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Memorial Day Special - ANDERSONVILLE: THE HENRY WIRZ TRIAL, AMERICA'S FIRST WAR CRIMES CASE & THE 13,000 GRAVES
Published 2 days, 6 hours ago
Description
Memorial Day Special — How thirteen thousand Union dead in a Georgia stockade produced the trial that gave Nuremberg its blueprint.
Garret Fisher marks Memorial Day with the first war crimes trial in American history. November 10, 1865 — Confederate Captain Henry Wirz was hanged in Washington for commanding Andersonville prison, where nearly 13,000 Union soldiers died of starvation, disease, and exposure in fourteen months. From the Swiss-immigrant doctor who ran Camp Sumter to the military tribunal that established “just following orders” was no defense — a precedent later cited at Nuremberg. Plus Clara Barton's mission to name 13,000 graves, the Union veterans' order that birthed Memorial Day itself, and the monument the Daughters of the Confederacy built to honor him in 1908 — still standing today.
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Join the Daily Crime & Justice community on social media! We're building a passionate group of true crime enthusiasts who love diving deep into the most shocking cases in America.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram by searching "Daily Crime & Justice" on either platform.
You'll get exclusive behind-the-scenes content, breaking news updates on cases we're covering, and early alerts when new episodes drop. Our social media is where Garret Fisher's hottest takes live, including reactions that don't make it into the show.
But more importantly, it's where YOU come in. Share your theories, debate the verdicts, and connect with fellow listeners who are just as obsessed with justice as you are. Did the jury get it right? What questions do you still have? Your comments and insights often shape future episodes.
We cover the trials that matter, but our community makes the conversation unforgettable. Come for Garret's signature cynical commentary, stay for the incredible discussions with thousands of true crime fans who get it.
Garret Fisher marks Memorial Day with the first war crimes trial in American history. November 10, 1865 — Confederate Captain Henry Wirz was hanged in Washington for commanding Andersonville prison, where nearly 13,000 Union soldiers died of starvation, disease, and exposure in fourteen months. From the Swiss-immigrant doctor who ran Camp Sumter to the military tribunal that established “just following orders” was no defense — a precedent later cited at Nuremberg. Plus Clara Barton's mission to name 13,000 graves, the Union veterans' order that birthed Memorial Day itself, and the monument the Daughters of the Confederacy built to honor him in 1908 — still standing today.
Join our new FB groups page here. Take the poll!
Join the Daily Crime & Justice community on social media! We're building a passionate group of true crime enthusiasts who love diving deep into the most shocking cases in America.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram by searching "Daily Crime & Justice" on either platform.
You'll get exclusive behind-the-scenes content, breaking news updates on cases we're covering, and early alerts when new episodes drop. Our social media is where Garret Fisher's hottest takes live, including reactions that don't make it into the show.
But more importantly, it's where YOU come in. Share your theories, debate the verdicts, and connect with fellow listeners who are just as obsessed with justice as you are. Did the jury get it right? What questions do you still have? Your comments and insights often shape future episodes.
We cover the trials that matter, but our community makes the conversation unforgettable. Come for Garret's signature cynical commentary, stay for the incredible discussions with thousands of true crime fans who get it.