Today in History: Henry Wirz & Andersonville Prison


Today in History–November 9–the Library of Congress features Confederate officer Henry Wirz, executed as a war criminal on this day in 1865. Wirz was the commanding officer in charge of the Confederate prison at Andersonville, Georgia, also known as Camp Sumter.  Learn more about Banneker by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access more primary sources and teaching ideas about Wirz, Andersonville and other prisons, and the Civil War.

Henry Wriz image set

Wirz trial (Chronicling America Historical Newspaper collection)

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

The tragedy of Andersonville; trial of Captain Henry Wirz, the prison keeper (1910)

Nineteen months a prisoner of war in the hands of the Rebels: experience at Belle Isle, Richmond, Danville, and Andersonville (1865)

At AndersonvilleThe Atlantic monthly Volume 15, Issue 89, March 1865

More Andersonville prison books & articles

Andersonville prison map

Andersonville prison image set

Images of Civil War prisoners & prison camps

A soldier’s story : prison life and other incidents in the war of 1861-’65 (first-person narrative)

Belle Boyd in camp and prison (first-person narrative)

Letters relating Civil War prison experiences (A Civil War Soldier in the Wild Cat Regiment: Selections from the Tilton C. Reynolds Papers)

Learning from the Source: Civil War Prison Experiences primary source activity ideas

More Civil War resources