Old Capitol Prison, where Wirz was held and ultimately hanged. The United States Supreme Court sits on the site today
Henry Wirz was the Swiss-born Commandant of the infamous Andersonville Prison. After the war, photos of prisoners, as well as
their stories, inflamed the passions of Northern citizens. Someone was going to pay! General John Winder, who had been
in charge of all Confederate prisons east of the Mississippi, presented a logicl choice. However, he died before Federal authorities
could take legal action against him. Wirz presented the government with a sutiable alternate. He was arrested and tried
before a nine-member military commission presided over by Major-General Lew Wallace, better known as the author of the classic Ben
Hur. In a controversial trial that lasted 63 days, some 160 witnesses were called. Wirz was foind guilty on most of the
counts and was sentenced to hang. On November 10, 1865 on the grounds of the Old Capitol Prison, the sentence was carried out
and Wirz was buried adjacent to one of Lincoln's assassins.
Major-General Lew Wallace
The hanging. The U. S. Capitol Building appears in the background
I will examine the controversies associated with the trial and subsequent hanging. I am presently examining trial transcripts,
diaries, letters, newspaper accounts, and other sources to weave an intriuing, yet factual, story of this historical event.
Several mythis will also be examined and, in some cases, debunked. I hope you find the finished product enjoyable and educationsl.
Mrs. Lincoln's Son!
Gettysburg in Pictures
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Music: The Cruel War - midi sequenced by Barry Taylor
