The Washington union., 1858-03-27
THE coUm-MARrIAL or GENERAL 1wIeGS

THE CouhT-MARTIAL or GENERAL IwIGGs.
The following paper published in the southern puusr
by General Twiggs, is presumed TO have given
occasion tor the courtmaral recently ordered upon that
officer
ORDERS, No. A. HsA09's, p.rAnrssAIo g, Trsas.
san Antonio, Feb. g. 1853
The following letter from the War Department has been
ordered 10 be published
WAX DErARrNESr
Washington Jan. l6, 1858
SIR The orders No. 49, December H. 1857. Of The
Department OF Texas, before me- the appeal of
surgeon Wood and the following is the decision thereon
General Twiggs committed gross breach OF discipline
in appointing court of inquiry ia matter ia which the
President had appointed court and in publishing to his
command his opinion and decision to contradict the opn
ion which the President had pronounced and published
in orders.
He had authority to relieve officer from the cen
the President had pronounced him, to cast
mputations another officer from which the President
had pronounced his entire actuttal.
Besides the offence against discipline, il Ia offence
against justice to retry. In the absence Of party
what has been fully heard and tried in the presence Of
both.
General Twiggs is expected hereafter TO understand
that he has authority to revise aud the decision
OF the President, and that he will not be permitted to
publish orders annullng setting aside the orders of
Il @ President.
lou instructed communicate this letter to Gen
era Twggs and TO direct him to publish in orders to
the Department OF Texas.
Very respectfully, your obecent servant
JOHN b. FLOYD,
Secretary of War
With view to spread before the officers Of this depart
ment tho premises upon which the honorable Secretary
OF War, the appeal Of Surgeon Wood, has 1T
severely to blame the general commanding In simple
act of routine duty which, ii it had anything wrong in
it, could only have been error OF judgment the pub
lcation of his letter is accompanied with the above
..g4 .lzl.
doe may go with the poison wherever the ccnsure
may reach, there, too, may the circumstances that called
it forth be fairly and justly known
In the second paragraph OF his letter the Hon Secr
tary of War says
- Gen Twiggs committed gross breach Of discipline
in appointing court Of inquiry in matter ia which the
President had appointed court, and in publishing his
command his opinion and decision contradict the op
ion which the President had pronounced and published In
orders
In reply to this Gen Twiggs has to state that in or
dene this court Of inquiry, he simply discharged with
out favor partality, duty made mpeatively binding
upon him. in his capacity OF general commanding the de-
parml mt OF Texas, by the 92d article of war; which i
sufficient TO show that he did not commit gross breach
of discipline He did not express any opinion thereon
and most surely did not intend to contradict any opn
ion which the President had pronounced
No attempt made, the honorable Secretary says
in the third paragraph Of his letter. "to relieve officer
from the the President had pronounced on him.
or to cast mputatons another officer from which the
President had pronounced his entire acquittal Az pre-
vonsly stated simple compliance with the requirements
of the 92d article of war is all that done
The fourth paragraph says e Besides the offence
against discipline, it is offence against justice to retry
in the absence OF party what has been fully heard
and tried in the presence of both"
In reply to this, General 1wggs has to say that the
court Of inquiry held in San Antonio by his order was
neither for the trial retria of Lieutenant Wood and
accordingly the court studously avoided admitting any
questions rejecting the court Of inquiry held at Fort
Mason or that could be construed into t,ln Of Lieut.
Wood
Again, Captain BIalfute through his counsel notified
Lieutenant Wood that this court would meet, invited
him to be present and received from him say
ing he did not wish to be, but would any ques
tions they might wish to ask him thus showing
concsvely that he could have been present had be SO
desired Moreover, 1t not for the officer ordering
but for the ITSELF summon witnesses under the
9lst article of war
In reply to the fifth paragraph Of the Hon Secretay
of Wars letter, which contains the finale Of the ecnsus
which he has proper to nct upon tho general
mandngvz General Twiggs is expected hereafter to
understand that he has authority to revise and
the decision Of the President and that he will not be
permitted to publish orders annulng setting aside The
orders of the President he has say that General
Twggs well understands that lie has no authority
revise the decision Of the President and hc
most surely has desire will he permit himself to
attempt ito annu set aside the orders Of the Presi
dent
In this whole transaction General Twiggs has acted
without favor partiaity, strictly under authority vest
ed in him by the article of and thus publicly
positively, and emphatclily denies having been or hay
ing had any intention whatever to be- in the slightest
degree dsrespectfu to the President of the United States
BY order of Brevet Maj Gen. D. t. Twiggs
JOHN WTTHERS.
Assistant Adjutant General