The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-07-15
WAR DErARrMEHr,
Adiut.nt (ssasral's 0dhoe,


Colonel Of Ordnance, on the following charges
and specifications
CHARGE L.
Violation Of The 1921 Article Of The ReguLa
ftons for the government Of he Ordnance De-
parfment"
| Specifications" In this That he, the said
Brevet Brigadier General George Talcott, Colo
mel of the Ordnance department, IN charge OF
the Ordnance bureau Of the War department
did, without the sanction of the Secretary OF
War, at Washington, November 8, 1850. write
and transmit, by the hands OF Doctor Edward
Carmichael to Brevet Colonel Benjamin Huger
a captain in the Ordnance department, command.
ing the arsenal at Fort Monroe, the following
letter Of instructions, to wit:
/ "sORpHaHcE DEPARTMENT.,
so Washington, November g. 1850.
"' SIR 1t may be well to provide more shot
and shells, from time to time, for the post OF
Fort Monroe (; and for this purpose you are ar-
thorzed to procure them to reasonable extent
il, as suppose, (the price of iron being now SO
low) they can be had on favorable terms. You
will make the necessary estimates OF funds TO
meet the deliveries as they occur They should
be procured by open purchase only.
&c am, sir, respectfully your obt serv't
"'G. TALCOTT, Brevet Brig. Gen'l
"sColonel Of Ordnance.
I" Col b. HUGER, Fort Monroe Arsenal
And on the receipt whereof the said Benjamin
Huger, having on the 9Th November, 1850, ut
Fort Monroe Arsenal, given to the said Doctor
Carmichael an order in writing, rs follows:
"'FoRr Monroe arsenal,
November 8 1850.
assn: You will please furnish the Ord
nance departmet with five hundred tons 80
FOUNDER solid shot, at sucl, tme-, within one
year from this date, as shall be practicable, to
be delivered on the ordnance wharf at Fort Mon.
roe, subject to inspection, and free Of all cost to
the United States.
go For the shot, when inspected, will be paid
three cents three and one-fourth mills per ID.
e cents 81 mils,) with the understanding that
the department may, at any time within the year
specified. order and receive from you shot and
shells Of any calibre, in any quantities not ex-
ceeding five hundred tons, ut the above named
price for shot, and at the rate Of four cents and
onc-fourth Of mill per ID "a cents I milI for
shells.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
"sBENJ HUG r, Brevet Colonel,
:" DocToR EDWARD CARMICHAEL
Which order the said Carmichael did then and
there accept and, upon the terms and conditions
,
and the said Huger having Their, after-that is to
say, on the 2lst November, lS5O--at Washing
ton, communicated to the said George Talcott,
Colonel of the Ordnance department, that he
had, under the instructions contained in the
aforesaid letter from said Talcott, dated the 9th
November, 1850, given the said order to said
Carmichael, and, upon the terms and conditions
thereof, concluded contract with said Carmi-
chael, he, the said Talcott, did alow-and approve
| the said act of said Huger; thereby permitting
and sanctioning contract for supplies to be
made and carried into effect without the sane.
ton of the Secretary of War, and in violation
of the l32d article Ct the regulations for the
government of the Ordnance department"
CHARGE H.
{" Wilful disoJedience of Orders and Instruction.
from The Secretary of War ia relation 10 a
contract for supplies"
Specification" In this: That he, the said
Brevet Brigadier General George Talcott Colo
mel of the Ordnance department, in charge Of
the Ordnance bureau of the War Department,
having accompanied Doctor Edward Carmi-
chael of the War Department, on the Let of No
vember 1850, and being then and there present
In his official capacity, when said Carmichael
presented to the Secretary of War an applica-
| the Ordnance department, and when said Secre-
tary did then and there reject said application,
and refuse to make contract with said Carmi-
chael, and did moreover refuse to recognise one
which said Carmichael alleged to have been pre-
viously made with him, nevertheless, he, the
said Talcott, did afterwards--that is to say, on
| the 9th November, 1850 nj Washington, write,
| and send by the hands of said Carmichael TO
| Brevet Colonel Benjamin Huger, captain in the
Ordnance departm mt, commanding the arsenal
at Fort Monroe, the letter Of instructions herein.
before recited in the specification to the first
| charge, with the design and purpose TO author
ize and procure for said Carmichael contract
for shot and shells, and thereby to evade and
dsobey the aforesaid decision of the Secretary
of War; by which means the said Carmichael
did procure from said Huger the order and con-
tract for shot and shells set forth in the said
specification to the LIST charge. And the said
Tnlcott being thereafter-to wit, at Washing
ton, on the 2lst November, l85O-informed bv
said Huger of said contract, and well knowing
that the same was contrary TO the decision at
the Secretary of War; in regad to which decision
he, the said Talcott, was duly Informed and
instructed bv the said Secretary, nevertheless he,
the said TalcOtt, did allow and sanction said
contract made by said Huger with said Carmi.
his duty and disobeyng the orders and instruc.
tons of the Secretary OF War"
CHARGEIII.
Conduct unbecoming an officer and gentle
man"
Specification ISL In THE: That he, II
said Brevet Brieader General George Talcatt,
colonel Of the Ordnance department. in charge Of
the Ordnance bureau of the War Department.
did, by the means and contrivances set out in
the specification to the fr-t charge, and in the
specification to the second cbarge--that is to
any, by his letter Of instructions to Brevet Colo.
mel fiuger of the h November, 1850 sent by
the hands of Doctor Carmichael and by his sub
sequert approval of the contract made bv said
Hn.er with said Observation-Disclosures and pro.
cure, and cause TO be made, contract for the
purchase of large amount Of ordnance stores
Ito wit, shot and shells--which he, the said
Tacott, knewnpnd had previously reported TO
the Secretary Of War, were not needed for the
public service; such conduct being an abuse of
of 4.