Chapter V: Preface (5)

“_Oct. 4. 1865._--What a mockery this trial is. They say that they are anxious that I should have justice done to me, and then when a witness is put on the stand to give testimony they try everything to break him down; if they cannot do it, they try to assail his private character. When they had their own witnesses up, they not alone were allowed to state everything I said, everything I done, but even what they heard others say that I had said so and so, done such and such things, and now, when I wish to prove by my witnesses what I also said and done, it is said it is inadmissible. I might just as well be put on the stand myself, as if I had said those things now and not a year ago, when I had no idea that I should be held to account hereafter. But so the world goes, and all I can say is, Oh, God, give me strength to bear with patience and humility what Thou seest fit to put on me. Be Thou my judge.

“_Oct. 5, 1865._--When I left the courtroom to-day, I heard a lady remark: ‘I wish I could shoot out his eyes,’ meaning me. Foolish woman! The time will come when my earthly eyes are shut up; are you in such a hurry? But it is very natural that people do think and pass such remarks. For weeks and weeks they have heard men testify to cruelties done by me and now a very slim chance have I to contradict these statements. It seems to me as if General Wallace had a personal spite against me or my counsel, or he would not act the way he does. If he has one against me, I pity him that he has not more magnanimity of soul than to crush me in such an unheard-of arbitrary way; if he has a spite against my counsel, it is a cowardly act to do as he does, for in the end I am the sufferer, and not my counsel.

“_Oct. 6, 1865._--Another day passed. I wish the trial was over. I wonder what unheard-of resolutions the court will pass again to-morrow. I did not feel it so keenly to-day as I felt it other days, and I have to thank God for it in permitting me to partake of the Holy Communion this morning. I feel less contempt for those who are sitting in judgment over me. If it is God’s will to open their eyes and hearts, He alone has the power to do it. I am certain that none of the court, nor the Judge Advocate, considers and believes me guilty. They all know that the whole thing is a farce. Cruelties have been committed at Andersonville: some one has to suffer for it; they have me; therefore, I am the one, _voila tout_.”

MONUMENT AT ANDERSONVILLE

After more than forty years had passed an act of tardy justice was performed, when a monument was unveiled at Andersonville, in memory of the man who was the victim of cruel injustice and put to death for crimes of which he was innocent.

The monument is a shaft of gray and white, 35 feet in height and simple in design. The base is formed by four square slabs of stone superimposed in the form of a pyramid. Above this are two heavy blocks of stone, on the four sides of which are carved the following inscriptions:

NORTH SIDE

“When time shall have softened passion and prejudice, when reason
shall have stripped the mask from misrepresentation, then Justice,
holding evenly her scales, will require much of past censure and
praise to change places.

“JEFFERSON DAVIS.

“_December, 1888._”

SOUTH SIDE

“Discharging his duty with such humanity as the harsh circumstances
of the times and the policy of the foe permitted, Captain Wirz became
at last the victim of a misdirected popular clamor. He was arrested
in time of peace while under the protection of a parole, tried by
a military commission of a service to which he did not belong and
condemned to ignominious death on charges of excessive cruelty
to Federal prisoners. He indignantly spurned a pardon proffered
on condition that he would incriminate President Davis and thus
exonerate himself from charges of which both were innocent.”

EAST SIDE

“In memory of Captain Henry Wirz, C. S. A. Born in Zurich,
Switzerland, 1822. Sentenced to death and executed at Washington, D.
C., November 10, 1865. To rescue his name from the stigma attached
to it by embittered prejudice this shaft is erected by the Georgia
Division United Daughters of the Confederacy.”

WEST SIDE

“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.

“ULYSSES S. GRANT.

“_August 18, 1864._”

FAIRFAX COURT HOUSE RAID AND CAPTURE OF GENERAL STOUGHTON

As detailed accounts of this famous raid have been so often published I will not repeat the story here. A little incident connected with it, however, may be new to some of my readers:

In October, 1906, there was a reunion of the old-time Telegraphers’ and Historical Association held in Washington, D. C. From a special dispatch to the _Baltimore Sun_ of October 11th, I take the following:

“Another interesting war-time telegrapher attending the Convention is
R. F. Weitbrec, now a wealthy contractor of Denver. In March, 1863,
he was operator for General Stoughton, whose headquarters were at
Fairfax Court House, with several thousand men.

“‘Hooker had more than 100,000 men between us and Lee’s army,’ he
said to-day, ‘and we felt as safe as if we were in Boston. My office
and living quarters were in a tent in the yard of the General’s
headquarters. About three o’clock one rainy night I was rudely
awakened by some one playing “ride a cock horse” on my stomach. There
had been several gay young lieutenants around my camp who made a
practice of coming to my tent at unseemly hours and having fun with
me.

“‘In the darkness I mistook the person on my stomach for one of
these, and tried to throw him off. Instantly my throat was clutched
and I felt a cold muzzle against my temple.[L] That moment a light
flared up and my intruders were two Confederate cavalrymen, who told
me they were Mosby’s men, who had gobbled up a General with a lot of
horses and prisoners. One of them whittled my telegraph instrument
into junk. I was taken out, mounted on a horse and taken on one of
the wildest rides ever experienced by a human being. There were only
a dozen or two of the cavalrymen. They had nearly 100 horses and
prisoners. Besides, they were surrounded by thousands of our soldiers
and didn’t stop for sentries, except to grab and take them along.
By daybreak they had us outside the Federal lines, and breakfast
didn’t come for anybody in the party until late that evening. I spent
several months in prison, and when exchanged went West, where Indian
hunting proved tamer than pastoral life in Virginia during the war?’”

General Stoughton’s Headquarters]

* * * * *

In “Historic Records of the Fifth New York Cavalry,” by Rev. Louis N. Boudrye, Chaplain of the Regiment, I find the following:

“_March 9th._--About 3 o’clock A.M. Mosby and his gang, led by
Sergeant James F. Ames, formerly of Company L, of this regiment,
having safely passed the pickets, entered Fairfax Court House.
Without scarcely firing a shot they captured 50 fine horses and about
30 prisoners, including Brigadier-General Stoughton and Captain
Barker of the Fifth New York Cavalry. The brigade was sent in pursuit
of the dashing party, each regiment taking different routes, but
they returned at night unsuccessful, the Fifth New York having gone
to Herndon Station. Such a raid, five or six miles within our lines,
resulting in such a heavy loss to us, reflects very uncreditably upon
some of our military leaders, while it shows how wily a foe we have
to contend with.”

When Company F, Mosby’s Battalion, was organized, James F. Ames, usually spoken of as “Big Yankee,” was chosen as second lieutenant. He was killed October 9th, 1864, at Mrs. Shacklett’s gate on the road to Piedmont (now called Delaplane) by a Federal scout who came out with one of the parties from Rectortown that morning, and while this scout was rifling the corpse, he was killed by one of Mosby’s men, Lud. Lake.

INDEX

A

Adreon, George S., escape, 52.

Allsman, Andrew, 65, 66.

Ames, Lieut. James F., 156.

Andersonville (see Wirz).

Armand, William, 76, 77.

Ayre, George S., arrested, robbed and imprisoned, 44.
Hostage for Steers, 45.

B

Baker, Willis, 66.

Ballon, Sylvester, 143.

Baltimore, 12, 13.

Barnes, John H., 86, 88, 97, 102, 103, 104, 108, 113, 114, 118, 119.

Barrett, Boyd, 67, 73.

Bennett, ----, 119.
Tells mule story, 69.

Bixler, Lieut., at Parole Camp, 104.

Bixler, Morgan, 66.

Blockade runners, 38, 46, 47, 64, 75, 78, 79.

Bowles, Benjamin F., 104.

Boyd, Belle, Gus Williams tells of her imprisonment, 50.
Her remarkable career, 51.
Supt. Wood spoke of her, 52.

Brawner, Redmond F., imprisoned and family driven from home, 44.

Breckenridge, Major, 104.

Bribery, 37, 38, 52, 67.

Buell, Colonel, 85.