, 1865-07-18
.MblragQ Mr1bn11e.
TUESDAY. JULY IS 1885.
SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT OF
TIE JOINT COMMITTEE
IuE CuADyCT OF
THE WAR,
Wha, Il has Done---Whst has been
Inquired into.
tsa work not Yet Complete,

}spee.a: pisps:ca to The Pbiladelphia Pfess.1
The JOINT Committee on tue G -ptuct Ct
the P1estnt War submit the following re-
Iso.t:
seged for nearly four years past, take occa.
sion to submit a lew general observation in
regard to their Investigations. They com
mencs d them ut ttr1e when the Goyefum eut
was stlIl engaged In organizing its first great
armies, nnd before huy important victory had
given token Of It's ability to cruah out the
rebellion BY tbs strong hand Of physical
power. They haye CONTINUED them until
tss soeaed Co. consaessts essn cSeln@sna
been msdt: a thing Of the past.
and the chief Of that treascnablo organization
Is q proclaimed fe1ou In the hands OF our NJ.
tEor1ties: And tcou the military and naval
tosces, w1ose deeds have been the subjects Of
our inquiry, will retu' n to the ways Of peace
and the pursuits Of civil life, from which they
have been called for time BY the danger
we welcome these brave veterans On their
tetu1n from t!elds made historical by their gal
liant achievements, Our joy Is eaddened as ne
view their thinned ranks, and rrfect that tens
Of thousands. as brave rs they. hare fallen
victims to that savage aud Internal spirit
which actnated those who spared not the prls'
cne1s At their mercy, who sought By mid
night arson to destroy hundreds Of defense
1tss women md children, and who hesitated
not to resort to means and to commit acts so
horrible that the na'ions of the earth stand
aclast IS they are told Whnt hss been done.
1t Is matter Of copgratula'ion that, uotws1h-
standing the G:eat proyocatinns 10 pursue .
treated Their prisoners humanely aud ge1er-
cusly. and ha.c In all respecss s conducted this
Contest according to the rules Of tbs most
civilized warfare.
1hc Investigations Of your ccmmittee have
embraced u Ally sshjs cts. Toe results Of their
Investigations under the directions Of tbs
Thirty Seventh Ccngtes.1 have already been
made public. The subjects OF then inquiry
under the directions Of tte Thirty eighth Cou-
ertss, some OF which hare ALREADY been r.
ported upon, include the following:
Army Of The Potomac;
Battle Of Petersburg
Red River Expedition;
Eoft Fisher Exp dition; -
Massacre at Fort Plllow;~ y
Heavy o.dnapcc;
Light DIaught Monitors;
Rebc1 T,eAtment Of Prisoners; and
Massacre OF Cheyenne Indians;
sil Of which are, or hare been, specially re-
port4d uptn. Tes' imooy has bcen taken
uron other enhjccts, which ie eubmittsd With.
character Of Ito eytd.nce, or because special
reports were not deemed necessary.
lhe Investigation in relation to the Army
Of tie fotomsc has been continued from the
point reached BY your committee in their for.
ner report, to tue time when Gen. Grant
assumed the aetiye direction Of that artns,
MD began the campaign which has resulted
III the iiual overthrow Of the military power
Of the rebellion. The operations oi that
campaign, with single exception. special'y
objected BY the Senate, your committee have
not investigated. They did not desire to en-.
ter upon the inquiry while the campaign WAS
still In pcosrcss. ebd It was concluded too
late to enable them to Investigate 1t as fully
as its Importance demands.
Tour committee have stM been unable to
deyote that attention to the operations Of our
almiee In the Western and extreme Southern
parts Of tie Union, which was desired, and
which they 50 amply merit. During the ses-
hions Of Congress. the members OF The COM
mittce hare k tn obliged to attend to their
duties here. except wien some special sub:
ject Of inquiry called them away Tor short
time. And during the last recess Of Congress,
vhtn their presence was not required at the
Capitol. tie Interest sAd importance Of the
PIetid. ntial campaign tten pending were 20
great that they felt It necessary to take an
actlte part IL It, th.reby rendering 1t impos-
,,'es slbie 'or a !hen to pursue an insestigation
visiting cur armies in the 3rli, In distant
parts 81 the country, and engaged in active
operations,
For the purpose, therefore, Of placing up IN
record histeIy OF the operations o! onr
Western and Southern armies, and OF the
late campaign Of the Army Of the Potomac,
Which shall he more permanent and sa.IsAc-
tory tnan is contained in the t,aus.tory pub
ltca1Ions Of the day, your committee have
prepared Rtld FORWARDED TO the principal Off
ccrs engaged therein, series Of tnterrocato-
riea, With The request that fnll and complete
answers to the same he transmitted to the
chairman Of The committee in fea*on to cnR-
ble him 10 lay them before Congress at its
Your committee wculd refer to the record
Of .heir labo:s to show the spirit and pur.
pose by which they have been governed in
their Investigations. They have not sought
to accomplish my purpose other than to
elicit The Luth; to that end have all their
labo1s been directed: l. they hare failed at
been from cauecs beyond tneIE coatrol. Their
work Is before the people, and By It. they are
willing to be INDUCED.
In cpne.uhlon, your committee must return
their 1hanks 10 those who aided and assisted
and Navy Departments hare been prompt
and ready in furnishing them with such pa
p r. ard tocum nts rs they desired, and in
supplying all facilities in their power to en-
able the committee to visit tie various places
to which they EAye been called In the psrfor-
msnce Of their cutles. To officers Of the
Amy and nary, who have everywhere shown
tht mselyes wiling and anxious to promote
in erery way the comfort cf the committee.
and to aid them by every means in their
power, the committee detire to otter especial
ecknoW )edgs menss 10, their kindness and at
tehtion. 10 them the committee owe to
Sof 4 %Inr %%S.f Il.
their effolts TOR the lsst four yea1s.
Respectfully submitted:
B.F. WADE,
Chairman of Committee
Frrm the above it will be seen thRt the
Committee on the Conduct OF the War has
rot yet completed Its labors, but that large
additions to the Important literature Of the
caupaigu nav be expected.