The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-07-11
From the Richmond (Va.) Dispatch. July 1.
Trial nf Gam tn II ntf.


HeIetly, We propose to give brief synopsis of it. .
1t appears that SONS time during the last fall
sarly, we believe, in November, Gene al Falcott
chief of the bureau of ordnance, called on The
Dr. Edward Carmichael, late of Richmond, whom
he introduced. DR.. C. commeubd the converse
I,on by saying that he had called in order to com.
fp'eie contract for the delivery of shot and shells
which had been comm need with a former tecre.
tary, Mr.. Crawford. He was asked if he had a
written contract He replied that he had not, but
hat he had evidence 10 show that it was The in
ention of the former secretary to have given it to
him. The Secretary asked if those papers (poinl-
ling to bundle which Gen. Tacott held in hi
hand,) contained the evidence alluded to. He was
answered that it did. He took them, and searched
out the letter of Mr.. Crawford, which, upon in
vestgation, was discovered, as The Secretary
bought, to amount 10 downright refusal to make
Hany such contract. He thus stated the to DR..
L., who argued the point of the meaning of the
letter; he interpreted it as promise, while the
Secretary construed it as refusal. The end of il
4was however, that the Secretary refused positively
Ito sanction the contract. During all this time,
Gen. Talcott sat still without opening his mouth,
: ,nd Immediately afterwards returning to the
room, told the Secretary that he was right in his
construction of Mr.. Crawford's letter, and sneered
lat DR.. C.'s claim to have the contract made Not
with, tanding, however, without the sanction of
the Department, he gave DR.. Carmichael an order
10 Col. Huger, commanding at Old Point Comfort,
y the effect Of which was that Col. Fl. should enter
nto contract with him for certain quantities OF
shot and shells, such as should be wanted at Old
Point, He accordingly made The contract for the
delivery of five hundred tons of those aIticles-an
Jenormous quantity it seems to us-and DR.. Car
michael attempted to sell it to Col Kemble, the
well known owner of immense iron works in the
: State Of New York. That gentleman declined, I'M
less the Secretary sanctioned thu contract, which
Il seems, he never did DR.. c., baffl.d in this quar-
4ter, found less cautious or more adventurous
q !esler in Mr.. J. r. Anderson, of the Tredegar
&works, who gave him $500 for his contract. hi
the meantime, rnmors had reached the Secretary
y hat this contract had been made, and was in al
4conrse of execution at the Tredegar Works, bnf
%Gen Talcott, wi en- questioned thereup,p, re
4psa'e 'lv denied the fact. At last, The 9Th oil
April last, the Secretary received tier front
thos. Greene, formerly of this city, in which heI
stat ed The fact positively, that there no g-t
ing around it. Gen. Tacoit, the letter being
shown to him, declared that it false from bel
Ag inning to end yet it turned out to be all true
and e was accordingly arraiensd before the court
5martial now In session, on various charges and
pecifications, all growing out of This Transaction
nderson, it seems, had already delivered FIVE orI
tx thousand thlrty.two pound shot when he was
TOPPED in April.
The following extract from the evidence of Col
$Huger will explain the present position of the case
more fully.
A letter dated 18th of September last from Gov
kemble to Gen. Talcott given in by Col 4
5Huger. 1t stated that DR.. Carmichael had ofTeredf
him the contract, reserving to himself "the lonsb
4share :"
l answered the letter, [copy produced but be. +
fore dong so consulted with Gen. Talcott aboui
the matter, which was the first conversation with
5him upon the subject
The letter states that he is not authorized to
transfer the contract in the manner which Dr. Car.
Imichae proposed to Mr.. Kemble that a limited
humber OF shot would be required at the time, and
|then only in such quantities there were funds to
lpay for them.
| showed my answer to Gen. Talcott. The
General agreed with me that it was proper an
lswer and l considered that he approved of my
course In declining to make the transfer to KembIe.
he General did remark to me that the Secretary =
|of War would be incensed, and justly so, if such
Ian order for supplies should be hawked about in
market He also did express surprise at the amount
of the order; but did not understand him as re
proving me for having done So A few days afe
writing that letter l received one from Capt Stone
Pm temporary command of the arsenal at Fort Mon
roe during my absence, of the contents Of which
i informed Gen. Tacott.
The letter Of Capt Stone, enclosing power of
attorney from DR.. Carmichael in favor Of j. R. An.
derson, President of the Tredegar Iron Works,
was read
On the receipt Of that letter from Capt. Stone, j
wrote to him, with the appreciation and direction of
Zen Ialcott and directed him to return the power
Of Attorney to Mr. Anderson, and to state that Dr.
carmichael had right to transfer his order to
him. | had no further communication with Gen
lalcott on the subject. He knew that had de-
cilned the transfer of the order both to Anderson
ana Aemble l returned to my post and there re.
'elved letter from Mr. Anderson, arguing the
egaiity Oh the power OF attorney, and denying that
ihy transfer of the order had been made to him.
Exceptions by defence. Objected to evidence
being introduced by any correspondence between
hrd parties, which it is not proved had been rail-
lied or approved by the accused
he Judge advocate opposed the objection, and
The Court was ordered to be cleared
Upon opening, the Court decided they would
hear the objections asked, but that the examine
uon OF the witness would proceed
Question: State all that occurred in regard tn
The execution of the contract when you returned to
Fort Monroe.
Answer. l do not consider the contract was eve.
cuted on my part. | declined, in nv letter to Mr.
Anderson, written by Capt Stone, to have anything
to do with the contract. That official order was
sent to me, and was not revoked by me in anv uav
had correspondence with Mr.. Anderson on the
same subject. 'AN
Question: Is not this letter written by Won to
Mr. Anderson! Letter of December G. 1850
shown. y ~
Amsner. Yes, sir; it is my letter to him.
Exceptions to the letter being read made bv the
defence. Court cleared.
Upon re-opening, it was decided that the letter
should be read. 'o''' n
furport of letter was that he Huge) was will 3
ing That Anderson should have the contract bn,
that II would hrst be necessary to see Gen. Talcot
as ne he was much incensed with Dr. Carmichael. 3
L ne following is the letter of the 9Th December.
referred to-
mr. Fort MONROE, December 6. 1850.
My Deor or; have your letter of the I'd "A
INST. Dr. Carmichael called on me with lette,
from ten. Iacott, authorizing me to order of him
= supply OF shot or shells, as | might REQUIRE. DR.
", 1t seems had some claim for an unfinished or q
ier on w ellfords foundry; and so far from telling
-ither een 1alcott or myself that he had no in II
efest IN foundry, but intended to sell the order in
market, he expressly stated that he desired tn ae@
such an order 10 re-establish the foundry near
fredericksburg, in which he was formerly en- Gagged n
ana which he said was to be managed bv the son U
Oh Mr. Wexford the former proprietor n
hnowing that he could only do the work there IA
very slowly, gave him the whole amount required
lhat ne might make preparations accordingly, and Ia
ma he should deliver the whole ouantt;ss a. onca n
Tor did not want them Immediately, and have IN
means OF paying for them. IL
uen. lalcott received letter from Mr. Kemble
some time since, saying that Dr. C. had offered
me order to him, and that he (Mr X had replied
20 nun, and agreed to take it, provided the DEPART
heht consented to the transfer. Dr. C. did no,
wait Tor this consent but at once sold the order to
you. $50 III
On consulting with Gen T. we tbouybt that
'nder the circumstances, We should decline con-
ehtng to the transfer of the order and wrote to
VIZ ~ accordingly; but before any answer could
1e received from him | was informed bv Capt
't'he tha' Dr. =. had transferred his order to you
i"u ASKING my instructions concerning it, | could
'niy reply as had to Mr.. Kemble, refusing my Il
no