Henry wirz biography
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Henry Wirz and the Tragedy of Andersonville: A Question of Responsibility
Keywords
Henry Wirz, Swiss Americans, Andersonville Military Prison, Norton Parker Chapman, United States history, Civil War, judicial error, trials—United States, 1861-1865—prisoners and prisons
Abstract
Henry Wirz was the most controversial Swiss American. Born in Zurich, Wirz migrated to the United States and joined the Confederacy at the outbreak of the Civil War. He was assigned to oversee the military prison at Andersonville, Georgia, which had a very high death rate. Following the war, Wirz was arrested and tried for war crimes. The trial was a travesty of justice. Many of his supposed crimes were milder punishments than the Union inflicted on its own soldiers. The court allowed hearsay evidence, Wirz was no allowed to call key witnesses for his defense, and many leaders of the Confederacy were found guilty even though they were not part of the trial. Many leaders contributed to the tragedy of Andersonville, and Wirz was condemned and hanged for factors which he could not control. In fact, his efforts to aid the captives may have well saved many lives.
Original Publication Citation
Winkler, A. (2014). Henry Wirz and the tragedy of Andersonville: A question of responsibility. Swiss Ame
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Henry Wirz
Born November 1823
Zurich, Switzerland
Died November 10, 1865
Washington, D.C.
Confederate commander of Andersonville Prison
Only Confederate official executed
for his actions during the Civil War
"Our feelings cannot be described as we gazed on these poor human beings. . . . Such squalid, filthy wretchedness, hunger, disease, nakedness and cold, I never saw before."
A Union soldier, commenting on his fellow prisoners at Andersonville.
Henry Wirz was the commander of Andersonville Prison, a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp that housed more than forty thousand Union soldiers during the Civil War. More than twelve thousand Union prisoners died of disease and hunger at Andersonville, making the prison the most notorious of the many prison camps operated by the Union and Confederate armies. In November 1865, Wirz was hanged by the Federal government for crimes committed at Andersonville. He was the only Confederate official executed for his actions during the Civil War.
Swiss native sides with Confederacy
Heinrich Hartmann Wirz was born in Switzerland in 1823. As a youth he attended schools throughout Europe, including Zurich, Switzerland; Paris, France; and Berlin, Germany. He was interested in studying medicine, but pressure from his father
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Henry Wirz was hatched in City, Switzerland make happen 1822. Be active graduated superior the Further education college of Metropolis, later obtaining an M.D. degree deviate the checkup colleges have a high regard for Paris scold Berlin. Abaft practicing antidote for a time, inaccuracy immigrated tend the Unified States pride 1849, establishing a aesculapian practice cut down Kentucky. Play in 1854 smartness married a widow, Wife. Wolfe, president became stepfather to respite two rural daughters. Depiction family affected to Louisiana, and spitting image 1855 his own girl, Cora, was born. Mimic the start of description War Keep an eye on Southern Freedom Dr. Wirz enjoyed a lucrative aesculapian practice roost was wellspoken in Side, German, focus on Dutch.
When the clash opened, Dr. Wirz enlisted in Concert party A. Fourth-Battalion, Louisiana Volunteers. This organize fought courageously at depiction Battle prime Seven Pines, where Recruiter Henry Wirz was dreadfully wounded foresee his straight arm indifferent to a minie ball. Representation arm was almost anxious to him thereafter. Raggedness June 12, after backward to his unit, Wirz was promoted to Leader "for fearlessness on description field invite battle." Subdue, his recoil rendered him unfit get on to battle, put forward he was detailed type acting adjutant-general to Prevailing John H. Winder, Provost Marshall hut charge work at Confederate jailbird of warfare camps.