Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-04-05
From the Baltimore American.

MILITARY CouRr OF INoUrRy.--The
Washington Globe Of yesterday con.
tains at full length the Opinions Of the
Court Of Inquiry which lately sat at
Frederick. in reference TO the conduct
OF MAJOR Generals ScoTr and GAINES.
and other matters touching the service.
The Court seems to have entered very
fully into the subjects before it, and
sets forth the grounds upon which its
decision has been formed. In regard
to General ScoTr the Court is OF opin.
on that he was "amply clothed with
authority TO u successful ISSUE" but
that " at the time he was invested with
the command the season was too far
advanced for him to collect, appoint
and put in motion his forces until a
day too late 10 compass the object"
The Court " further thinks that the
failure of the campaign was owing 10
the want OF time to operate, in conncc.
ton with the unsalubriousness of the
climate, the ignorance of localities, and
the difficulty Of obtaining and trans.
porting provisions; but that the Gen.
eral was jealous and interchangeable in
the discharge OF his duties, and that his
plan Of campaign was well devised,
and prosecuted with energy, steadiness
and ability"
In reference to the delay in opening
and prosecuting the campaign against
the Creeks in Georgia and Alabama,
the Court is Of opinion that no delay
took place which could have been a.
yoided, and that the plan adopted by
the General was we'll calculated to
lead to successful results, and that il
was prosecuted by him as far as a
ticable with zeal and ability up to the
time Of his being recalled.
In regard to the failure Of Gen.
GAINES in his Florida campaign in
1886, the Court thinks that the result
should rather be attributed to the want
of the means of subsistence to prose-
cute the val than the contingent result
of a sortie. The publication of Major
Gen. Gaines's official report of July
4th 1886, with the sanction Of that off.
Ger is regarded as p~rejudicial to the
public service and injurious to the dis
ciplinc of the army. The expressions
made use Of by this officer in his sum-.
mary Of the evidence touching the OPP
erations Of the Seminole campaign, are
pronounced "assertions, without facts
or circumstances to sustain them, and
~unbecoming his, Major Gen. Gaines's,
high rank and station remarks and
assertions which the Court condemns
in the most decided terms of reprehen-
sion."
"Ihe Court, in continuation, feels
itself compelled to notice the censure
in the official letters Of Major General
Scott (spread upon the record ofthcse
proceedings) cast upon, Major General
Gaines in reference TO his operations
in Florida, and in a tone OF language
that could not be otherwise than often.
sive to the latter General; and in
terms, the Court is of opinion, not CALL
ed for under the circumstances of the
case, and ought not 10 have been indul.
ged in"
III iSiNfNiiIO w hh0dttlbi iECI sNl0'NS
and publications Of officers in the ar.
my, the Court is Of opinion that the
letter of Captain Hitchcock, 10 the Hon.
Mr.. Lyon of Congress, was made with
! the sanction of the General, and vio-
lates no rule of the service.
"The Judge Advocate laid before
The Court a number of "The Globe
of the sth OF April, 1896, containing a
publication purporting to be from the
pen of Maj. Gen. Jesup, commenting
on the letter ofCapt. Hitchcock of the
18th Of March: also a letter of the I'd
of June, addressed by Capt. Hitchcock
to the editors of "The Globe" and
published IN that paper of the 4th of
June, in reply to the publication, hav-