Captain Henry Wirz

[thea_447]

(46) Holmes, Elmira Prison Camp, 129-30; "Woodlawn National Cemetery Pamphlet"; The New York Sun, Aug. 13, 1880; OR, 8:1001.
(47) "Persons and Articles Hired." Holmes, Elmira Prison Camp, 130; Confederate Veteran, vol. 22, 1914, 396. "List of Quartermaster Stores," Apr. 1864. Cook & Covell supplied the paint for writing identification on the headboards. In April, 1865, for example, 100 pounds of powdered white lead paint were required for that purpose, costing the prison fund $18. Ibid., box 142, "Statement of Prison Funds," Apr. 30, 1865.
(48) Holmes, Elmira Prison Camp, 130-31.
(49) Ibid., 131. Census records stated Jones was a mulatto, age forty-seven, had a framed house estimated at $2,000, and was a voter and an owner of land. New York Census Records, 1865, Ward 1, John W. Jones. Clay Holmes wrote after retirement Jones "lived quietly on his little farm, working if he liked, spending much time in doing little acts of kindness to others." Ibid., 150.
(50) Daily Advertiser, Dec. 2, Sept. 21, 23, 1864, June 30, 1865; Elmira Star-Gazette, May 17, 1993.
(51) "Persons and Articles Hired."
(52) Daily Advertiser, Nov. 16, 1864.
(53) Ibid., Aug. 29, 1864.
(54) Daily Advertiser, July 11, 29, Sept 6, 1864; John Kaufhold, "The Elmira Observatory," Civil War Times Illustrated (July 1977): 30-32.
(55) Daily Advertiser, Aug. 10, Sept. 9, 1864.
(56) Ibid., Sept. 6, 13, 1864, Aug. 30, 1864; Holmes, Elmira Prison Camp, 35; Kaufhold, "The Elmira Observatory" 32; Anthony M. Keiley, In Vinculis; or, The Prisoner of War (Petersburg, Virginia, 1866), 158.
(57) G. W. D. Porter, "Nine Months in a Northern Prisons," The Annals of the Army Of Tennessee and Early Western History 14 (July 1878): 159.
(58) James Huffman, Ups and Downs of a Confederate Soldier (New York: William E. Rudge's Sons, 1940), 105.
(59) Keiley, In Vinculis, 158-59.
(60) Charles Petrillo, The Junction Canal (1855-1871) Elmira, New York to Athens, Pennsylvania (Easton, Pa.: Canal History and Technology Press, 1991), 20l-2; Thomas E. Byrne, ed., Chemung County ... Its History (Elmira, N.Y.: Chemung County Historical Society, 1961), 16; Elmira Sun Telegram, Aug. 25, 1940; Arthur Keifer, "Junction Canal: Elmira to Athens," Chemung Historical Journal (Sept. 1992): 4173.
(61) Daily Advertiser, Nov. 18, 1864.
(62) Coal cost $10.92 1/2 per ton. J. D. Baldwin provided the prison in February with 848,620 pounds of coal for $4,635.58. In March, he furnished 379 tons for $4,145.81. And in April, just 69,591 for $380.15; "Statement of Prison Funds," Feb. 28, Mar. 31, Apr. 30, 1865; Petrillo, Junction Canal, 201-2; Keifer, "Junction," 4, 173.
(63) "Suydam's Annual Report, 1865;" R. Burdell to E. M. Stanton, May 25, 1866, "Consolidated Correspondence, Erie Railroad," entry 225, RG 92.
(64) M. C. Meigs to E. M. Stanton, June 4, 1866, "Consolidated Correspondence, Erie Railroad.".
(65) Hatch & Partridge to M. C. Meigs, Mar. 14, 1865, "Letters Received," entry 225, RG 92
(66) Hatch & Partridge to M. C. Meigs, Mar. 14, 1865.
(67) N. J. Sappington to A. B. Eaton, Mar. 1, 1865, "Letters Received" entry 10, RG 192.
(68) "Records of the Commissary General of Prisons, Expenditures," entry 16, 77, RG 249; "Abstract of Disbursements," Mar. 1865; "Statement of Prison Funds," Mar. 31, 1865.
(69) Daily Advertiser, May 1, 1865.
(70) Ibid.
(71) It was wishful thinking for the paper to speculate that the government might make the military depot "a permanent affair." Ibid.
(72) Daily Advertiser, Nov. 16, 1864.
(73) Ibid., Feb. 23, 1865.
(74) Ibid., May 10, 1865.
(75) Ibid. Some workers at the prison were fortunate to work throughout May, such as George Mathews, Lochmon May, and Horace Little, clerks earning $100 a month; Harrison Hart, Darwin Rudd, Henry Osborn, and Robert Even, all clerks except the latter, each earned 40 [cts.] daily. Sexton John Jones and hearse driver John Donohoe would also remain on the payroll. "Receipt Roll," Apr.-May 1865, entry 11, RG 249,
(76) Daily Advertiser, July 14, 1865.
(77) "Abstract of Articles," entry 11, RG 249, July 1865. Only four local businesses were on the July account, Hall Brothers, Spaulding & Haskell, Cook & Covell, and Loremore Brothers, culminating in a bill of $724.80.
(78) Daily Advertiser, Aug. 4, 1865.
(79) "Expenditures"; "Persons and Articles Hired."
(80) J. J. Elwell to J. D. Bingham, Nov. 14, 20, 1865, "Letters Received," entry 225, RG 92.
(81) Holmes, Elmira Prison Camp, 276; "Consolidated Report of Prison Funds" entry 16, 77, RG 249; N. J. Sappington to A. B. Eaton, Sept. 7, 1865, "Letters Received," entry 17, RG 192.
(82) "Remarks on the Influence of War," New York Census Records, Elmira, New York, 1865.
(83) Ottman, "History of Elmira,, 170.
(84) Daily Advertiser, June 20, 1865.
(85) June 28, 1865," General Correspondence."
(86) Samuel M. Guthe, New York Census Records, Elmira, New York, 1865.
(87) D. T. Billings, New York Census Records.
(88) Edwin Munson, New York Census Records.
(89) "Expenditures."
(90) "Expenditures"; The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion, part 2, vol. 5: Medical History (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1879), 50-63; Holland Thompson, ed., The Photographic History of the Civil War, vol. 8; Prisons and Hospitals (New York: The Review of Reviews Co., 1911), 44, 54, 56, 69.
(91) "Expenditures"; George Levy, To Die in Chicago: Confederate Prisoners at Camp Douglas 1862-1865 (Evanston, Ill.: Evanston Publishing, 1994), 7, 9
COPYRIGHT 1999 Kent State University Press

[johan_steele]

Thea, you've just used up a decent amount of BW proving what I think everyone here was already willing to admit; Elmira was a hellhole. Noone denied this. But how is that a defence for Wirz?

There is some validity to the Lost Cause argument that all POW camps were Andersonvilles.

THe following is information pulled from <u>A short History of the Rock Island Prison Barracks</u>} published by the historical office of the US Army in 1985. It is quite eye opening and puts to rest some of the worst allegations by the Lost Cause, not that this will stop them.

THe POW's at Rock Island were provided w/ barracks (the same design &amp; workmanship as those used by the guards. Each barracks was provided w/ three large stoves and coal. The water supply was not excellent but was potable, and the same soarce was used by the guards as well. The rations provided were nearly the same as provided soldiers on campaign. (hence where a large problem w/ scurvy resulted) and the prisoners received a clothing allowance... You'll note none of this was present at Andersonville.

The difference between places like Rock Island and Andersonville though was that ANY effort was made to shelter &amp; clothe the POW's. In early 64 the 37th Iowa (Graybeards) were actually quartered w/ the prisoners... they shared &amp; traded rations as both prisoners &amp; the 37th were issued the same... neither ration was overabundant.

Of the 1800 or so inmates who enlisted becoming galvanized yanks they actually found themselves poorly fed &amp; clothed in comparison to their time as prisoners because the govt had not expected so many enlistees. And was not prepared to deal w/ them.

Union guards were subjected to the same punishments as the prisoners.

Gone w/ the Wind went a long way to giving Rock Island a worse reputation than it deserved... too bad it had no bassis on fact. Not that has ever stopped the Lost Causers.

Col Johnson (the commadant) did terrible things lke make certain excess hardtack was issued from the guards rations when not enough was present for the prisoners, he insured that hard tack was issued to POW's upon release for their treck home. Ironically the only crtiticism by ex inmates that was ever shown to have a shred of truth to back it came from Johnson himself in a complaint about elements of a 100 day Regt provided for guards w/ less than reliable disciplne who apparently had on several occasions randomly fired into the prison compound.

TH 108th USCT's time as guards at the prison is well documented in local papers... an interesting read I assure you. Most of the charges laid at the feet of the guards is directe towards this regiment and their time as guards their. Saying there was animosity between white CSA POW's and their black captors (many of them ex slaves from Tennesee &amp; Kentucky would be an understatement. There is NO evidence that ANY black soldier even fired his weapon while stationed there... despite the claims of ex prisoners that they shot hundreds.

In short the majority} of the claims of Rock Island being another Andersonville are inflated at best and outright fabrications at worst. While the worst stories of Andersonville have proven to be true.

[mdall]

Hello everyone,
My name is Marty Allen and this is my first post.I just wanted to add something to Charlie's post.There was a man here in Middle Tennessee,by the name of Captain Champ Ferguson,who was also hanged for war crimes.Alot like Henry Wirz,it was a one sided trial, held in Nashville, Tennessee.Anyway I just wanted to add that bit of info into the discussion .Here are some links if anyone is interested ...


http://www.tennessee-scv.org/champ.html

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Fo.../Ferguson.html

http://www.theborderlands.org/Champ.htm

http://champferguson.5u.com/about.html

[raywilson]

Welcome, Marty!

And thanks for the input!

Ray

[8thvacav]

From what I have read I think the south was feeding the prisoners the same as there soldiers. Andersonville and another prison sent train loads of prisoners too Florida to The Union and the Union woudn't except them. The difference between the Northern Prisons and the Southern prisons is the north was starving the prisoners by design! Read this if you don't believe it. There are 3 images on this.
http://www.tctc.com/~msuiter/Bill%20%20SR.html}

[8thvacav]

}From what I have read I think the south was feeding the prisoners the same as there soldiers. Andersonville and another prison sent train loads of prisoners too Florida to The Union and the Union woudn't except them. The difference between the Northern Prisons and the Southern prisons is the north was starving the prisoners by design! Read this if you don't belie}ve it. There are 3 images on this.
http://www.tctc.com/~msuiter/Bill%20%20SR.html}}

[8thvacav]

sorry for the double post.
Martin

[cash]

Martin,

I'm sorry but that's just not so. It would be the easiest thing in the world to prove that the prisoners were getting the same rations as the soldiers--just show pictures of the guards at Andersonville who were human skeletons like the prisoners. There aren't any.

Additionally, I don't believe that the Union would ever simply turn back prisoners who were going to be turned over to them unless the confederates wanted to exchange prisoners after the exchange had been ended. The exchanges were ended because of confederate treatment of black POWs and their officers and because of cheating by the confederates on the parole system. The confederates steadfastly refused to include black soldiers in the exchanges, and until they did there would be no exchanges performed. Remember what Stanton wrote in the dispatch I posted above: "When they agree to exchange all alike there will be no difficulty." [OR Ser II Vol 6 p. 528]

The confederates finally agreed to exchange black soldiers on an equal basis with whites late in the war, in 1865. At that point the exchanges started up again.

If your source claims those prisoners were not offered as part of an exchange, then I'd like to check it out. Could you please post it for us?

Thanks,

Regards,
Cash

[8thvacav]

Cash, I will have to look up where I read that about the train load of prisoners but I've read it more than one place. About the pictures of the Union prisoners, I read that they picked them out of a shipment of prisoners Back to the Union. They where dying of sickness.I've seen the pictures. Don't get me wrong. What both sides did with the prisoners was sick.
Martin

[8thvacav]

I just ran across this. Martin

http://www.civilwarhome.com/prisonertreatment.htm