New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-10
LIEUT..COL. MAYNADIER
IN REPLY TO THE CHARGES OF DIsLOyALTY

Cntdined ia the Rcpgff Of The Potter isrstgaH9 Commute"
WASHINGTON, Feb 8 1862
Hon Ion, y Po1ryE Chairman Select Committee Hone IF
Repre,sntaiha.
! Sir: In "a report from your COMMITTEES, as pub
lisbed in the newspaper l find myself Lieut.. Col
William Msynsdierl among those charged with beng
disloval TO the Government. As this charge is 70
directly contrary TO the fact and as it 50 seriously
affects my character and reputation, think It my
duty TO defend myself and my right TO address that
defense, respectfully, 10 yonr Committee.
| Tie charge is based on two grounds; first, that
| was party TO the effort, in December 1850, Of
John Il. Floyd, then Secretary Of War; TO transfer
cannon to the South under Tretense Of aiming fort.
caiions at Galveston and Ship Island which in fact
had no existence but in reality to furnish muniont
Of war for the intended rebellion" and secondly,
that was lrivy TO the sale by Floyd, of one hun
bred thousand or more muskets 10 A. a. BelhnaP,
and twenty thousand 10 other parties in violation OF
law and TO the great deriment OF the pubic service,
the object being TO dieaIm the Government aud 10
! arm it, rebel enemies.
! SO far US / had any participation OF act or inten-
ton, in either of these transactions, n plain aud
truthful statement will show that acted simply in
accordance with my duty, and that 70 have done
otherwise than / did, under the circumstances would
have subjected justly to TIE charges OF neglect o.
J
The facts in regard to my participation, in December,
roo III order ng to tue forte, at Galveston and Ship
Island the cannon composing In part, the armament
OF these forts, are there:
Tie Secretary Of War gave me, verbally, on the
ooh # December 1850 n plain, positive order u
send the cannon pertaining 10 tier armament TO
those forts The order Wal legal one, and the full
ana perfect authority Of the Secretary OF War right
fully to give the order was unquesiouable. IL would
have been high military crime TO have refused or
L ..rIlar and sAftlI IVA
been an act Of gross impertiuence and insubordina
ton IN me 70 have questioned the Secretary OF War
a. TO bis reasons motives for sending the cannon.
\ In truth, II never entered my mind, Mt trnt time,
tina. there could be any improper motive or object IN
the order; for, the questions Of Union and Secet-
sion. Mr. Floyd was then regarded, throughout the
country Us q strong advocate Of the Union and op-
ponent Of secession. lie had recently published over
hi, own signature, in Richmond paper, q letter on
this subject. which gained him high crect, nj tie
North, for his bOldness ia rtbnking the pernicous
views Of many IN his hsd ground
upon " eh to tho order IN any other HABIT then
,,ao -I.rcis Of the Seoretey iisiul soLo ~ under
IN. Ordnance regulation with witch rad Ions teen familiar,
that the ami q r;iec.iion. wiz be especially directed
ca. IN eo..,o6 and S y.s duy comply with those
directions 10 .rs6e 40 - DC o. ehtd al the tnfin.sr
thea oba.ge Of tit deFs es 80 information 10 ,sssid TO
spt Of each the Two oss - ave ne the
memorandum written 81 f.ne hn4s. after exsminins
the psns Of tho nsiiee thai "a hs sr9iouy before
yopf Coutee a pubsh,d b. otter information
having sen given BY him In relation 20 the condi
don o. the progress Of work those iotteaVns ..
do Do remember hI. having siven such Information and
Ss,.Son br, .. Den. wfish, has .~orn to doubt no,
that he believes It TO have been 90 IL h. however ,omehs,
remarkable that but month after interview, ard
while any ccuveuaiiun bei~ must have been f-sh
wspr Commit, Of T.. on.. imaei,ies After Serrias
ny e.t mouy sud while wss present. made 10 aHsioD
Such Information oii not pertain 81 s 70 ny
brsnch Of the military service IL ~as no ps' OF ny nqul
ADD none Of NY business and given. by sul
cient lsis In Suspicion Of treason 90 tho par Il tn
Secretary Of War IN dsobedisnc. q h' orders n
ported ~ Gen. Wnghr' iuFihsf testimony he Pfcsnasd
pso. Airr nurnb.r Of heavy 10 position where they
could be- seized by the rebels not uuc1 more his duty
purpose tLsn have tid,i BY mrnishios m-mosniam
70 enable -s.cut, &c. even 4 r-o' sned h niomt'ion
neerins work then done the ori' Indeed hbc
se,sed % Information ~sfrariug such Vfe'lmon Of tel-
vast not b.. paramount duty TO have refused 'hv III
+ (unstion Which esksdl
H. au,wer 70 the reference f. te Commii'se' report 70
The sscfsiy, order having been ysn TO not In the usual
course VII sI'e ~ we W. IA ~, her. no'L
rloa Waits ~ report ON The chief Eugnee or II b.
AZ regards tho charge Of my being pn'y to secfe,sf,
F,d. ,ae u arms Bekisp aud others Ia violation q
,glt ir.sous - iuteut the facts these. Tho act
yed March g. 1885, authorizes the sale. uudef such
ions a. The SscFey Of War may prescrte Of any srm'
vcb MOO, inspection by an infpecl, General other OH
" a. t,1.i yfse ssc.ctrry 81 War sball be found dam
ss.d Or or sfgise liable f1r 'he pablo service
sssaa a-r,oies H. August, 1851 were eseh d-sgreied
rouqh tho Colonel q Odasnce for The inspection certain
s-' , 'oi ~ So Once (, ;ciian eTor,. mi .'. Of
r.nd mued sores ~ toeif recomueud'ns 80 to TIE d.
synopsi, Of thee papers prepared ct ihe Ordnance
Office and 70 te ssere'fy Of ~ lf mt sJnop''
l vol about 5000 asf,t iDlr OK snH a'.iru 20 pseH
on h be- inclueed "a the is store. condemned AID rec
ended by the ln.rccl9t- 20 b. ''l. 70 tfan'mng -
m Coold OF Oid ercr 81 agreed ~ tbr l,p'ets'. i'e
oMncndal f o. immcd ate ,e Of TIE ~ w ceneenneo
.rms and sted illi hey should Do poied Of bJ funn'
The ,,ock 81 'lc Arens by The poducn Of the Afneh's
NoiAns further done 10 The cse un Ms,ce ~ Sleo
urou the recommendation Of the 'o0nri ~ Odnsut yV
Of tho conieaned nifAc's S9 -. :" e. snd 's
r hs purchase ~efe in,i'ea. L7 Jia' "a 49, s
~ whole number Of arms. u :" cac hho tne o"i ~ OF
ordnance och H. X Cragl "a ra1s.ns mem TO "a, sec
riary Of WaI rec i'aSd sn ,.r3 sbo,,5t d.
ceped b,ing too low Dot unt ' sLo , 90 .s ~
oo,ed Of 10 private sale IN parcels ~ nt 's nnn w. ana ~
orders $500 d hose CONDEMNED nussois ~ - /" e'eI on
wIeh 2oIo were ssd before wa pllced 10 charge Of tho
o6ns,cs Department and 1859 while wus 70 n charge;
The ease 'hen stood nus hVv9 mp'N''s l' u y. ni
st conj hy officers caf 'paed by the secretary o
oordio.s of toe uct Of March l' hni thu been Ilhed
and the secretary oil War bad 'he suho.y Of ,hht |
.rv n them, sLo naIiet lal been tiled Ly public
oy.r,i.en,f,s foT bid. for a0toO Of them, wlch BIDS
ia fer Iwa cosuilant Of III NJ fscis aud "
INV ,are OF the legal anhony Of tue SECRETARY Of r %
, , doubt, nor grourd TO question h ein orl'tg
thc rae io iase occasion feieat WIS. "a - ~
Ian.ty Il,i thai not single ru.set was sod 10 D. A.
Ieilu Vile Wa in cisEs e h- Ordnance Department
sI4I odd, tlAt hVt nif YES iNNh ~
OIL tme 70 fer know re'.rY fioyds tc,cpianc''
"a NCyemer 1860 Of Mr. BeSnes proposition to 6u, from
III .tare hous4 two Lund6d ana hi tLous4hd hht
H.. a altered mnskets at -. was re 0 80 ~ 20 70
ef,ry not from IN doubt Of hls legal rsh to sell OF
so'cion OF he motives u selling. but simply a. depart
NJ r. IA IA deri. o. p casos, not 10 rll q 's' H
~ "a tnny 40 N ora - him be ,el for the pfopoi'
aid siurnoa IL the ah o. ls'elo o. ilo ~i'N
d.r.igu itfoled thereon, supcs-ing ttlei an o
koycub.r % regarded this dec fin 80 declining &C W
tc poposition. Tfis evident from NY letter 10 MI bel
KNAPP informing hin Of the i-slt % ma p9poaoe 20 '
secrt., II Nbr in Whit make 40 mention whatever 90
rno on dclf,fiu, any muk-l 90 lim ad lfefmde me
tse o. orleledb by h Scrtary Of War hwoue ave