The National tribune., 1908-04-09
PICKET SHOTS
rem Alert Comrades Along the Whole
Line.
Knew Henry wlfH.

| Comrade Christian WanZel, Co. g, 42d
lPa., Paoli, Pa, writes: Il oppose clos
ing the pension agencies all over the
Icountry or their consolidation at Wash :
lington 1t would cause delay and work
Ihardships Better economic by cutting
out the Examining Boards all over the
country. That would save vast
amount of money for the Government
and a whole lot for the old soldiers,
too. Congress blows loud horn about
economy, but it wastes a deal of time,
and when Congress wastes time it
wastes money faster than any other
branch of the Government can waste or
save money. They talk about their pa
triotism, but they don't try to frame
any legislation or make any speeches
or pass any resolutions to prevent or
discourage the erection of monuments
| to that brutal murderous, cruel wretch,
Wirz and other rebels and traitors, or
/ to prevent the publication of lying
/ school books by which children in the
South are deceived about the history
of the country they should be taught
20 love. Indeed, Congress has, in its
patriotism, gone so far as to rename
the war against rebellion. and to call II
| by another name because the rebels
object to the designation of rebel. OF
course, they were rebels, and many of
them were not only rebels but traitors
as well. In my judgment it is not pa
10 MAKE lTtdSOU ItSptCldult anu
rebellion honorable. Congress might at
least a little offset the WirZ Monument
by allowing the surviving prisoners tor
tured by him reasonable pension. But
it does not care to do that, because 1t
would be offensive to the surviving
friends of Mr.. Wirz, who are now in
Congress and in control in the South.
was wounded and captured at Bethes-
da Church, Va, May 80, 1864, and was
kept in prisons at Libby, Florence,
Charleston and Andersonville. / know
what the rebel prisons We're. 1 knew
Henry WirZ AMI what he was-a cow
wardly oppressor, a brutal tyrant, an
inhuman monster, a cruel beast, pitt
less fiend, who found real delight in be-
holding the suffaTings of the victims he
tortured. There was not a humane emo |
ton in his soul Ue was a demon with
no desire to relieve suffering, but with
constant desire to infiict and increase it. |
Those who would honor him and erect
monument to the man 1 knew and all
the prisoners under him knew are no
better than he was and they ought to
be prosecuted for slandering the Gov
ernment or be driven out of this glori- |
Gus country they disgrace, because they |
are not loyal"
Crossing the River After Anfietam.
John R. Dickinson, 4th Mich. Dun
dee, Mich, takes exceptions to McEl- |
roy's account of the brigade crossing the
river after the battle of Antietam. The |
brigade stated was not composed as
given, nef was, it under Gen. Gibbons |
command. The 4th Mich, 14th n. Y,
62d Pa. and 9th and 32d Mass. were
brigaded together and under command
of Gen. Griffin. The 4th Mich. was the
only regiment that crossed the river
that night and they took the guns
spoken of, one being the gun captured
from Battery d, 5th U. S. Art, at the
first Bull Run. Early the next morn |
ing the regiment went across the river
again, and skirmished about for about
mile, finding nothing but few chick
ems, turkeys and some honey which |
they brought off with them. The regi-l