Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-03-11

(signed0
tn. Collector Of he Customs
for TIE district IF
Adjt c, Iuse Generals ORfce,1
yS February Goth, 1916. {
5 GENERAL ORDER.
The Secretary Of War directs that the fol-
lowing warrant, with the report of the Court
OF lnqury, IN the case of isrigadier General
Winder, be published to the army.
WARRANT.
Brigader General w II. Winder of the u
Hited States army, having applied for Cour,
OF Inquiry, to examine and inquire into his con-
duct as commanding General of the 10th Mi
htary District during his command thereof, III
the Summer of 1914.
A Court of Inqu ~ 10 consist OF Major Gen.
w scott, Pres,acnt, Col j. r. Fenwick and
Col. VIM Drsy,on, Members, is hereby aD-
pointed to meet at Baltimore on the goth day OF
January, 1878, TO examine into the conduct OF
Brig. Gen. Ninder, as embraced in the report
to the iiouse of Representatives of the Con-
gress oil the United States, by their committee
appointed " TO inquire into the-causes aud par
ticulars OF the invasion of the City of Washing
ton by the Bcitish forces in the month of Au-
gust, 1914" and such other evidence and do
cuments as NAV be laid before the Court by
Lieut. J. M Glassell,. who is appointed Re-
powered and required 10 give. its opinion as to
the merits OF the case. for the information Of
the President of the United States, and for 50
doing this shall be sufficient warrant.
Given under my hand and seal of the
War Office, this eIst day Of January,
in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifteen, and eff the
United States tha thirty
BY order of the President of tire United
JAMES MONROE,
Secretary IF Var.
REPORT
The Court OF Inquiry ordered to examine in
70, and to report upon, the conduct of Briga-
der General Winder, so far as it is connceted
with the capture and destruction of the CITY
or Washington in August, 1914, unanimously
submit the following as the result of their in
vestgations:
The Court, with great attention and much
labor, have perused the numerous papers and
documents referred to them, from hence they
collect, That Brigader General Winder was
appointed to tbe command of the 10th Military
District, OF which Washington was part, on
the "a July, 1914: That immediately there
alter he took every means in his power TO put
that district into proper state of defence -
That from that period when ell.grounded aH-
prehensions were entertained that the en-
emy meditated an attack upon the Capital, his
exer'ions were gres and unremitted That
through these exertions he was ebab. ed to bring
into the field on the Path August, 1914, the
day on which the battle of Badsnsburg was
fought, about or 5000 men all of whom
excepting four hundred, were militia That
ne could not collect much more than half this
force, until day or Two previously 10 the III.
gagement, and six or seven hnn,ired Of them
did not arrive antil fifteen minutes before its
commencement: That from the uncertainty
whether Baltimore, the city of Wasl inrton,
or Fort Washington would BE selected as he
point OF attack, it was necessary that Esriga-
der General Winder's troops should In quent-
y change their positions, owing to which aud
alsrms causelessly excited in the night OF the
23d Of August, they were al mncb fatigued, aud
many of them Hesrly exhousoed al the time
when the hostile army YVES crossing the bridge
at Blsdensburg: That the officers command.
ing The troops were generally unknown 10 Gen.
Winter, and but a very ANAL number oil them
had enjoyed the benefit OF military INSTRUCT.
on or experience
The members ofthis Court, in common with
their fellow citizens lament, deeply lsruent, the
capture OF the capital, and they regard With
no orHihary Indignation the spolation Of It's
edifices, those public monuments of art and
science, always deaeho d sacred by brave ana
generous Toe but amidst these mingled and
conflicting sensations, they nevertheless feel IL
10 DC .uer CUT 10 separate the individual from
the oalsmities surrounding him, and to de-
clare that to the officer, upon whose conduct
they are to determine, no censure is attribute
bic. On the contrary, when they take into
consideration the complicated difficulties and
endorsements under which he Isbored, they
ere ofopmion, notwithstanding the result, that
he IS entitled to no little commentator. BE-
fore the action, he exhibited indus ry, zeal and
talents, aud, during its continuance, a coolness,
pronptitude, and n personal valor, highly
honorable to himself and worthy of a better
fate.
Aftest-G. l.. Nicholas, 1t.
and RECORDER.
w. SCOTT,
1fej. General and President.
The President o. the United States having.
been pleased to approve the foregoing opinion
Of the Court of enquiry, Brig Gen Winder
will honorabit resume his command, and re-
port 20 the Major General Commanding Dis
tricts No. 4. and 10.
d. PARKER,
Agi. e Las. General
BY subseqaeat'Oraer. 1t. G. L. Nicholas
roas appointed recorder.
ddj't and Inspector GcneraPs oHes,1
E.I. l,r. z