The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-07-03

nance.
NINTH DAYS pRocrrDrNrs-wrDSEsDAY.
The court met: all the members present
The record of yesterday was then read
Secretary OF War recalled
The Secretary said that, before proceeding with his
testimony he wished 10 correct an error made IN ms EVIL
dence OF yesterday.
There had been copies sent him by General Talcoit
of the letter OF General Talcot 10 Colonel Huger, dated
The 9th November. To OF these copies there was
note appended in The handwriting OF General Ialcott
Witness supposed yesterday that this copy with the note
appended the copy sent TO him in the report OF
General Tacou, dated the 9th January He was quite
satisfied that This copy was sent in the report from the
Ordnance bureau dated The 10Th April. Mr. Green's
letter; and the other copy with no such noe was me
copy accompanying the report OF the 9th January lhe
witness desired to make this coecon and necessary
show The evidence which il was made but the de-
fence had doubt OF It's accuracy and admitted The cor
Teclon now made.
Question Did you, at any time before the lst Noyem'
ber $780, give 10 General Ialcott any instructions or au
horty many contracts or purchases Tor the ordnance
department without obtaining your previous sanction
thereto Ii so, state when and how.
dnstoer. No, slr gave no such authority or nsuc'
tons.
Question Did you give General Talcott any insruc-
tons regard 10 contract contracts about this tme
the LIST November 1851 mean other than the test,
mony you have already given in regard to the Carmichael
contract!
Answer find that a few days prior TO the converse
lion between Doctor Carmichael and myself referred TO
my previous lesmonythat is TO say, on The 24h Oc
ober s5O-a letter addressed to me by Johnston
Ashton OF Connecticut, requesting that they might De
allowed TO contract they had previously had win
the department year or two before Tor making pistols
This letter referred 10 the Ordnance bureau. On the
oath October General Tacou reported on this letter that
the writers OF the letter had contracted for thirty thou
sand pistols and that the contract would be completed
next year that they desired extension OF their con-
He says "hat this course has been pursued ire
quently in like The only question: however, is,
whether new proposals shall be invited or the old con-
be extended and this is point Tor your decision
find this report the following endorsement, IN my
hand, dated the 5h of November: at is not deemed
expeden at present. al all events TO renew the contract
with Messrs Johnston g. Ashton trials and expert
being made OF various species OF pistols
of recent inventions and BESIDES is deemed safer
considering the length OF time which has elapsed since
the contract with the above individuals was made, to
advertise Tor proposals for new contract Signed =. NJ
Conrad Secretary OF War" TINS order, oy an endorse
department the same day. Perhaps i is proper that
should add, months after, General Talcott brought
one of the individuals with whom the contract had been
made TO the Office and stated that they young me-
chanics who had embarked in this undertaking without
means that they had put up costly works. relying upon
the contract being extended, is customary and thai
the work they had done cheap as II could have
been done elsewhere state also that the experiments
which had ordered in fire had taken place in the
mean time In consideration OF these circumstances, and
The verbal recommendation OF General Ialcoll, author
lied him. the 26th March, 10 extend the contract Tor
Letter of Johnston & Ashton to General Talcolt
read his reference Of 10 the Secretary and the Sec
Rotary decision endorsed thereon authorizing an extern
sion oil the contract for limited supply OF pistols
| Question. When General Talcotl, as you slate, few
days alter his report TO you OF the 27th January 1921,
explained you verbally the object and meansg OF his
! letter TO Colonel Huger dated November g. 1850, OF
which he had sent copy IN his SAID report dd ne
tell you how Colonel Huger had construct that letter. or
what he had done under IL? .
4fnsper No, sir; he made the slightest allusion
them any me to any action that had been taken I'M
der his letter 10 Colonel Huger except as stated In my
perhaps Colonel Huger might procure some lnconsidera
Bile quantity of shot or shells for experiments.
Question Did he ever inform you OF the existence OIL
that order to Carmichael before the OF MI An
derson .
Anstcer He never informed me of II that recollect,
until his report of the 10th April The first that ever
heard OF any order contract Qor did not al that time
know ii was in form Of an ordeD was from Mr. Green,
and repeated in his letter OF the 5lh April In the
interview with Mr. Anderson said to General Ialcott
Then, there is contract, There shot making y
10 which he answered. 81 seems So" Mr.. Anderson
mentioned the fact that an order from Huger to
Carmichael.
Question When did you first learn of the letter from
Colonel Huge TO General Talcott, reporting the number
of ~ FOUNDER balls which might be provided tor the ar
mament OF Fort Monroe'
Ansper learned the existence of this letter Sat
urday evening last was informed by gentleman who
is not in any way connected with the department that he
had strong Tor believing that letter existed on
the records OF the department IRON Col Huger to Gen
Tacou in relation to the subject OF the shot | in.
formed the Judge Advocate of that fact, and requested
him TO apply 10 the acting head OF the bureau of Ord.
whether any such letter existed in that bureau.
On last Monday morning, when arrived at the depart
men the acting head OF the bureau handed me the letter
the first ever saw OF II.
Gen. Tacou directed TO report 10 you
AnsDer, The only point on which ! wished any re-
port, and The only subject which Gen Taco and my
self convesed, in relation 10 that part OF il which
stated that shot being made al the Iedegar works
at Richmond and that some had been delivered al the
Monroe arsenal
Question In your letter Gen. Talcott you state that
you inquired OF him about the actual making OF shot and
shell al the Tredegar works, time after his report
to you OF the 9th January, and IN your testimony you
appear TO Teier this conversation 10 some point OF time
previous TO tina, report Of the 9th January How does
your recollection stand this pont9 oris positive
dnsDe. My recollection of these various converse
lions with General Talcot is quite distinct but have
had some difficulty in fixing the precise dates at which
they severally occurred, having made memorandum,
and not supposng the time that would be called upon
testify in regard TO them. The first conversation, in
which told him that | informed that contract
existed and held by some in Richmond, took
place, am pretty confident, some time IN December The
next action OF the department. of the date OF which there
be doubt is the order OF the Goth OF January In
regard to the conversation in which informed him that
shot had been made and piled up at the foundry
my memory is not accurate, and can find memoran-
dun TO aid it. When | wrote the letter of the LIST OF
May to General Tacot, supposed that that converse
ton occurred subsequently to the 27th OF January, and
that may be possibly correct | believe that this
conversation occurred time prior to the 27th OF
January, and may possibly in part have occasoned that
order :.
Gross -sIdminsd
Question. Be pleased to fix nearly you can the
date OF your first inquiry OF General Talcott whetb
supplies OF shot and shell required by the de-
partment.