Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-04-20

tie, Ma jOr Gen. Gaines had not the
means of subsistence 10 have enabled
him 10 remain long enough in and about
the Cove Of the Withlacoochee to seek
out the enemy, and press the war to n
successful conclusion. Still the Court, f,
without Impunging the motives that in.
nucnced Major General Gaines, is Of
opinion that sortc, under all the cir
cumsiances, Of the case, should have
been made.
"The Court, therefore, in taking full
and impartial view Of all the circumstan-
ces nppor,aining to the operations of Ma
jor General Games at Camp lizard, is Of
opinion that the failure Of the campaign
should rather be attributed to the want
Of the means Of subsistence to prose- ute
the war, than to the contingent result OF
a sortie.
Finally, MS to the publications. made
and the language used by Gen. Gaines
and also, as to Gen. SCOTS official
censure Of Gen. Gaines, we have this
opinion-and at the close Of the whole,
the simple, dry "approved" Of the Pre-
sident.
"The attention Of the Court wns next
called to consideration of the publica-
tion Of Ma jor General Gaines's official
report of the 4th Of July, 1896, to the
Adiutant General, in the public prints
The fact Of its publication in the New
Orleans Bulletin Of the 9th Of Scptcm-
ber, is admitted by Major Gen. Gaines
(ns will appear on the proceedings ofthc
Couri) as authorised by lin, and without
any authority but his own action. The
Court is not aware that its publication in
the public journals IA late as the ooh of
September, is in violation Of any rule or
regulation Of the service; but is Of opin-
ion that all publications in the public
prints, tending 10 excite public opinion,
or To produce rccriminntions between Of
fcers, are prejmdicial to the interests of
the public service, and injurious TO the
discipline Of the army. The publicatio
Of the official report Of Major General
Gaines after the 4th July to the Adjutant
General, is considered by the Court as
falling under publications ofthis descrip-
tion by its personal illusions.
"The Court cannot close its proceed
ings without adverting to the strain Of
invective and vituperation used by Ma
ior General Gaines, in the language,
generally, of his summary of the evil
dcnce touching the operations Of his
Seminole campaign, particularly the part
of il conchcd in the following terms:
The nirocious Vaccinations Of The second
United States general oGccr, ,rho has en-
cr dared 30 aid and assist The open enemy
of Me Republic IN their operations ngoinsi
United States forces emf ioyed in The pro
lection Of ihe frontier people. The first
great offender uas Major General .4'-
mold; The second, rs yom. finding must
shoc, is Major General Winfield Scott
Assertions, without facts or circumstan-
ces to sustain them, md unbe oming his,
Ma ior General Gaincs's high rank and
station; remarks and assertions which the
Court condemns in the most decided
terms Of apprehension.
"The Court, in continuation, feels
Itself compelled to notice the ccnsure in
the official letters of Major General
Scott, (spread upon the record Of these
procecdings,) cast upon Major General
Gaines in reference to his operations in
Florida, and in tone of language that
could not be otherwise than offensive to
the latter General; and in terms, the
Court ia Of opinion, not called for under
the circumstances of the case, and ought
not to have been indulged in"
4th. Opinion Of the Court in reference
10 unauthorized reports and publications
ofofc'rs Of the .Army.
"The Court took into consideration n
communication from Capt Hitchcock Of
the 18th Of March, 1886, to the Hon.
Mr.. Lyon Of Alabama, published in the
Globe Of the Cd Of April, 1886, detailing
the operations of Maj. Gen. Gaines in
his canpaign against the Seminole In
dians in Florida, in 1896, and finds that
its publicity was made with the approba-
tion Of Maj. Gen. Gaines, and does not
violate any regulation or rule of service
that II appears TO be a narrative Of facts
assumed by the writer, without any com
ments or reflections injurious to the pub
lie service; and the Court cannot, there
fore, see that there is any necessity for
further investigation into the subject.
"The Judge Advocate laid before the
Court number Of 'The Globe Of the
9Th Of April, 1886, containing n publica-
tion purporting to he from the pen Of
Maj. Gen. Jesup, commenting on the
letter Of Capt. Hitchcock Of the llth of
March; also letter Of the Cd Of June,
addressed by Capt. Hitchcock to the
editors of'The Globe and published in
that paper Of the 9TH Of June, in reply to
the publication, having the sio nature oc