A Jury of Ones's Peers THE TRIAL OF HENRY WIRZ Lesson Summary Andersonville Prison by John Rice Dr. John C. Bates Testomony Deathlog from Andersonville Prison Confederate Juror Profiles Union Juror Profiles Trial Record Sheet Points for Discussion

Confederate Juror Profiles

The names and backgrounds of the individual jurors are fictitious. The intent was to create a jury that would foster discussion and help gain understanding of a Jury of Your Peers. This jury is made up of Confederate Veterans and private citizens from Georgia.

Juror #1

Joseph Bates, Confederate Veteran from Savannah, Georgia, Age: 41, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Bates' was a colonel in the Confederate Army. He led troops through several campaigns and relished in the fact that he had captured numerous Union troops. He was educated with Henry Wirz and knew his leadership style well. He harbors deep feelings of anger toward the Union and it's invasion and intrusion on the South.

Juror #2

Bartholomew Massengill, Confederate Veteran from Ponder, Georgia, Age: 18, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Manning is a wounded veteran from Ponder, Georgia who fought in the Confederate Army. His family was torn apart by the war since his brother, Zebulon, sided with the Union. He feels betrayed by his brother and also harbors hatred for the Union.

Juror #3

James Cameron, Mill Owner/Confederate Veteran from Macon, Georgia, Age: 39, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Cameron's mill was on the decline from the onset of the war and was later looted and destroyed by Union troops as the war escalated. He was forced to look for work elsewhere in Macon to support his wife and 3 children. He closed his mill and enlisted with the Confederate Army 5 months after the war began.

Juror #4

Henry McLeod, Newspaper Publisher/Confederate Veteran from Dublin, Georgia, Age: 35, Race: Caucasian

Mr. McLeod published a small underground newspaper sympathizing with the Abolitionists. He was widely known as the publisher of the Dublin Gazette, but kept the fact that he favored the Abolishonist Movement a secret for fear that he might lose his business or that his family may be endangered. He served in the Confederate Army as a journalist and was somewhat removed from the fighting. He enlisted with the Confederate Army for the same reason that he kept the publication of the Abolitionist newspaper secret.

Juror #5

William Patterson, Tobacco Farmer from Vidalia, Georgia, Age: 43, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Patterson owns a large burley tobacco farm, which he sustained and operated with slave labor. He was widely known as a generous master who treated his slaves well. However, it is not widely known that he secretly taught several of his slaves to read, which was against the law at the time. Mr. Patterson is one of only two civilians on this jury, but both of his sons were high ranking officers in the Confederate Army. The privilege of serving on the jury was a favor extended for the service his sons provided to the Confederacy.

Juror #6

Daniel Hollis, Store Clerk/Confederate Veteran from Perry, Georgia, Age: 27, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Hollis worked as a clothing clerk at a store in Perry, Georgia. He endured low profits during the war, but was able to stay afloat due to selling and trading wares to the Confederate Troops who passed through Perry on the way north to Macon. As the war escalated, he enlisted and left the business to be run by his brother in law. He was a lieutenant for the Confederacy and fought in North and South Carolina.

Juror #7

Jason Finch, Auctioneer/Farmer/Confederate Veteran from Collins, Georgia, Age: 38, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Finch enjoyed some prosperity during the war due to the number of farms and businesses that went under. However, this was short lived because few had the funds to purchase land or equipment. He resents the Union's efforts to impose their beliefs on the struggling economy of the South. This resentment strengthened when his only son Colton, was killed in fighting for the Confederacy shortly after he himself returned from fighting in Virginia for the Confederate Army. >Juror #8

Russell Swindell, Boat Captain/Fisherman/Confederate Smuggler from Brunswick, Georgia, Age: 42, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Swindell was a fisherman before the war, but then earned money by smuggling goods to the Confederate Army once the war began. He openly sided with the Confederates, but kept a low profile to ensure his smuggling business would still prosper. At times, his boat was used to move small groups of Confederate troops north into South Carolina and northern Georgia near Savannah. Officially, he was an officer in the Confederate Army, but never wore his uniform for risk of drawing attention to his smuggling efforts.

Juror #9

Alton Powell, Banker from Collins, Georgia, Age: 46, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Powell watched his assets evaporate as the war raged. He worked with Jason Finch as the number of farms foreclosed and went under. Although he had great wealth prior to the war as the only banker in Collins, he is now on the brink of closing his bank. He lost both of his sons, who fought for the Confederacy during the war. The also poured much of his own money into funding the Confederate war effort. He is the second of two civilians on this jury. >Juror #10

Fred Daniels, Store Owner/Confederate Veteran from Jessup, Georgia, Age: 25, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Daniels was the primary source of goods in the town of Jessup during the war. He followed in his father's footsteps and ran the family business after his father passed away. He fought briefly for the Confederacy, but was wounded in the leg and was sent back to Jessup. On his return, he was forced to turn over goods to Union troops as they passed. He deeply resents what the Union and the war did to Southern businesses that he saw as already under the yoke of northern entrepreneurs.

Juror #11

Daniel Atkins, Confederate Veteran from Claxton, Georgia, Age: 19, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Atkins was wounded in battle and lost his right leg below the knee from a Union cannonball. He enlisted to fight in what he saw as an intrusion on his way of life. His father was a sharecropper and never enjoyed the wealth of the large plantation owners. Despite his limited education and wealth, he truly believed in the cause of the Confederacy.

Juror #12

William Grey, Cotton Gin Owner/Confederate Veteran from Brunswick, Georgia, Age: 46, Race: Caucasian

Mr. Grey owned a cotton gin prior to the war, but later was forced to enlist in the Confederate Army to earn money for his family. This turned out to be a poor choice since Confederate troops often went for long periods without being paid. His family was forced to move from Brunswick to Nahunta, Georgia once he left to fight due to shelling and fighting in Brunswick.

<< Lesson Summary            Union Juror Profiles >>

Downoad the document in MS Word format