Henry Wirz | |
|---|---|
 Wirz c. 1865 | |
| Born | Hartmann Heinrich Wirz November 25, 1823 |
| Died | November 10, 1865 (aged 41) Old Capitol Prison, Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Burial place | Mount Olivet Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Spouses | Emilie Oschwald
(m. 1845; div. 1853)Elizabeth Wolfe (m. 1854) |
| Children | 3 |
| Conviction(s) |
|
| Criminal penalty | Death |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Confederate States of America |
| Service/ | Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands | Andersonville Prison |
| Battles/wars | |
Henry Wirz (born Hartmann Heinrich Wirz; November 25, 1823 – November 10, 1865) was a Swiss-American convicted war criminal who served as a Confederate Army officer during the American Civil War.[1] He was the commandant of Andersonville Prison, a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp near Andersonville, Georgia, where nearly 13,000 Union Army prisoners of war died as result of inhumane conditions. After the war, Wirz was tried and executed for conspiracy and murder relating to his command of the camp; this made the captain the highest-ranking soldier and only officer of the Confederate Army to be sentenced to death for crimes during their service.[2] Since his execution, Wirz has become a controversial figure due to debate about his guilt and reputation, including criticism over his personal responsibility for Andersonville Prison's conditions and the quality of his post-war trial.
- ^ Marvel, William (2006). Andersonville: The Last Depot. Univ of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-5781-6.
- ^ "Today in History - November 10". Library of Congress. Retrieved September 2, 2024.