Is Southern history still taught in our schools?<br>
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On May 12, 1908, the Georgia Division United Daughters of the Confederacy unveiled a monument in Andersonville, Georgia to Captain Henry Wirz who was Commandant of Andersonville Military Prison during the War Between the States. On the front side of the monument is inscription, "In memory of Captain Henry Wirz, C.S.A., born in Zurich Switzerland, 1822."<br>
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Andersonville is just a short ride from Americus.<br>
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The Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 78 will host their annual Memorial Service to Wirz on Sunday, November 4, 2007, at 2:00 PM in Andersonville, Georgia. These gentlemen invite you and family to come and hear Mr. Max<br>
Waldrop, Adjutant General of the Military Order of Stars and Bars, speak in tribute to Captain Henry Wirz.<br>
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Who was Captain Henry Wirz?<br>
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In April, 1864, Wirz was appointed Commandant of Andersonville Prison. It is written that Union prisoners numbered 32.000 at Andersonville in August, 1864. During this time food was scarce for both Union prisoners and their Confederate guards. The blockade of Southern ports was effective and Union President Lincoln halted the exchange of prisoners. <br>
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"It is hard on our men held in Southern prisons not to exchange them, but it is humanity to those left in the ranks to fight our battles. At this particular time to release all rebel prisoners North, would insure Sherman's defeat and would compromise our safety here."<br>
August 18, 1864, Union General Ulysses S. Grant<br>
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Why was Captain Henry Wirz accused of war crimes?<br>
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In August, 1865, President Andrew Johnson ordered that the charges against Confederate generals and public servants should be dropped but not for Captain Henry Wirz. The Wirz trial was a mockery with witnesses allowed to testify for his prosecution but not for the defense. Wirz was hung in Washington, D.C.on November 10, 1865. It is written that Wriz was offered a deal to save his life if he would only testify against former President Jefferson Davis. He would not do this, being a man of honor.<br>
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At their National Convention in Dallas, Texas in 1977, the fraternal-historical organization, Sons of Confederate Veterans, declared Captain Henry Wirz a Confederate Hero and Martyr. Wirz also received the Confederate Medal<br>
of Honor posthumously by the SCV, and it is on display at the Andersonville Welcome Center. For more information about the SCV go to: http://www.scv.org<br>
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"When time shall have softened passion and prejudice, when reason shall have stripped the mask of misrepresentation, then justice holding even scale, will require much of past censure and praise to change places". -----December 1888, Jefferson Davis, former Confederate President.<br>
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For more information about this Sunday's Wirz Memorial please email James Gaston of SCV Camp 78 at: mailto:
[email protected]<br>
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The time is long overdue to exonerate the good name of Captain Henry Wirz. This would be the Christian and right thing to do.
