THE TRUE STORY OF ANDERSONVILLE PRISON; a Defense of Henry Wirz (6th Michigan Cavalry)

Page, James Madison and Michael J. Haley

Published by The Neale Publishing Company, New York and Washington, 1908

BOOPK DESCRIPTION: 8vo, 248 pgs, frontis portrait and other portrait plates. Original blue cloth with gilt title cover and spine. Top edge gilt. CONDITION DESCRIPTION: Minor shelf soiling and rubbing, label removed and recolored on spine. Interior has bookplate of the State of Illinois Commandery, MOLLUS, no other markings; else pages are clean and tight. With clear, mylar wrapper. CONTENTS DESCRIPTION: James Page served in the 6th Michigan Cavalry during the Civil War. He became a prisoner and held in different Southern prisons. He spent seven months at Andersonville; and while there, became acquainted with the Confederate commander, Captain Wirz, as he then ranked. Page takes the position that Captain Wirz was unjustly held responsible for the hardship and mortality of Andersonville, and believed the Federal authorities contributed to the problem. Knowing the CSA's inability to care for the prisoners, the Federal authorities failed to exercise a humane policy for the exchange of prisoners and also of the treatment of those captured in battle. REFERENCES: KRICK 366: "This book is an important prison narrative, written by a Federal, defending a Confederate. Page was captured in September, 1863 along the Rapidan and was sent to Belle Isle, thence to Andersonville. His account of the conditions he encountered is of interest, but of more moment is his defense of Henry Wirz. He not only contends that that unfortunate officer was unjustly lynched, but goes on to claim that 'the Federal authorities must share the blame' for Andersonville because of their negative policy toward the exchange of prisoners. The description of the trial, conviction, and execution of Wirz is extremely sympathetic and not a little welcome to Southern ears, accustomed as they were to diatribes on quite another tack from Northern pens." NEVINS I pg 199: "The attempt by an ex-prisoner who was very accommodating toward Confederate captors to rebut other accounts of Wirz. Vehement, detailed, sometimes convincing." DORN MI 30; COULTER 360: ".the book is a valuable contribution to an understanding of prison life in the Confederacy and is unique among prison-of-war accounts because it defends the Confederate prison regime and Major Wirz in particular. it is therefore a powerful antidote to the stereotyped horror accounts.". Seller Inventory # 1223134

Bibliographic Details

Title: THE TRUE STORY OF ANDERSONVILLE PRISON; a ...
Publisher: The Neale Publishing Company, New York and Washington
Publication Date: 1908
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good