Gold Watch Presented to Officer at Andersonville Prison by the Prisoners

fltelman

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Andersonville Prison Officer Lieut. S. F. Mayes (Mays). 2nd Ga. Reserves

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The Athens banner. (Athens, Ga.) April 26, 1912, Image 26


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Facts and figures vs. myths and misrepresentations Henry Wirz and the Andersonville prison / Mildred Lewis Rutherford United Daughters of the Confederacy. Georgia division
pg 8 reference
 
2d Lt. S. F. Mayes, Co. E, 2nd Georgia Reserves: that regiment's only assignment was as guards at Andersonville, April 1864 to February 1865.

Sounds like a good man. In every stressful situation there are good men and bad, and they tend to behave in accordance with their individual characters, insofar as they are able. Lt. Mayes clearly showed an admirable degree of kindness that was, unfortunately not universal. Doubtless other Andersonville guards tried to do so as well -- others were less kindly. As conditions worsened in the fall and winter of 1864, I'm sure it became increasingly difficult for "the best threads of humanity" to manifest themselves, on both sides.
 
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I am confused, (nothing new according to the wife) but the letter is dated 9-20-1864.He states that he has been in the prison pen
for 11 months. That would make it Oct. of 1863 when he arrived. The pen was not built until Feb. of 1864....
 
This puts a really different spin on the story, but James Marion Friend of the 16th Illinois Cavalry is one of the guys who I strongly suspect was a raider, although with a different "gang" than the six raiders who were hanged.

Gary Morgan
Author of The Andersonville Raiders, published by Stackpole Books
 
"There but for the grace of God go I"
For what it's worth, there's some evidence that suggests that two of the raiders who were hanged, Delaney and Sarsfield, were robbing and assaulting their fellow draftees before they even reached the regiments so, at least in those two cases, it was not a case of turning to crime once they got to prison in an effort to survive - these guys were bad apples long before they reached Andersonville.
 
For what it's worth, there's some evidence that suggests that two of the raiders who were hanged, Delaney and Sarsfield, were robbing and assaulting their fellow draftees before they even reached the regiments so, at least in those two cases, it was not a case of turning to crime once they got to prison in an effort to survive - these guys were bad apples long before they reached Andersonville.

My comment was meant to reflect on the kind actions of Confederate Lt. Mayes although the quote certainly applies to prisoners who chose not to prey on their fellow inmates.
 
Andersonville Prison Officer Lieut. S. F. Mayes (Mays). 2nd Ga. Reserves

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The Athens banner. (Athens, Ga.) April 26, 1912, Image 26


View attachment 327139
Facts and figures vs. myths and misrepresentations Henry Wirz and the Andersonville prison / Mildred Lewis Rutherford United Daughters of the Confederacy. Georgia division
pg 8 reference
Wow..! Thanks for sharing. Pretty interesting to say the least.

It appears Wirz received a gold watch (and other gifts), from prisoners as well. The letter from his daughter Cora was worth reading. Wirz was a scapegoat. Although, probably best discussed in a thread devoted to Wirz.
 
Wow..! Thanks for sharing. Pretty interesting to say the least.

It appears Wirz received a gold watch (and other gifts), from prisoners as well. The letter from his daughter Cora was worth reading. Wirz was a scapegoat. Although, probably best discussed in a thread devoted to Wirz.
Where can I access the letter from his daughter?

Undeniably a scapeboat, and undeniably an unfair trial. Wirz is such a complicated character that I can't get a handle on him, and I cannot always tell which accounts are honest and which are propaganda. (Well, some of them I know are propaganda, like every guy who testified that he saw Wirz doing this or that at Andersonville in August, 1864 when he wasn't even THERE that month.)
 
Where can I access the letter from his daughter?

Undeniably a scapeboat, and undeniably an unfair trial. Wirz is such a complicated character that I can't get a handle on him, and I cannot always tell which accounts are honest and which are propaganda. (Well, some of them I know are propaganda, like every guy who testified that he saw Wirz doing this or that at Andersonville in August, 1864 when he wasn't even THERE that month.)
The link in the OP: http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ga/county/taylor/csa/wirtz.htm
 
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