Henry Wirz

[30th_il]

Can you imagine being a bride to this guy? "Do you take Henry, in sickness in health..for better, for wirz....

[gary]

30th IL - go to bed. Come back when you wake up.

[M E Wolf]

Dear tackitt27 and List Members;

It is my opinion that Captain Henry Wirz was caught up in a revenge furver by the Union's citizens. It was bad on both sides for any prisoners regardless if Union or Confederate.

Unfortunately for Captain Wirz; the assassination of President Lincoln and its connection to Confederate conspiracy headed by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865; was the same parallel timeline or near the time of the assassination. The defense was inadequate and not much different from the 'kangaroo court' of history's past--Captain Wirz was the example and reminder to those Confederates who had fight left in them and or any ideas to start things up again.

I feel Capt. Wirz didn't have to die however, he did. Justice isn't perfect and there are steps now, even in Military Courts as to create the needed ability to appeal and exhaust the system.

I am not sure about how many soldiers on both sides were shot execution style on the fields of battle. I do believe in battle, there would be an excellent opportunity to 'execute' someone to whom one had a beef with.
Ballistics would not be possible, due to the arms commonly used as well as the lack of expertise` to identify the round with absolute proof. If memory serves me correctly; the possibility of being shot was always present as suggested in the movie Gettysburg;e.g. 2nd Maine prisoners delivered to Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain of the 20th Maine.

IF--and I repeat IF; Captain Wirz died by hanging, at the prison site which now is the site of the US Surpreme Court; has caused men who still wished to continue the war and/or restart a new conflict --to stop and just stop everything; I believe Captain Wirz in that martyr position saved lives. Perhaps Captain Wirz's ghost or the location will remind all the Justices how justice is not always 'just.'

Just some thoughts.

Sincerely,
M. E. Wolf

[ole]

Just some thoughts.

Can't fully agree with all of them, Wolf, but thanks for sharing.

ole

[gary]

Forgot which book, but I do recall a Union officer being "fragged" (to use a Vietnam Grunt term) during the wa-oh.

[EricJacobson]

I'm with Gary on this one. Wirz was no angel, but he did not deserve to be executed. Commanders at Camp Chase and Camp Douglas were equally culpable. That said, Wirz is not the hero he is out made out to be by some.