Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-08-26
The Court Martial on Surgeon General
Hammond,

BrigadiOr General William A. Hammond, Sur
geon General Of the United States, WAS tried by
IL court martial, convened by order OF the Presi-
dent, al Washington, on tue 10Th Of January
1864, consisting of:
Brig. Gen. W. S. lIarney, U. s. Al Brig.
Gen. W. S Ketchum, U. s. Vols.i Brig. den
@. s. Green, U. S. Vols; Brcvet Brig Gen. W.
W. Morris, Col. u u s. artillery Brig. Gen.
A. p. Howe, u. S. Vols Brig. Gen + Sloan,
U. $. Vols; Brig Gen H. L. Paine, U. s. Vols
Brig. Gen J. G. Starkweather U s Vols.
Major John A. Bingham, Judge Advocate.
The charges are in substance:
1st That Surgeon General Hammond wrong
fully aud uhlaWfully, aud with intehi to favor
private persons in Philadelphia, prohibited Med.
cal purVeyor Cox from purchasing drugs for the
army in the city OF Baltimore.
2l That he unlawlully, aud with intent to
AID QUE Wm. A. Stevens to delraud the govern
ment Of the Ualed States, instructed George Il.
Cooper, Medical PurVeyOr IN Philadelphia, TO
buy from Stevens, fer the use of the govern
ment, eight thousand blankets Of inferior quail
~, winch were uuht for hospital use, the Sur
geon General well knowing the blankets were Of
inferior quality, and that ihe Medical PurVcyor
had refused to purchase them.
Sd. That he corrupty, and with Intent to aid
said Stevens 10 dtfraud the government, gave
an order TO Stevens to turn over 10 Medical Pur-
yeyor Cooper, at Philadelphia, eight thousand
pars of blankets, whereby ho induced the Pur-
veyor to buy on government account, and at an
exotbilant price, 1917 pairs of blankets which
he had before refused to buy, aud for which
Stevens received about S35, ,3ll
4th. That the Surgeon Gsneral, well knowing
that Wyeth Brothers, Of Philadelphia had
furnished medical supplies to the Medical Pur-
veyor at Philadelphia that were inferior in
quality, did cOrruptly, unlawfully and with In =
tent to aid Wyeth Bros to furnish additional
large supplies to the government, and thereby
fraudulently realize large gains, give the Medi-
cal PurveyOr at Philadelphia an order in writing
TO have constantly On hand hospital supplies Of
all kinds for two hundred thousand men for six
months, and directed his Medical Purveyor to
purchase a large amount thereof, $270, 900
worth, from Wyeth & Bros.
6;h. That he unlawiully directed Wyeth &
Brothers 10 send forty thousand tons OF theiI
extract Of beef 20 various places and to send the
account to tue Surgeon Generals office for pay.
ment.
9th. Conduct uubecomipg an officer and {
gentleman, in falsely representing that Medica
Puryeyor Cooper had been relieved from uty
at the request Of Major General Halleck
9TH. That Surgeon General Hammond unlaw
fully ordered his Medical Storekeeper aud actiuE
PurveyOr at Washington to purchase three thou
sand pairs Of blankets from j. p. Fisher, a
Washington.
plea Of not guilty wns entered in ench Of III
charges, aud the specification, and after a ful
hsnring of the testimony for the government an,
tho defence, and an examination Of a larg
amount of documentary evidence, together witt
the consideration of the elaborate argument o
both sides, the Court rendered finding Of gull
" on all the charges, and sentenced the accuse,
''to be dismissed the service, aud TO be foreye
ligphArupl iii Of
profit or trust under the government Of th
United States"
Pursuant to the act Of Congress the recort
! and proceedings were reviewed by Brig. Gen
Holt, Judge Advocate General, who delivered a
elaborate opinion, concluding as follows:
"That the natural and necessary result Of Ia
II acts OF the accused, rs established by the record
involved criminal epOliation of the governmeu
treasury which would alone have called for hi
dismissal from the service cannot BIZ denied
but when it is remembered, as shown by til
= proof that this spoliauen was in part accom-
! phshed by the purchase of inferior medical SUP
plies anu stores, thus compromising the healt
and comfort and jeopardizUg tue lives of sic
aud wounded soldiers suffering 10 hospitals an
upon the battle~teds of the country, soldier
; solemniy committed to the shelter and sympa
tAies of the office held By the accused, by til
I very law ind purpose Of its creation it must b
+ sure OF his criminality."
The trial, which lasted nearly four month";
e was one OF the most patient aud thorough thu
I has eser occurred in our military history, an
the accused had throughout the assistance {
:, eminent and abe counsel in conducting his dc
IL fence. The oourt, which was composed Of min
:. : general officers, at the close of the prolougC
" investigation declared him guilty of the ouarg,
preferred, and awarded the punishment whicl
o in their judgment, was in accordance With til
T nature aud degree of the offences committed
and n careful examination Of the record leav,
e no room for doubt as to the vnlilty Of the pre-
= ceedings or the iustness Of the finding and SCI
= tence.
The following is the Prosident's order COL
{ hrming the sedtence in this case:
The record, proceedings finding and sentenS
Of the Court in the foregoing case are approved
o and it is ordered that Brigadier General W.
u Hammond, Surgeon General Of The United Stat
8 Army, be dismissed the service, aud be forev
o disqualified from holding ANY office OF homo
Q profit or trust under tue government of the Uu
Il ted States.
s Signed, ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
l. SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT.