Skip Navigation Links The Library of Congress >> Researchers
Federal Research Division (Customized Research and Analytical Services)
  Home >> Military Legal Resources >> The Trial of Captain Henry Wirz
Seal of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School

Trial of Henry Wirz:

Letter from the Secretary of War ad Interim in answer to a resolution of the House of April 16, 1866, transmitting a summary of the trial of Henry Wirz

United States. 40th Congress, 2d Session. 1867-1868. House Executive Document No. 23

Captain Henry Wirz—the commandant of the Confederate prison at Andersonville, Georgia—was arrested in May 1865, the only Confederate soldier charged with war crimes during the Civil War. His trial, by a military tribunal, took place between August 23 and October 18, 1865. Captain Wirz was found guilty on all counts and was sentenced to death.  He was hanged on November 10, 1865, at the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C. The Chief Defense Lawyer was Louis Schade and the Chief Prosecutor was Judge Advocate Colonel N.P. Chipman. The officers on the Military Commission were: Major General Lew Wallace (United States volunteers), Brevet Major General G. Mott (United States volunteers), Brevet Major General J. W. Geary (United States volunteers), Brevet Major General L. Thomas (Adjutant General United States Army), Brigadier General Francis Fessenden (United States volunteers), Brigadier General A. S. Bragg (United States volunteers), Brevet Brigadier General John F. Ballier, Colonel (Ninety-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers), Brevet Colonel T. Allcock (Lieutenant Colonel, Fourth New York Artillery), and Lieutenant Colonel J. H. Stibbs (Twelfth Iowa Volunteers). The full text of this document, linked below, includes a detailed subject index to the testimony as well as an alphabetical index of witnesses. (Library of Congress Call Number E612.A5 W7; OCLC Number 422700346)

To view larger images, click one of three below. To view the PDF file, click the link under the image

Plan of Andersonville Prison [Washington, D.C. Reading the death warrant to Wirz on the scaffold] Then Major Henry Wirz
Top of Page Top of Page
  Home >> Military Legal Resources >> The Trial of Captain Henry Wirz
  The Library of Congress >> Researchers
  July 16, 2010
Legal | External Link Disclaimer

Contact Us