Henry Wirz Hero-Martyr? | Thread profile

Quote: Originally Posted by 27thConn My information on guards and prisoners getting the same rations comes from my memory. I remember reading it and I remember it getting thrown in my face by other folks who defend Andersonville. I don't believe it, but it is part of the Rebel defense of the place so I mentioned it in my previous post. They (the Rebels) say its not their fault that the Union prisoners starved. However, knowing you good...

Quote: Originally Posted by cash Markers are not credible historical sources. Those who rely on them don't know what they're doing. Regards, Cash Cemetery records show about 6000 buried at Confederate Mound. They only had the names of 4200. Some sources indicate it may be higher than 6000- "The camp dead were first buried at the prison but then moved to Lincoln Park (it was admitted that some of bones may have been left...

Quote: The average death rate in Northern prisons was 11.7% while the average in confederate prisons was about 15.3%. Math is something like the ziiiiinnnnngggg I hear when something passes over my head. Does the death rates of the nine camps listed, totalled and divided by nine, equal 11.7 percent? I tried several times to reach that figure and failed. (My numberpad fingering are as bad as my grasp of math.) Are we saying that your average...

My information on guards and prisoners getting the same rations comes from my memory. I remember reading it and I remember it getting thrown in my face by other folks who defend Andersonville. I don't believe it, but it is part of the Rebel defense of the place so I mentioned it in my previous post. They (the Rebels) say its not their fault that the Union prisoners starved. However, knowing you good folks want facts I went on to the...

Henry Wirz was in charge of a camp that was totally inadequate in food, shelter and sinks for the prisoners assembled. It was a true sign that the Confederacy was unable to wage war in any humane way. It many times couldn't feed its own soldiers, because of inadequacies in the Confederate logistics system. Loyal to a failed cause, but no hero. One need only read the comments of one of the Confederacy's most loyal servents, the War...

If I am not mistaken, when General Winder left Richmond, a newspaper had published something like, "may god have mercy to whom he has been sent!" As far as Wirtz being a hero, his being wounded at Seven Pines is the only thing that I would consider heroic. As commandant, I personally feel that Wirtz could have done more to relieve some of the suffering than what he actually did. Speaking about Andersonville, I still recall...

If you would like to learn about Andersonville I suggest you read William Marvel's, Andersonvile:The Last Depot , which was well researched. You can also go to my website at www.civilwardiary.net and read from June 7, 1864 through October 11, 1864 about my great grandfather's summer at Andersonville and later stay at Millen, GA. Wirz was an SOB, but he also had an impossible job to do. His personallity and behavior contributed to...

I think it might be useful to compare POW survival rates with two things: 1. The death rate from natural disease in both Union and Confederate armies (disease was still the biggest killer) 2. death rates of German/Japanese POWs held by the United States in WWII, death rates of US POWS held by Germany and Japan. I know WWII is a different era, but I think its still helpful to put the statistical data into better context.

Quote: Originally Posted by cash WWII statistics don't appear to be relevant to me. The germ theory was established by then, medical care was far more advanced, food preservation was more advanced, distribution was better, and the Japanese practiced a systematic cruelty, including outright murder of prisoners. Just as an example, when WWII ended, the Japanese down in SE Asia/the East Indies had already sent out the orders for the mass...