the best that the impoverished
Confederate government could provide.
Medicines were lacking, too, but the
Confederates at Andersonville suffered
from the same lack, just as the prison
ers did.
The Federal government had it in
its power to relieve the Andersonville
prisoners, but it declined to do So
/ On numerous occasions it was invited
to exchange these prisoners for Con
federates held in Northern prisons,
but it assumed the position that it
was better for it's own prisoners to sui
fer than to release Southerners to re-
enter the Confederate army. Thus the
Federal government neglected it's own
soldiers in order that it might prevent
the strengthening of the Southern ar
mics. The Confederates would gladly
have received supplies and medicines
for the Andersonville prisoners, and
eagerly sought exchanges, but neither
was ever forthcoming from the Wash
ington authorities.
Handicapped in the most terrible
manner, Captain Wirz did the best he
could; but there was necessarily sick
ness, suffering and death; and the
! North blamed Captain Wirz for it all,
whereas the North itself was more re-
sponsible. lie was condemned and ex-
ecuted by the North for alleged cruel
ties, than which no greater crime was
ever perpetrated upon the person OF
a pardon if he would charge that Pres
ident Davis had given orders for the
| ill-treatment of Northern prisoners,
but the true soldier preferred to suf-
fer death rather than bear false wit
ness against his cOmmander-in-chief.
He told the truth about conditions at
Andersonville, and the reasons for
them, but the North wouldn't believe
him. He preferred death with a clear
conscience to life with a lie on his
lips.
monument is a poor reward for
the heroism and martyrdom of this
brave Confederate soldier, but it is
the best that can now be offered And
why should the Grand Army of the
Republic object, in the light of the
volume of evidence in yindication Of
Captain Wirz that has been accumu-
lated since the war? 1t is to be a
Southern monument to Southern sol
der, and Southern men and women
feel that it's an honor to be connected
with the movement for providing the
fund. The North is in no manner con-
cerned in the movement. The War
Between the States ended more than
forty years ago, but our people have
not forgotten the heroes who suffered
| fO1, than