The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-11-09


OF Money and Exchange St. Paul and Galena Markets,
and miscellaneous items .... fe.. 9sr -.l......
The Font Smelling Cou rt Martial.
Acqnittal Of Capt. N. +. II. Dana.
- We are happy IN beng able to announce
the finding of the Court convened at Fort
Smelling, short time since, for the trial of
Capt. DANA, assistant quartermaster, Z. S. A,
upon the grave charges detailed below. 1t
will be recollected that these charges were
preferred upon allegations made by Major
Woop, his commanding officer. The Court
sitting in judgment upon Capt. DANA was
of the highest standing comprising among
the number, the following list Of eminent
officers Brig. Gen. HITCHCOCK, Col, May,
Col. c. F. SMITH, Col. BAKER, Col. Brown,
Maj. SHELLEY, Maj. GARNET, Maj. HAYS,
Maj. RAlNEs, Maj. MERCHANT. The " hon
orable" acquittal from court of such ex-
allied character, is the highest compliment
which could be paid Capt. DASA-one which
We believe to be well deserved, and to which
we are glad to give publicity. The finding
of the court follows -
GENERAL ORDERS-No. 6.
DE- HEAD QUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
New York, Oct. rs, 1854.
- AT the General Court Martial which
convened at Fort Smelling, NJ. IT,, pursuant to
Especial Orders" No. ll3, Of August II,
1854, and of which Brevet Brigadier General
Ethan A. Hitchcock, Colonel I'd Infantry, is
President, was arraigncd and tried, Captain
Napoleon J. T. Dana, Assistant Quarter
master, on the following charges and specitica-
ti0ns:
CHARGE 1.-ILLEGAL CONDUCT.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Captain n. J. T..
Dana, Assistant Quartermaster y. S. Army,
being engaged as Assistant Quartermaster in
building the new post on the Minnesota River,
now known as Fort Ridgely, did purchase
from the proprietors or agent of saw mill,
in st. Paul, NJ. T., in part owned by said
other materials to be used in the construction
April, one thousand eight hundred and fifty
three. t.- ....,..
CHARGE 2.-D1soBEDIENCE OF ORDERS.
:. pEc1F1cAr1oN.-That Captain N. j. T..
Dana, Assistant Quartermaster U. S. Army,
in the aforementioned capacity, did purchase
from the proprietors or agent of saw mill,
in St. Paul, NJ. IT,, in part owned by said
Captain Dana, quantity Of lumber and
other materials to he used in the construction
of said post, This, in or about the month of
April, one thousand eight hundred and fifty
three and in violation of orders from the
War Department, dated March 20, 1852.
.... CHARGE 3-NEGLEcT OF DUTY.
SPECIFICATION 1st.-That Captain N. j.
Dana, Assistant Quartermaster, in the before
mentioned capacity, did, in purchasing lumber
and other materials for the construction of
Fort Ridgely, NJ. T., fail to make u;i;cc::ent i'll
quiries and to give sufficient notice to owners
or agents of saw-mills, to invite proper COM
most advantageous to the Government. This,
in or about the month of April, one thousand
eight hundred and ffty-three.
SPECIFICATION ID" That Capt. n. j. T.
Dana, aforesaid did fail to make an energetic
commencement in building Fort Ridgely, aforc-
said, by neglecting to supply sufficient num-
Der Of wOrkmen, wagons aud teams, and inn
plements necessary to carry on the work. -
This, in the months of April, May, June, July
August and September, one thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three."
=, SPECIFICATION Sd. =" That Capt. N. J. T..
Daua, aforesaid, did fail to take any steps to
transport from Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Fort
Ridgely, M. T., steam saw-mill which had
been placed at his disposal, to be used i'm the
construction of the new post. This, in the
spring of eighteen hundred and ifty-three, and
to the detrimeut of the public service"
f., SPECIFICATION 4th.-" That Capt. Il. Ut.
Dana, Assistant Quartermaster at Fort Ridge
.ly, NJ. T., did fail, in the summer and autumn
Of eighteen hundred and ffty-three, to make
proper arrangements for supplying said post
with forage. This, both before and after hi
had received instructions in regard thereto
from his commanding officer, Brevet Major S
: Wood, United States Army ~ ,a5
At y. CHARGE Iv.--"FRAUDULEST CONDUCT"
Z :, SPECIFICATION lst.-": That Capt. N. J. T.
. Dana, Assistant Quartermaster, at Fort Ridge
~ NJ. T., did purchase from the proprietors OF
agent Of saw.mill, of which he was part own.
er, quantity of lumber and other materials
to be used in the construction of said post
without giving sufficient notice to the owners
or agents of other mills, to invite competition
for supplying such materials on the most adj
vantageOqs terms to the Government. This
in or about the month of April, eighteen hun
dred and ffty-three." -
Ii SPECIFICATION 3D." That Captain n. j. H.
Dana, Assistant Quartermaster at Fort Ridge
", NJ T., did, in providing for the. transport.s
ton to Fort Rfdgely of the lumber and othe,
materials aforesaid, make arrangements. the
object and tendency of which were, to couceal
the actual cost Of such materials, by paying
from different appropriation, a portion of thu
freight Justly chargeable to the special appro
priation for binding the post. This, in thu