Myth: Henry Wirz was the only person tried for war crimes in the Civil War
The execution of Champ Ferguson after his conviction by military tribunal for the murder of 53 Union prisoners of war.Harper's Weekly The execution of 38 Souix after conviction by a military tribunal - December 26, 1862 Library of Congress The execution of Henry Wirz - November 10, 1865 Library of Congress Myth: Henry Wirz was the only person tried for war crimes in the Civil War Because of the massive newspaper coverage of the Wirz Tribunal, and the lack of trials against major Confederate leaders such as Robert E. Lee, it appeared to average Americans – both north and south – that Wirz was the only person tried, convicted, or executed after the war. This assumption as frequently been cited as "proof" that the government was out for vengeance against Wirz alone. While the trial of Henry Wirz was by far the most famous of the military tribunals at the end of the Civil War, it was not the only one. In fact, there were nearly 1,000 military tribunals in which Confederates...