Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-14
HERO AND HIS MONUAfENT'O"s1rr
Shaft Erected To Prison Com :
mander At Andersonville
Is Unveiled With Appropri-
ate Exercises.

ANDERSONVILLE, Ga, May 12-The
monument erected by the Georgia divis-
ion, United Daughters of the Confeder-
acy, to the memory of Captain Henry
Wirz, in charge of the federal prisoners
confined at Andersonville In lS64-5' was
unveiled here today, with appropriate eX-
ercises The town was thronged with
visitors, many of whom arrived today In
special trains.
Scattered among the three thousand or
more southerners, mostly Georgians, from
nearby towns, was sprinkling OF men
and women of the north. some of whom
have relatives at rest in the national GEM
etery nearby, numbered among the lSOOV
warriors of the blue who died in the An
Jacksonville prison. Notwithstanding.
there was not a single incident to mar
the exercises, those from beyond Mason
and Dixon's line looking on in silence the
while those who gathered to pay tribute
to the memory of the prison commander
performed that service with enthusiasm
and a spirit of marked devotion.
The Stars and Bars of the Confederacy
were everywhere in evidence, as was a
bounteousness of spring flowers, floral
tributes of beautiful design literally COW
ering the base of the granite shaft which
sends it's slender monolithical apex to q
height of thirty-six feet.
AS the sillxen cords were drawn by Mrs
Perrin, of Natchez, Miss, only living
daughter of Captain Wirz, two thousand
voices, led by a chorus Of the Daughters
of the Confederacy, Joined in singing
Dixie" following which the myriads OF
floral wreaths were piled high about the
monument, adding to it's massive appear
ance
Refreshments were served by tho
Daughters of the Confederacy to the sew.
eral thousand visitors to whom the day
was one altogether delightful.
Addresses were made by Pleasant A
Stovall, editor of the Savannah Press
DR.. ]. c. olmstead, of Atlanta, and Cap
tain l.. NJ. Park, of Augusta.
The latter was on duty at Anderson.
vile for a time during the war and gave
a very interesting account of his personal
recollections of the Andersonville military
prison, which was listened to with un.
usual interest.
Mr.. StOvaIl Speaks
Mr.. Stovall said in part:
while General Dick Taylor was trav-
cling through south Georgia during the
latter part of the war, he related that
the train stopped at a little station CALI
ed Andersonville, in plain view of the
stockade which contained thousands of
Federal prisnoers. There entered his car
Confederate officer named Wirz, who
said he was in charge of the prison and
that the men were greatly in need of pro-
visions and protection. They were with
out blankets or shelter, and were made
Quately supplied with food. General Tay-
Tor was just from Richmond; in fact was
proceeding upon a military mission for
~ he
only thing he could do was to indorse
the acquisitions of Captain Wirz in the
strongest possible way. The southern
general said that the man seemed greatly
in earnest, and when he heard of his ex-
ecution twelve months later, he realized
that Wirz was a victim to the passions
OF the many-headed.'
Many Desperate Men
Continuing, Mr.. Stovall said:
"Wirz was commanding many desper-
ate men, some of them brave and good
men, but others were recent arrivals from
abroad. who barely spoke the English
language; who were without understand
ing of the causes of the war. merely mer-
cenaries-soldiers Of fortune. He was
hampered at every step by the exigencies
Of his own government, and yet the SOL
diers at Andersonville were given the
same rations drawn by our men on the
firing line. History shows that he O.
everything possible to mitigate the sever
ity of the situation. When he took
charge. he improved the fare and brought
forth valuable reforms in the sanitary
conditions of the camp. When an organ
lied band OF lawless men appeared among
the prisoners, he authorized the latter
to form their own patrol. arrest these vi
cious characters who were bringing about
murder and robbery in the stockade, and
creating a reign of terror. He told the
prisoners how to erect their own courts,
and authorized them to carry out their
own DEGREES. An idea of the character
Of some Of the men confined may be gain
ed when we read that these prisoners did
courtmartial and put to death six vicious
characters Of their own number.
Wirz Died a Martyr
THE truth is, Henry wirz died a mar.
tyr and vicarious sacrifice Mr.. Stovall
further declared. benjamin H. Hill said
IN his great speech the prosecution ar
raigned Wirz, but it was really aimed at
Jefferson Davis. Many extremists in the
north wanted to bring about the prosecu-
ton OF Mr. Davis. They despaired of a
legal conviction purely on account of Sc
cession. They knew these constitutional
questions had divided the country since
the foundation Of government. They knew
that they could never convict MIN or be-
ing a traitor but here at Andersonville
was an opportunity to cover him with in
fanny. to put him on trial like Warren
Hastings, as cruel and vindictive, as a
violator Of the law of nations. and as a
common enemy to mankind. Had not the
Wirz trial interviewed. all Of this mass of
perjured testimony would have been pour
ed upon the head of the chieftain of the
Confederacy, and his blood would have
been demanded by an excited faction.
Just before his execution Wirz was
waited upon by an emissary of the gov
eminent and promised mitigation of his
sentence if he would implicate Jefferson
Davis. This shows the real aninus of the
prosecution. The noble man declined to
even discuss the question, saying that
Mr.. Davis had nothing to do with the
conduct of Andersonville prison, and that
he would not, to save his own life, SLAM