Letter transmitting a summary of the trial, 40th cong. The andersonville henry wirz collection is a group of 16 manuscripts and two clippings relating to the prison in general and to wirz s trial. Ap us history 1821 american pageant flashcards quizlet. Thirteen separate charges were leveled against wirz, alleging such acts as specification no. The trial and death of henry wirz, with other matters. The most significant fighting of the civil war took place in. One of the last survivors among the korean comfort women of world war ii has. The rebel assassins trial of henry wirz, the andersonville. The wileysilver book prize the center presents the prize to the best first book, thereby recognizing and encouraging new and emerging scholars in the history of the american civil war. Reading the death warrant to wirz on the scaffold 1 negative. All the presidents men, an investigative, nonfiction book by bob woodward and carl bernstein, details the investigation into the watergate scandal of the 1970s caused by president richard nixon and his team. Paul finkelman talked about the military trial of henry wirz, the confederate commander of andersonville prison, where approximately 00. Much of the book is about the commandant of the horrid prison where union prisoners of war died by the thousands. Andersonvilles whirlpool of death the cleveland civil.
Anyone researching andersonville should read this very well written book to learn the whole truth about what happened. It was definetly a crime against humanity through neglect on the greater part and some downright inhumanity on the part of some of the guards, who were often young whippersnappers more intent on putting a bullet through a poor starving yank than being a real soldier. Wirz bore a letter from general winder giving command of the prisons interior to wirz, whom he called, an old prison officer, a very reliable man and capable of governing prisons. Forty years later, in 1908, page wrote this memoir to tell dispel the slanders told about wirz.
Book printed material trial of henry wirz letter from the secretary of war ad interim, in answer to a resolution of the house of april 16, 1866, transmitting a summary. It is told from many points of view, including that of henry wirz, the camp commandant, who was later executed. According to the companion book to the exhibition, the three volumes of the set record some 2,000 separate incidents of whiteonblack violence between september 1865 and december 1868, ranging in scope from simple assault to torture to murder. While he acknowledges the books shock value, he finds fault with kanotrs style and method.
It also features william collins, a union soldier and one of the leaders of the raiders. The union later realized they had hanged an innocnet man. There was a clear push for vengeance and retaliation, one of the unfortunate consequences of. Confederate officer henry wirz was at the end of the civil war perhaps the secondmost hated person in america, after john wilkes booth. Captain later major henry wirz was appointed commandant of the confederate prisoner of war pow camp at andersonville, georgia, a few months after it was established early in 1864. These essays represent the push to provide interdisciplinary brecht. Bole received the same visitor and later sent a letter to jefferson davis, who included it as well as wirzs reply to schade in his book, andersonville and. Infantry soon joined him, and by that evening, when lee was near appomattox court house, he learned that he had nowhere to go unless he could attack sheridan and push. C several historians have called the trial a national disgrace. Henry wirz, commander of andersonville confederate prison. New york times 2262021 a harvard professor called wartime sex slaves prostitutes. Much of the trial centered on trying to establish a connection between captain wirz and key confederate leaders, including president jefferson davis and general robert e. Henry wirz was defended by a competent washington, d. Andersonville prison and captain henry wirz trial by mildred.
Shortly afterwards he was the president of the court which convicted confederate captain henry wirz of war crimes during his tenure as commandant of the andersonville prison camp. Although he would have much preferred to be remembered as a highly successful military hero, lew wallace has been thwarted in this ambition and is best known as an author. Aug 12, 2017 henry wirz may not have been a sacrificial lamb or fatted calf, but he was no less a sacrifice. The word deadline has a horrible origin in civil war.
Letter from the secretary of war ad interim, in answer to a resolution of the house of april 16, 1866, transmitting a summary of the trial of henry wirz, united states. Sheridans cavalry got ahead of lee and captured vital supplies that were awaiting him at appomattox station. Ken burns, in his companion book to the pbs television series the civil war, says this of henry wirz, the commander of andersonville. An initial group of six items msncw 02001 to msncw 02004 documents a wifes application for the back pay of her husband, andersonville prisoner stephen f. As an alternative, the kindle ebook is available now and can be read on any. Henry wirz walked briskly from the old capitol prison in washington d. Newspaper reporters viewing the execution washington, d.
Book annotations new york university journal of international. Mark grimsley dead confederates, a civil war era blog. A defense of major henry wirz page, james madison on. Map, available online, civil war, united states library. Bookprinted material trial of henry wirz letter from the secretary of war ad interim, in answer to a resolution of the house of april 16, 1866, transmitting a summary. His heavy accent is emphasized throughout the book. Wirz, henry 18231865, the only confederate officer. This 65 page book written in 1921 by ga udc historian mildred lewis rutherford gives facts about andersonville prison and capt. Captain henry wirz s conviction and subsequent execution is still debated to the present day. The proceedings, findings, and sentence of the court in the within case are approved, and it is ordered that the sentence be carried into execution, by the officer commanding the department of washington, on friday, the 10 th of.
Civil war maps, available online, sneden, robert knox. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important. The event took place on november 10, 1865 in the courtyard of the old capitol prison, now the site of the u. Fighting lost causes in the american civil war hacienda. A book written by abolitionist hinton helper arguing that slavery mostly affected whites without slaves in a negative way. Anyone researching andersonville should read this very well written book to.
Wallace was appointed territorial governor of new mexico 18781881, and was closely involved in the hunt for the outlaw william henry mccarty aka billy the kid. Illustrates a detailed outline of the actual prison yard with acreage and stockade dimensions given. The military prison career of captain henry wirz andersonville. Any book on this subject is disturbing, and this one is no exception. Within the fabric of this story is the sad tale of a captain wirz, prison commandant who was accused of multiple war atrocities against union soldiers, for which he was hanged. Lewis lew wallace was a lawyer, governor, union general in the american civil war, american statesman, and author, best remembered for his historical novel benhur. Robert louis stevensons essay, a humble remonstrance, 2001, 1884 is a direct onslaught on, the ongoing debate on the nature and function of fiction initiated by two renowned authors walter besant and henry james, whose essays both entitled the art of fiction attempt to define the artistic side of fiction. Henry wirz november 25, 1823 november 10, 1865 was the only confederate soldier tried after the end of the american civi war. Nov 24, 2017 henry wirz was a swiss immigrant, who settled in louisiana before the civil war. Madison brings his defense of the prison commander henry wirz, who was charged by the u. Why does this georgia town honor one of americas worst war.
The following books are suggested reading for additional insights into the civil war and its key battles. Henry wirz, who received an injury earlier in the war and never recovered properly, is portrayed not as an inhuman fiend but as a sick man struggling with a job beyond his capacities. Over the course of the prisons existence and the trial that followed, captain henry wirz would become one of the most controversial figures associated with the. This 65page book written in 1921 by georgia division united daughters of the confederacy historian mildred lewis rutherford gives facts about andersonville prison and capt.
A number of historians have called the trial a national disgrace. Blight explains in the new yorker article written january 8, 2021, trump must be held. Heinrich hartmann henry wirz november 25, 1823 november 10, 1865 was a. World book and the globe device are trademarks or registered trademarks of world book, inc. Nov 10, 2017 confederate officer henry wirz was at the end of the civil war perhaps the secondmost hated person in america, after john wilkes booth, writes greg bailey for the new republic. Many are clearly linked to the economic and social turbulence of reconstruction several incidents. Seven months of that time was spent at andersonville. Many of the published materials on henry wirz were influenced by the political agenda of their authors, and these books and articles frequently perpetuate inaccurate myths of andersonville and henry wirz. Nov 10, 2020 on november 10, 1865, henry wirz, a swiss immigrant and the commander of andersonville prison in georgia, is hanged for the murder of soldiers incarcerated there during the civil war. Under the new system, each detachment was made up of two hundred seventy prisoners, each of these then had three nineties and each ninety had three messes of. For the point, name this infamous confederate prison. After the american civil war, major wirz was tried by a military tribunal, found guilty of war crimes and hanged. It is a novel, and as such is an interpretation of life, not a history of the civil war and it must be judged accordingly.
Paper trail now links trump to the insurrectionist march. Henry wirz was assigned to take charge of the interior of andersonville prison. After the war he was arrested by the union and hanged for war crimes. Today few civil war figures are as controversial as henry wirz. Therefore, this article was based on primary source materials from 18611865 including. Nov 10, 2015 exactly 150 years ago this tuesday, confederate captain henry wirz climbed the steps of the gallows in the courtyard of the old capitol prison in washington, d. Historical figures who appear as characters in the novel include. How the trial and death of henry wirz shaped postcivil war. Blessed by pope leo xiii, the novel was the first work of fiction to be so honored. Originally published in alabama heritage, spring 1995, number 36. He enlisted in the confederate army and by 1864 held the rank of captain. Depicts the path general samuel heintzelman took during august 23rd to 31st from manassas junction in prince william county, va.
Dec 18, 2018 henry wirz wearing his confederate uniform in better times. Captain henry wirz the commandant of the confederate prison at andersonville, georgiawas arrested in may 1865, the only confederate soldier charged. In this, that the said henry wirz, an officer in the military service of the socalled confederate states of america, at andersonville, in the state of georgia, on or about the 20th day of july. There was a clear push for vengeance and retaliation, one of the unfor. A book about wirz published in switzerland is jurg weibel, captain wirz, eine chronik. The author contends that wirz was either not stationed at the prison or in the hospital on. Lewis wallace 18271905 general lewis wallace, known for most of his life as lew, was born in brookville, indiana, on april 10, 1827. Aug 31, 2020 near andersonville, a monument stands to honor henry wirz, commandant of the stockade of camp sumter, a confederate prisonerofwar camp where inhumane conditions led to a high mortality rate and the postwar execution of wirz. A new book on secession examines the politics of all 15 slave states and power of a reactionary slaveholding elite to force secession. During the civil war, james madison page was a prisoner in different places in the south. In august 1865, wirz faced the first war crimes trial by a military tribunal in american history. That time a marine mechanic took a joyride in a stolen a4m.
Osage tribe cedes missouri and arkansas lands history. The concept of manifest destiny was actualized in all of the following forms except. It caused unrest in the south a factor in the later secession. An interesting book that shines a different light on andersonville. Captain henry wirz, a swiss citizen and confederate officer during the american civil war, was commandant of the infamous andersonville prison in georgia. Captain henry wirz spent most of the civil war working in the confederate prison system, making him one of the most experienced people in that field.
Confederate commander who was executed for mistreatment of union prisoners of war. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. These famous photographs by renowned civil war photographer alexander gardner documents the execution of andersonville prison commandant henry wirz. Also, shows the surrounding area where the following sites were located. The prize is named for two distinguished former members of the universitys. Captain henry wirz was tried and executed after the war after a sham trial. Issue 23 of house document issue 23 of house executive document part 1 of trial of henry wirz. Death by hanging for henry wirz, the monster of andersonville. Saber and scroll after the american civil war, major wirz was tried by a military tribunal, found guilty of war crimes and hanged. He would take them by the arm and push them into the ranks and say god. To some people, he is a martyr or a scapegoat for a failed confederacy. There was a clear push for vengeance and retaliation, one of the unfortunate. While there he became well acquainted with major wirz, or captain wirz, his rank during pages confinement. Henry wirz, commander of the confederate prison at andersonville, georgia, having been convicted of war crimes, was hanged on this day in 1865 at the old capitol prison, the presentday site of.
The main purpose of the writer of this book is to reduce the friction between the two sections opposed to each other in the civil war, and especially that caused by the exaggerated and often unjust reports of major wirz s cruelty and inhumanity to the union prisoners s reports throughout the north at least. The superintendant of the stockade was henry wirz, a swiss who was educated in berlin. And the court do therefore sentence him, henry wirz, to be hanged by the neck until he be dead, at such time and place as the president of the united. Trial of henry wirz letter from the secretary of war ad interim, in. Execution of wirz closing scenes in the life of the. Andersonvilles whirlpool of death the cleveland civil war. Andersonville journey, the civil wars greatest tragedy. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. During the civil war, it has been estimated that 194,000 union soldiers and 214,000 confederate soldiers became prisoners of war, more than in any other conflict in the history of the country. On a wickedly hot latespring day, nearly 3,000 people gathered in the center of sleepy andersonville, ga.
There was only one leader, henry wirz, the commander of the infamous andersonville prison camp, where many prisoners died of neglect, who was arrested, tried and hung. The pernicious myth of the loyal slave lives on in. Futch, history of andersonville prison gainesville. July 1, 1864, henry wirz did incite, and urge ferocious bloodhounds to pursue, attack, wound, and tear in pieces soldiers belonging to the u. We all want to push some agenda that it was hell on earth or it was a product of intentional slaughter, well. The commander of this camp, henry wirz, was executed for war crimes in part due to the death of thousands of pows. Captain henry wirz was unfairly charged of war crimes and even though witnesses for the defense could testify, his fate was already decided. The author was obviously very passionate about his beliefs in the relative powerlessness of major wirz. Meanwhile, wallace was called back to washington to head up the military commission trying captain henry wirz, the beast of andersonville.
Historically, in the trial of henry of wirz, the prosecution sought to prove a conspiracy between wirz and the leadership of the confederacy. The novel interweaves the stories of real and fictional characters. Although kantor did sell the motion picture rights of his novel to one of the. The center presents the prize to the best first book, thereby recognizing and. Among those who knew of wirz s innocence was a union soldier who was a prisoner at andersonville. Both have ancestors who fought in the civil war, so it wasnt unnatural for james to be exploring the civil war section of a local cemetery in the early 1990s while his daughter obtained information from nearby grave stones for a college project. Henry wirz was born in zurich, switzerland in 1822. Kantors novel was not the basis for a 1996 john frankenheimer film andersonville. Wileysilver prize for best first book in civil war history.
Heinrich hartmann henry wirz november 25, 1823 november 10, 1865 was a swissamerican officer of the confederate army during the american civil war. Confederate statues would be removed from national parks. Group of newspaper correspondent 1 photographic print on card mount. On november 10, 1865, henry wirz, a swiss immigrant and the commander of andersonville prison in georgia, is hanged for the murder of soldiers incarcerated there during the civil war. Considered the most influential christian book of the nineteenth century, it became a bestselling american novel. Henry wirz s service recordsthe records of the wirz. This book written by james madison page, a northern soldier, represents an important narrative of andersonville prison in georgia. Captain henry wirz spent most of the civil war working in the. He was tried, convicted, and executed, not for being a confederate soldier, but for conspiracy and murder relating to his command of camp sumter, the infamous confederate prisonerofwar prison at andersonville. What was henry wirzs role during the civil war and what happened to him after the war. Photograph of washington, 18621865, the execution of captain henry wirz, november 1865. The trial and death of henry wirz, with other matters pertaining thereto by ashe, samuel a. Best sellers todays deals prime customer service new releases books fashion. Insight from random acw books american civil war forum.
229 894 151 1160 1334 503 1393 1810 1628 355 1404 728 1031 1141 637 1597 460 1175 1850 272 713 1115 487 1738 888 723 441 493