Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-09-17
Provost Marsha1s.

y
T a. - Provost Marshals.
The following communication was pre-
sented to the Senate from the Secretary ol
War, in reply to q resolution requesting
certain information from the President in
relation to the pay and appointment,o Pro.
vost Marshals: 20 q:
His Ercellency Jefferson Davis, Ptesiaen,
/ Confederate States OF :Anserica .%-' ?,
SIR:I have the b6por to acknowledge
the receipt Of the enclosed resolution Of
the Senate, requesting you to give them
information concerning the pay and appoint:
ment of Provost Marshals. s-2 '.>@,
The army regulations provide for the
employment, by a Commanding General OF
a General.of Division, of Provost ,Marsbals,
who are charged with the custody of prise:
ners and the performance Of police duties.
In garrisops, nonycommissioned. officers are
usually assigned to these duties; but, with
armies ofthe field, deprived as they: are of
the assistance ofrthe civifs authorities, and
often enclmbered with large numbers Of
prisoners, the duties become more difficult
and important,, and commissioned officers
are detailed for their discharge. y
1t will be observed that Provost Marshals
are employed, not appointed; otherwise,
officers of the army already holding com.
missions, could not be assigned to such duty
without holding two distinct appointments
from the Government. 5E: - -,
1t having: been found that large amounts
of public property at our principal depots,
and the peace and good order of many Of
our towns, we're endangered by the numer-
Gus stragglers from the army, and camp
followers hanging about them, and that
desertion from the army was encouraged
by the want Of persons at these points to
make arrests, the Department employed
Provost. Marshals, and vested them with
authority over all persons in the army found
within their respective limits. -. -
They have no authority whatever over
persons not in the army, except where mar
tial law is in force, in which localities their
police powers are extended to citizens as
we'll as soldiers. - ft~-@&
eWhether martial law exist or not, they
are expressly prohibited BY general order
from exercising civil jurisdiction, and the
Department has checked them in all cases
in which the exercise of such jurisdiction
has been made the subject of complaint.
+ Many of the Provost Marshals of posts
where martial law is not in force have fal.
len into the error Of supposing themselves
to be clothed with general police powers,
but the Department has Invariably informed
them when such cases were brought to its
attention, that they could derive the power
to arrest citizenssfrom the civil magistrates
only - 49,. y, ... r.. ''-''
II Their compensation is. usually fixed at
that of captain of infantry, but in some
few eases they have been allowed the pay
of field officers. The reference to the army
grade is merely for the purpose of fixing
their rate of compensation, and does not
confer on them grade or commission.
The employment of Pr,vost Marshals
and Provost guards, is essential to the pre-
servation of public property, to the peace
and good order of our chief towns, and to
the very existence of the army
They are paid by the Quartermaster's
Departments because the army regulations
require that department., to pay the iucidep.
tai expenses of the army, Including gener.
rally all proper and authorized expenses for
the movements and operations Of the army,
not expressly assigned to other departments.
Provost Marshals being essential to the
operations of the army, and not being
,chargeable to any other department, seem
properly to be assigned for their pay and
allowances in the Quartermaster-G General s
Department. Very respectfully your obe'
dient servant,
GEORGE W RANDOLPH,
..--.. Secretary of War.