Pathetic Story of Captain Wirz
By Maj. H. W. Graber, Dallas, Tex.

I have just perused with much interest recent issues of the VETERAN, and after reading the oration of the Rev. R. F. Thrapp at Jacksonville, Ill., on Decoration Day, well calculated to make us feel that the fanaticism and bitterness of the North is yielding to sound reason and justice, we are again called upon, through the resolution of the G. A. R., at their late annual meeting at Minneapolis, to act on the defensive and protect the blameless and humane character of our Confederate government in the treatment of our prisoners of war. The fact that this resolution could pass such a representative body of brave soldiers of the blue is evidence that they are wholly uninformed on the true history of the case, and were led into this error through the exaggerated statements of exprisoners who did not realize the inability of our government to do better and that they had the same fare as the guards on duty around them. It is incumbent on us in our fast declining years to resent this unjust charge by stating facts and protecting the truth of history.

George L. Marshall gave me a history of Captain Wirz some twenty years ago as told him by his father, Colonel Marshall, who was General Winder's private secretary, and is as follows: "Gen. John H. Winder had charge of all Federal prisoners, with his headquarters at Richmond. Sometime in the early part of 1864 (I cannot recall date correctly) Colonel Marshall, on the many persistent appeals of Captain Wirz for relief, was sent to Andersonville to confer with him as to the best means of alleviating the sufferings of the prisoners at that point, who were dying by hundreds for the want of medicines and proper nourishment. Colonel Marshall on his arrival was assigned to a room next to one occupied by Captain Wirz. After midnight Colonel Marshall was awakened by a moaning and walking of some one in Wirz's room. When he opened the door, he found Captain Wirz still dressed, and on being asked if he was sick, he said, raising and wringing his hands in despair: 'My God, Marshall! what can we do, what shall we do, to afford relief to these thousands of poor fellows placed in my charge and keeping, dying away from home and cast off by their government, and with our own without means to help? O God, this is terrible! this is awful!' It was then decided between them to suggest to the Richmond authorities to send a commission composed of representative prisoners to Washington to plead for exchange, and if this was refused to ask that at least medicines be permitted to enter our lines for these prisoners. Colonel Marshall returned to Richmond and presented this conclusion to our authorities, who agreed to the proposition, fully satisfied that the Washington authorities would certainly heed the plea by their own men for medicines, which our government agreed to pay for in gold or cotton, and accordingly authorized the sending of four good men from the prison on this merciful mission, which was done with the result of a complete refusal by the Washington government to grant even the permit for medicines. The men returned to prison, to their honor be it said, in compliance with the parole."

It is unfortunate indeed that at this late day, forty years after the close of this terrible drama in the world's history, we are called upon to lay bare the truth of history by exposing to the gaze of the civilized world, as well as our own children, the cruel conduct of the war on the part of the North. Where does history record a civilized country at war declaring medicines contraband of war, as was done by the Washington government? It is natural for the government at Washington to shift from themselves to Sherman and Sheridan the responsibility for the cruel and inhuman warfare conducted by these generals, but the government cannot escape the known and recognized fact that upon a simple restraining order these men would have stayed their devastation and cruelties.

Bid the good ladies Godspeed in their laudable undertaking, let the monument be built in memory of that humane and kindhearted comrade whose life was sacrificed to satisfy the cruel and unjust demand of a misinformed and excited Northern section. I inclose five dollars, which kindly forward to the good ladies having in charge the building of this monument.