Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-06-28
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
THE GENERAL COURT MARTIAL,
now IN SESSION.


We are indebted to the Washington Union
for the following account of the proceedings Of the
Court Martial in the case Of General TALcoTT:
MoxDar, JUsE %, 1851
Tux MILITARY CouRr MARrIiL, convened for the trial OF
Brey,t Brigader General T1LcorT Colonel and Chief Of
the Bureau of Ordnance, met at twelve o'clock Present.
Brevet Majors General D. Z. TMoss, Presiden') j. T.
wooL, p F. SMITH, b. RILEr, g. GIss6s brsadiers
General ]. b. WALHAcH, 8. CHUHtHiLL, o. TorrEs'
T. CH1Lp., j. ]. ABERr; Colonel j.. b. 0rAsx brevet
Colonial j. PLrMpros; Brevet Major j. r: LEE, Judge
advocate NJ CAnLIsLE, Esq, counsel for Gen. Talcot
Brevet Mai or General N. 8. CLARkE, absent
Alter the Cour. was duly organized the Judge Advocate
read the ord er from the War Department to the Court
The Coulr was ordered TO be cleared
Inon The re-opening Of the Court the Judge Advocate
stated that stood adjourned until tomorrow morning, at
nine o'clock in the absence Of Gen. Clarke
TUrspar, Jusx "a, 1851. -
The Court met at o'clock and the record U yestardsy
was read.
note ,va received from General TALcoTr RESPECTFULLY
requesting ha the trial be commenced until after the ar
rival Of the ell en-ocf train in the hope that the absent
member (G n CLAaKE) msy arrive he did not wish
trial to proc. q except with full board =.
The Cour was ordered to be cleared. q.
81
The Cou, re-ss,smbed 4 the appointed hour at CON
r,uueu 70 pp xds tnl 6sai oath adj
minered Oh IF the members ssl the Judge AdvoeAte
The JUDss AovocAfr asked Gen. TAIcorr if he object
cd to any men ,bers Of the Court
No objection being MADE the charges then read.
They are three IN numbe all relating the same transsc-
op the variou and circumstances being set out Id
number Of spec iicstons. -.
Charge first is for violation of the l32d article Of ord
nance reguao us which directs that NO contract for ord
stores uppes shall be made BY any officer or
Of the corps viii tout special authority Of the Colonel Of Ord
nance sanctione BY the Secretary Of War The alleged
violation 10 spech led TO have been by order Of the Colonel
Ordnance him se without the sanci Of the Secretary
COL Huger M horzng him procure BY open purchase
shot and shells remarkable extent for the use of Fort
Monroe pursu Of which author iy Col Huger rave
order for 500 Of shot and shelst DR. E. Carmichael
which Carmichael assigned the TT ,degar Iron Works
at Richmond fol- consideration Of 500 paid him. and
which order OF COZ tract, it charged, Gen. Talco afiey
wards approved.
Charge second for dsobedience of orders and instrc
tons of the Secretsa Of War; in relation to contract c
supplies viz the cont above alluded to- which it is aer
ed the Secretary had revousy refused to give Carmichael
Charge third for conduct unbecomirlg an officer and
specif caons alleging vIous false state
and reports th Secretary, the effect that no such
contract existed ~
The JUDsE ADvocA then asked the sccused If he plead
guilty or guilty. Talcos replied in tho negative,
md handed to the CouN the following, which was read
NJ. President and Gen ,tlesen of the Court:
Desiring nterpose obstacles TO full and lair inouy
the facts upon VIII ch these charges and specifications
been constituted respectfully request that may be
Allowed all ter touching their smcepcy in Inn,
be used in the discet Of counsel lie summing IN q
my defence and with th reservation plead to all and
singular the sid charges md Specifications not guilty
Appearing before you under crcumsta,c ices for which
have not been prepared by thing in the experience
To al.
professional fe nd here present and to this end
request that J. M. Cal Esq mem ber of the bar Of
this city, msy be allowed attend dur ng the open
mons Of the Court under ID restrictions nay imposed
upon counsel in courts mart nj.
G. TALCOTT ~
JuIE "a, 1851 Rrenet Brigd sdier General
Mr. CARLISLE stated that he had some time since
summoned the Hon. VIM. L. Marcy as Il witness on hi
part but that be had yet and, case Of his no
appearing be should expect reasonable delay from TIL
court, in order that his ,esmol might be obtained.
The JupeE Advocate rema rked the cDurt that by an
with the counsel of the accused they had deter
mined examine witnesses only upon the ns in the case
in the order of time in which they occurred and thus
continuous narrative. This ud sly involve the
calling of of the witnesses veal time but the Court
would find that they would arrive the facts much
in this way than in any other.
Captain MArsAp1ER called HI stated that he was The
v
ment and had been that duty o February ls42
the present time continuously, and turing THAT period Gen.
Talco had been in charge of the He stated tha
the usual annual appropriation for the of the bureau was
$780, OOO which for for6ca tons nd the purcbass
Of munitions Of generally. He thu pro ceeded Dune
the temporary absence Of Gen. Taco, in 1850, il
charge Of the bureau Dr. Carmichael Gale and submitted
to certain papers from eI President Tyler and execrea
Wilkins by virtue Of which he claimed to be entitled
contract for shot and shells referred i'm the Secretar,
Of War (Mr Crawford) by whom the pap L
me for an official report.
1.-THE report then read The purpor of it was tina
the Government did not require shot hes but
if it did, ii would first be necessary that appropriation
should be made, AZ there no funds on b, midi
was absent from the bureau from 18th October 10 els
November 1850, and my return learne that Dr. Car
michael had been there the same business but be had
before came back.
The SECRETARY Wan called.
Question: Did Dr.. Carmichael apply to you for con-
tract furnish shot and If 80, state the psri iculsss
Answ.-Some time about the latter I'd of October,
room at the Department. shortly after he'd it in the
morning, accompanied by gentleman whom he introduced
Doctor Carmichael, of Virginia. Aft the gentle
men were steated General Talco told h at the Doctor
wished business, which be W ould explain
Doctor c. then observed that be in relation
for making shot, He said that h. made
tract for considerable quantity OF shot with previous
head Of the department and that he had left of before the
contract executed and therefore the contract had
been fulfilled that he had however, applied TO my mme-
date predecessor (Mr. Cawford carry the contract
and that he had recognised il but bad also lett Office before
the contract executed and that he called upon
TO execute the asked him If he had the contract
OF was wri,ngI forget which he stated that II
not IN writing but that it was fully understood, and that