Litchfield enquirer., 1846-03-19
DIVISION COURT MARTIAL.

1OxV4N VIVA NAAS A1AA'
The Court Martial for the Third Division
of Militia, which assembled at New-Milford
OH the 10th of February, and adjourned on
the llth, to the I'd of March, has been dis
solved by the Governor; having completed
their business on the 9th inst.
A communication from the Commander
in-Chief has been received by Francis Ba-
con, Esq, Judge Advocate for this county,
approving of the proceedings of the Court,
and their decision and disposition of the va
rious cases before them. The proceedings
therefore are no longer required to be kept
secret. A synopsis of the cases has been
prepared which we lay before our readers.
Hanford Stevens, Colonel Of the 9Th Reg
iment of Infantry, in the 4th Brigade, was
the first officer tried. He was accused OF
unoficer-lke conduct under six specifica-
tions-the first three alledging in substance
that he had accepted Of money or its equiv
alent as compensation for abating sundry
fines imposed upon members of different
companies in his regiment, by their cap
tains; the fourth specification charged him
with intoxication on parade at the officer
drill of his regiment in August last, and the
fifth and sixth charged him with issuing i'm
proper orders TO one of the members of the
FIST rifle company in his regiment, to take
command of the company although the cap
tain was present and ready to discharge his
duty, and that this was done with view
publicly to disgrace and mortify the captain
of the company.
The Court found Col. Stevens Not Guilty
Of the first three specifications, and Guilty
of the fourth, fifth and sixth specifications.
He was sentenced to be cashiered, with dis
ability Of holding any military Office in the
State.
Major c. Peck, Colonel of the Sd regiment
of Cavalry, was next arraigned on charges
preferred against him. He was accused of
disobedience of orders and neglect Of duty,
in refusing to appear with his regiment at
Litch6eld on the 25th of September last, and
in neglecting to call out his officers for Off
Ger drill in the years 1874 and l845, and
10 make any returns to the COM
manding officer of the Bridage of the state
of his regiment for the last two years.
Two days were spent by the Cour, in dis
posing of various legal objections raised by
Col Peck, and ON Saturday the 18th FebIua-
ry the further consideration of his case was
postponed, at his own request, until the Cd
day of March, at which time the Court again
met, but Col. Peck did not make his appear
ance. He however sent his son down with
an excuse that his father was too unwell to
leave his house. The Court directed two
physicians to visit Col. Peck with view of
ascertaining the true state of his health,
who on their return testified that Col. Peck
had been effected with common cold, but
was in their opinion abundantly able 10 at
tend the sitting of the Court, and that each
of them had so informed him. The Colonel,
however, failed to make his appearance, and
in pursuance of the statute, he was senten-
ced by the Court to pay fine of fifty dollars,
and to be cashiered, with disability of hold
ing any military Office in the State. Twen-
ty-five dollars of this fine was RENTED BY
the Governor--the rest Of the proceedings
and sentence we're approved.
William F. Baldwin, Lieutenant Colonel
of the 10th regiment Of Infantry, was then
put upon his trial for diobedience of orders
in wilfully absenting himself from the pa.
rade of his regiment on the 25,h of Septem-
Der last.
Col. Baldwin proved 10 the satisfaction Of
the Court that he was unavoidably detained
in the City Of New-York until too late tC
reach home in season for the Review, and
was consequently honorably acquitted by the
Court of the charges preferred against him
and was ordered by the Commander-in
Chief to be discharged from arrest and re
stored to his command.
There being no other business before tn,
| COurt il was then adjourned ~s,.a u.