Scapegoat or Monster?
Henry Wirz: the only Confederate officer executed for war crimes
On November 10, 1865, Henry Wirz, the commander of Andersonville prison in Georgia (a.k.a. Camp Sumter), was executed for his actions during the Civil War. A Swiss immigrant, Wirz was the only Confederate officer convicted and put to death for war crimes (even Confederate President Jefferson Davis got off more or less scot-free.)
Andersonville, or Camp Sumter, was the largest Confederate military prison. The first prisoners came to Andersonville in early 1864. The original plan was to move the prisoners out of Richmond, Virginia, to an area of greater security and a better food supply. Over the next few months, around 400 more arrived each day. At its peak awfulness, 33,000 prisoners were held in an area originally built to hold about 10,000.
The camp was operational for only over a year, but during that time, over 45,000 Union soldiers were incarcerated there. Of that number, 13,000 perished from disease, starvation, exposure, and the camp’s generally horrible conditions.
A small stream was the only source of water for prisoners. It was used as a latrine and a garbage dump and also for bathing and drinking water. It became a disgusting, toxic cesspool.
