andersonville-第96章

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kill　him　that　it　was　all　that　Captain　Noyes；　backed　by　a　strong　guard；
could　do　to　frustrate　them。　　At　Chattanooga　and　Nashville　the　struggle
between　his　guards　and　his　would…be　slayers；　was　quite　sharp。

At　Louisville；　Noyes　had　Wirz　clean…shaved；　and　dressed　in　a　complete
suit　of　black；　with　a　beaver　hat；　which　so　altered　his　appearance　that　no
one　recognized　him　after　that；　and　the　rest　of　the　journey　was　made
unmolested。

The　authorities　at　Washington　ordered　that　he　be　tried　immediately；　by　a
court　martial　composed　of　Generals　Lewis　Wallace；　Mott；　Geary；　L。　Thomas；
Fessenden；　Bragg　and　Baller；　Colonel　Allcock；　and　Lieutenant…Colonel
Stibbs。　　Colonel　Chipman　was　Judge　Advocate；　and　the　trial　began
August　23。

The　prisoner　was　arraigned　on　a　formidable　list　of　charges　and
specifications；　which　accused　him　of　〃combining；　confederating；　and
conspiring　together　with　John　H。　Winder；　Richard　B。　Winder；　Isaiah　II。
White；　W。　S。　Winder；　R。　R。　Stevenson　and　others　unknown；　to　injure　the
health　and　destroy　the　lives　of　soldiers　in　the　military　service　of　the
United　States；　there　held；　and　being　prisoners　of　war　within　the　lines　of
the　so…called　Confederate　States；　and　in　the　military　prisons　thereof；　to
the　end　that　the　armies　of　the　United　States　might　be　weakened　and
impaired；　in　violation　of　the　laws　and　customs　of　war。〃　　The　main　facts
of　the　dense　over…crowding；　the　lack　of　sufficient　shelter；　the　hideous
mortality　were　cited；　and　to　these　added　a　long　list　of　specific　acts　of
brutality；　such　as　hunting　men　down　with　hounds；　tearing　them　with　dogs；
robbing　them；　confining　them　in　the　stocks；　cruelly　beating　and　murdering
them；　of　which　Wirz　was　personally　guilty。

When　the　defendant　was　called　upon　to　plead　he　claimed　that　his　case　was
covered　by　the　terms　of　Johnston's　surrender；　and　furthermore；　that　the
country　now　being　at　peace；　he　could　not　be　lawfully　tried　by　a　court…
martial。　　These　objections　being　overruled；　he　entered　a　plea　of　not
guilty　to　all　the　charges　and　specifications。　　He　had　two　lawyers　for
counsel。

The　prosecution　called　Captain　Noyes　first；　who　detailed　the
circumstances　of　Wirz's　arrest；　and　denied　that　he　had　given　any　promises
of　protection。

The　next　witness　was　Colonel　George　C。　Gibbs；　who　commanded　the　troops　of
the　post　at　Andersonville。　　He　testified　that　Wirz　was　the　commandant　of
the　prison；　and　had　sole　authority　under　Winder　over　all　the　prisoners；
that　there　was　a　Dead　Line　there；　and　orders　to　shoot　any　one　who　crossed
it；　that　dogs　were　kept　to　hunt　down　escaping　prisoners；　the　dogs　were
the　ordinary　plantation　dogs；　mixture　of　hound　and　cur。

Dr。　J。　C。　Bates；　who　was　a　Surgeon　of　the　Prison　Hospital；　（a　Rebel）；
testified　that　the　condition　of　things　in　his　division　was　horrible。
Nearly　naked　men；　covered　with　lice；　were　dying　on　all　sides。　　Many　were
lying　in　the　filthy　sand　and　mud。

He　went　on　and　described　the　terrible　condition　of　mendying　from
scurvy；　diarrhea；　gangrenous　sores；　and　lice。　　He　wanted　to　carry　in
fresh　vegetables　for　the　sick；　but　did　not　dare；　the　orders　being　very
strict　against　such　thing。　　He　thought　the　prison　authorities　might
easily　have　sent　in　enough　green　corn　to　have　stopped　the　scurvy；　the
miasmatic　effluvia　from　the　prison　was　exceedingly　offensive　and
poisonous；　so　much　so　that　when　the　surgeons　received　a　slight　scratch　on
their　persons；　they　carefully　covered　it　up　with　court　plaster；　before
venturing　near　the　prison。

A　number　of　other　Rebel　Surgeons　testified　to　substantially　the　same
facts。　　Several　residents　of　that　section　of　the　State　testified　to　the
plentifulness　of　the　crops　there　in　1864。

In　addition　to　these；　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　Union　prisoners　were
examined；　who　testified　to　all　manner　of　barbarities　which　had　come　under
their　personal　observation。　　They　had　all　seen　Wirz　shoot　men；　had　seen
him　knock　sick　and　crippled　men　down　and　stamp　upon　them；　had　been　run
down　by　him　with　hounds；　etc。　　Their　testimony　occupies　about　two
thousand　pages　of　manuscript；　and　is；　without　doubt；　the　most；　terrible
record　of　crime　ever　laid　to　the　account　of　any　man。

The　taking　of　this　testimony　occupied　until　October　18；　when　the
Government　decided　to　close　the　case；　as　any　further　evidence　would　be
simply　cumulative。

The　prisoner　presented　a　statement　in　which　he　denied　that　there　had　been
an　accomplice　in　a　conspiracy　of　John　H。　Winder　and　others；　to　destroy
the　lives　of　United　States　soldiers；　he　also　denied　that　there　had　been
such　a　conspiracy；　but　made　the　pertinent　inquiry　why　he　alone；　of　all
those　who　were　charged　with　the　conspiracy；　was　brought　to　trial。　　He
said　that　Winder　has　gone　to　the　great　judgment　seat；　to　answer　for　all
his　thoughts；　words　and　deeds；　and　surely　I　am　not　to　be　held　culpable
for　them。　　General　Howell　Cobb　has　received　the　pardon　of　the　President
of　the　United　States。〃　　He　further　claimed　that　there　was　no　principle　of
law　which　would　sanction　the　holding　of　hima　mere　subordinate
guilty；　for　simply　obeying；　as　literally　as　possible；　the　orders　of　his
superiors。

He　denied　all　the　specific　acts　of　cruelty　alleged　against　him；　such　as
maltreating　and　killing　prisoners　with　his　own　hands。　　The　prisoners
killed　for　crossing　the　Dead　Line；　he　claimed；　should　not　be　charged
against　him；　since　they　were　simply　punished　for　the　violation　of　a　known
order　which　formed　part　of　the　discipline；　he　believed；　of　all　military
prisons。　　The　statement　that　soldiers　were　given　a　furlough　for　killing　a
Yankee　prisoner；　was　declared　to　be　〃a　mere　idle；　absurd　camp　rumor。〃
As　to　the　lack　of　shelter；　room　and　rations　for　so　many　prisoners；
he　claimed　that　the　sole　responsibility　rested　upon　the　Confederate
Government。　　There　never　were　but　two　prisoners　whipped　by　his　order；
and　these　were　for　sufficient　cause。　　He　asked　the　Court　to　consider
favorably　two　important　items　in　his　defense：　first；　that　he　had　of　his
own　accord　taken　the　drummer　boys　from　the　Stockade；　and　placed　them
where　they　could　get　purer　air　and　better　food。　　Second；　that　no　property
taken　from　prisoners　was　retained　by　him；　but　was　turned　over　to　the
Prison　Quartermaster。

The　Court；　after　due　deliberation；　declared　the　prisoner　guilty　on　all
the　charges　and　specifications　save　two　unimportant　ones；　and　sentenced
him　to　be　hanged　by　the　neck　until　dead；　at　such　time　and　place　as　the
President　of　the　United　States　should　direct。

November　3　　President　Johnson　approved　of　the　sentence；　and　ordered　Major
General　C。　C。　Augur　to　carry　the　same　into　effect　on　Friday；　November　10；
which　was　done。　　The　prisoner　made　frantic　appeals　against　the　sentence；
he　wrote　imploring　letters　to　President　Johnson；　and　lying　ones　to　the
New　York　News；　a　Rebel　paper。　　It　is　said　that　his　wife　attempted　to
convey　poison　to　him；　that　he　might　commit　suicide　and　avoid　the　ignomy
of　being　hanged。　　When　all　hope　was　gone　he　nerved　himself　up　to　meet　his
fate；　and　died；　as　thousands　of　other　scoundrels　have；　with　calmness。
His　body　was　buried　in　the　grounds　of　the　Old　Capitol　Prison；　alongside
of　that　of　Azterodt；　one　of　the　accomplices　in　the　assassination　of
President　Lincoln。




CHAPTER　LXXXIII。

THE　RESPONSIBILITYWHO　WAS　TO　BLAME　FOR　ALL　THE　MISERYAN　EXAMINATION
OF　THE　FLIMSY　EXCUSES　MADE　FOR　THE　REBELSONE　DOCUMENT　THAT　CONVICTS
THEMWHAT　IS　DESIRED。

I　have　endeavored　to　tell　the　foregoing　story　as　calmly；　as
dispassionately；　as　free　from　vituperation　and　prejudice　as　possible。
How　well　I　have　succeeded　the　reader　must　judge。　　How　difficult　this
moderation　has　been　at　times　only　those　know　who；　like　myself；　have　seen；
from　day　to　day；　the　treason…sharpened　fangs　of　Starvation　and　Disease
gnaw　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　hearts　of　well…beloved　friends　and
comrades。　　Of　the　sixty…three　of　my　company　comrades　who　entered　prison
with　me；　but　eleven；　or　at　most　thirteen；　emerged　alive；　and　several　of
these　have　since　died　from　the　effects　of　what　they　suffered。　　The
mortality　in　the　other　companies　of　our　battalion　was　equally　great；
as　it　was　also　with　the　prisoners　generally。　　Not　less　than　twenty…five
thousand　gallant；　noble…hearted　boys　died　around　me　between　the　dates　of
my　capture　and　release。　　Nobler　men　than　they　never　died　for　any　cause。
For　the　most　part　they　were　simple…minded；　honest…hearted　boys；　the
sterling　products　of　our　Northern　home…life；　and　Northern　Common　Schools；
and　that　grand　stalwart　Northern　blood；　the　yeoman　blood　of　sturdy　middle
class　freementhe　blood　of　the　race　which　has　conquered　on　every　field
since　the　Roman　Empire　went　down　under　its　sinewy　blows。　　They　prated
little　of　honor；　and　knew　nothing　of　〃chivalry〃　except　in　its　repulsive
travesty　in　the　South。　　As　citizens　at　home；　no　honest　labor　had　been
regarded　by　them　as　too　humble　to　be　followed　with　manly　pride　in　its
success；　as　soldiers　in　the　field；　they　did　their　duty　with　a　calm
defiance　of　danger　and　death；　that　the　world　has　not　seen　equaled　in　the
six　thousand　years　that　men　have　followed　the　trade　of　war。　　In　the
prison　their　conduct　was　marked　by　the　same　unostentatious　but
unflinching　heroism。　　Death　stared　them　in　the　face　constantly。　　They
could　read　their　own　fate　in　that　of　the　loathsome；　unburied　dead　all
around　them。　　Insolent　enemies　mocked　their　sufferings；　and　sneered　at
their　devotion　to　a　Government　which　they　asserted　had　abandoned　them；
but　the　simple　faith；　the　ingrained　honesty　of　these　plain…mannered；
plain…spoken　boys　rose　superior　to　every　trial。　　Brutus；　the　noblest
Roman　of　them　all；　says　in　his　grandest　flight：

　　　　　　　　　　Set　honor　in　one　eye　and　death　in　the　other；
　　　　　　　　　　And　I　will　look　on　both　indifferently。

They　did　not　say　this：　they　did　it。　　They　never　questioned　their　duty；　no
repinings；　no　murmurings　against　their　Government　escaped　their　lips；
they　took　the　dread　fortunes　brought　to　them　as　calmly；　as　unshrinkingly
as　they　had　those　in　the　field；　they　quailed　not；　nor　wavered　in　their
faith　before　the　worst　the　Rebels　could　do。　　The　finest　epitaph　ever
inscribed　above　a　soldier's　grave　was　that　graven　on　the　stone　which
marked　the　resting…place　of　the　deathless　three　hundred　who　fell　at
Thermopylae：

　　　　　　　　　　Go；　stranger；　to　Lacedaemon；
　　　　　　　　　　And　tell　Sparta　that　we　lie　here　in　obedience　to　her　laws。

They　who　lie　in　the　shallow　graves　of　Andersonville；　Belle　Isle；　Florence
and　Salisbury；　lie　there　in　obedience　to　the　precepts　and　maxims
inculcated　into　their　minds　in　the　churches　and　Common　Schools　of　the
North；　precepts　which　impressed　upon　them　the　duty　of　manliness　and　honor
in　all　the　relations　and　exigencies　of　life；　not　the　〃chivalric〃　prate　of
their　enemies；　but　the　calm　steadfastness　which　endureth　to　the　end。　　The
highest　tribute　that　can　be　paid　them　is　to　say　they　did　full　credit　to
their　teachings；　and　they　died　as　every　American　should　when　duty　bids
him。　　No　richer　heritage　was　ever　bequeathed　to　posterity。

It　was　in　the　year　1864；　and　the　first　three　months　of　1865　that　these
twenty…five　thousand　youths　mere　cruelly　and　needlessly　done　to　death。
In　these　fatal　fifteen　months　more　young　men　than　to…day　form　the　pride；
the　hope；　and　the　vigor　of　any　one　of　our　leading　Cities