November 10, 1865
Major Henry Wirz, the Confederate commander of the notorious Andersonville prison in Georgia, was hanged, the only Confederate officer executed for war crimes during the American Civil War.
Washington D.C., United States | U.S. War Department
On November 10, 1865, Major Henry Wirz was executed by hanging in Washington, D.C. He remains the only Confederate officer to be executed for war crimes following the American Civil War. Wirz was the commandant of the infamous Andersonville Prison, officially known as Camp Sumter, located in Georgia.
Andersonville Prison was one of the largest Confederate military prisons during the Civil War. It was notorious for its overcrowded conditions, dire sanitary issues, and high mortality rate. At its peak, the prison held over 32,000 Union soldiers in a facility designed for 10,000. Approximately 13,000 prisoners died due to hunger, exposure, and disease.
Following the end of the Civil War, Major Wirz was arrested and charged with conspiracy to impair the lives of prisoners and murder as a war crime. His trial commenced on August 23, 1865, and continued for two months. The prosecution presented evidence of the prison’s horrific conditions and the suffering endured by prisoners, arguing that Wirz’s actions—or lack thereof—amounted to war crimes.
After being found guilty, Wirz was sentenced to death. On the morning of November 10, 1865, he was executed at the Old Capitol Prison. His hanging marked a significant moment in American history as it highlighted the Union’s attempt to hold individuals accountable for wartime atrocities.
The execution of Henry Wirz is emblematic of the intense desire for justice and accountability in the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. While his trial and execution were controversial, with debates over fairness and whether he was a scapegoat for broader systemic failures, Wirz’s case was pivotal in setting a precedent for the prosecution of war crimes.
In the years following his execution, Wirz became a somewhat martyr-like figure for some in the South who viewed him as unjustly singled out, highlighting the ongoing regional divisiveness in the aftermath of the Civil War. His legacy is complex, embodying the severe consequences of wartime command decisions and their impacts on human lives.
Source: www.britannica.com