The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-13
TsIAL OF HON B g. H.KRIs.


Article of Warm hRrboring rebel soldiers
resumed its proceedings to-day.
General Sharpe was sworn as witness
and in reply to the questions the Judge
Advocate and counsel for the accused, said
that he was designated by General Grant
TO receive the duplicate rolls of Lees army
which he did, and had them with him. On
the rolls of the men reported for parole Oi
Corses brigade of Picketts division, to
which the 32d Virginia regiment belonged
hs did not find the names of either
Chapman or Reed on the rolls, and
from the evidence of those papers he
could not ssy whether the two men referred
TO were paroled or not. He had other ev-
iiepcs however, which he believed woult
show that Chapman was psroled.
This latter statement was objected to as
being introduced as evidence by the coun-
s.l of the accused.
The witness resum'ng said that the rolls
furnished the names of only 2OO men OF
Corses brigade, forty-twO of whom were
of the 32d regiment representing Comps
nys A, &, E, F, II, J aud NJ. Go. X, to
which Chapmsn and Read professed to be-
long, had only the names of a corporal
sud two privates. The rells were furnished
by the commanders Of Lees army, but
m4ny of the commands we're so dsinte-
grated as to render it impossible TO specify
the different commanders for instance,
the corps of General E4rly, at the time of
its surrender, was commanded by Lieu
tenant Colonel; A. P. Hills corps bad
bsen merged into other commsnds, and at
the time Of the surrender did not exist !;
besides, Just previous TO the surrender 4
large numbsr of men had left Lees army,
for various reasons-somo to procure food,
others to escape. Many Of the latter came
back in large numbers to avail themselves
of the liberal terms offered. Some of the
troops also we're abandoned by their gen.
eral officers almost Immediately ter their
surrender, who left their men to shift for
thems 4lves. thereby compelling US to adopt
the principle of permitting the men to be
t,ksn up by any commanding officer and
psroled.
General Lees Provost Marshal, Major
Britford, took up great many, and Gene
raj f tzhugh Lee, upon coming in, detail
ed his Adiutant General, Captain Coke,
with our permission, 10 take up men of all
commands and parole them. Before that
in MANY instances, when men had REPORTED
TO be psroled, stating they had no officers,
thew were sent back to the lines Of the enc
nv with noteauthorizing any command
inc officer TO take them up sad parole
them. A large rumber of Lees army
were not paroled st ApPomattox Court
House, but at Lynchburg and along the
south Side Railroad. The original papers
were signed by convention on both sides,
and included in the terms Of surrender all
troops operating with the army OF Virginia
on the sth ult.
He made these statements to show that q
mans name need not necessarily be found
on the rolls of his regiment, brigade or
division, if paroled. The idea was that if
afterwards 8 man desires to obtain any
favor rs a psroled prisoner, he must make
refererce himself to where his name Is to
be found. Three we're men paroled at
Appomsttox Court House whose names
were not on the rolls, because the rolls
had been forwarded TO General Lee. Sew
ersl DAYS previous to the surrender, q large
marty of Picketrs division was captured,
including General COrse commanding the
brigade to which the 32d Virginia regi-
ment belonged, and at the surrender there
we're found remaining in the division, only
five officers, surgeon, csptalni and
three lieutensnts. The rolls of officers
we're intended to be made by brigsdes, but
disintegration was so rapid that these five
we're all the officers of the division left in
cluding the staff
General Field division was the only one
of Longstreet's corpse that was found II
decent shape. The ,cilities afforded BY
the Confederate officers to carry out tht
system of parole was very deficient The
fact that the names of Chapman and Reac
were not on the rolls of their regimen
was not proof that they were not paroled
If the men were present he would n'
doubt soon find out their names were OF
their rolls. The Judge Advocate clsimeC
the examination of the rolls showed the
could be regarded ss competent testimony
The witness had shown that it was no
only necessary for the names OF Chap
man and Read 10 be on the rolls Of tn
repimeut as pareled, but that it was yer.
probsble they were on other rolls, and IN
troduced bv the defense to discredit tn
testimony, and after the examination h
felt impelled to reject them IS evidence.
The accused insisted if the men had bee
with the companies their names would ha7
Witness said the rolls of PicKet's divisio
we're made out one week after the surrer
der There was great desire on the pa
of the confederates to get away at ono
and many started without waiting for p'
roles in order ts be the first to pass throug
sections where forage and subsistence migl
he obtsined. When the commissions
first went to Pickett's division they coul
do nothing, as there was no one left 70 loo
after It.
Counsel held that the court should d
eide whether witnesses Chapman and Res
were psrole1 soldiers or not; the rolls d
not show it, and be challenged the court
The court was cleared for deliberation.
On opening, the Judge Advocate stat
that the Court had decided to admit col
of the rolls IS evidence.
Mr.. Harris then proceeded TO read
defense to the Court stating that he was
no Vsv connected with the land or nav
forces of the United States, and that
had not committed any ofense against {
United State. He had not harbored pr
oners and it had been proved that they q
not lodge where they had stated tn
had. He said they had stated to him Il
they were psroled prisoners and ssked
lodging, he being desirous of getting
Of them and knowing their poverty, ga
each of them dollar to pay tor IN
lodging at hotel to which he told them
return.
The defence having closed, the testiu
nv was read over and after brief deli
ration with closed doors, the Court
I wsrded their judgement TO the Judge
yocate General and adjourned sine DIE,
The decision will be published in
/ eral order next week.
! FROM NEW ORLEANS.
,. NEW ORLEANS, Msy Z.
, VIA CAIRO, May IL.
Ia Milton Brown, President of the Mo