The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-02-28
[BY OUR OWN SPECIAL REPoRTER]
TRIAL OF MAJOR JOHN H.. GEE.

[BY OUR OWN SPECIAL REroRTER.]
TRIAL OF MAJOR JOHN H.. GEE.
RALEIGH, WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21st, 1856
The Court met at Department Head Quarters,
all the members present, as follows:>
Colonel w. W. Wheeler 28th Michigan Infan-
try
Brevet Lieutenant Colonel John Hamilton, q.
S. A.
Lieutenant Colonel R. z Miller, 12Sth Indiana
Infantry.
Brevet Major John R. Myrick, q. s. A.
Brevet Major p S. Connor U. s. A.
Captain John Corbin, 12Sth Indiana Infantry.
Captain Dwight Fraser, 128th Indiana Infantry.
Major Francis E. Wolcott, Judge Advocate
Colonels D. P. Holland, of Florida, and John
Wilder of Massachusetts, were introduced by the
Judge Advocate, as counsel for the defence.
The Counsel for the defense stated that the pri-
soner, not having been put in possession of the
charges and specifications against him, in definite
form, until yesterday, was not thoroughly pre-
pared with his defense, and therefore asked rca
senable time to send for witnesses end papers, if
necessary, after the examination of witnesses for
the prosecution should close, which request
was acccded to by the Judge Advocate and the
Court.
The charges and specifications were then read
by the Judge Advocate, as follows:
CHARGES AGAINST JOHN Il. GEE, LATE
KEEPER OF THE REBEL MILITARY PRI-
SON AT SALISBURY, NORTH CAROLINA.
CHARGE l.
" Violation Of the laics and customs of War;
Specification 1st.--" In this, that john H. Gee,
while being or claiming TO be, Major in the Re-
bel military service, and as such being in COM
mand and charge OF the prison, established and
used by the Rebel Government ormilitary author
ities, at Salisbury North Carolina. Tor the confne
ment of prisoners of war, taken and held as such
from the armies of the United States OF America
and being in charge of q large number of such
prisoners, to wit: the Iumber of ten thousand
or thercabouts, there assembled, and as such COM
mandant fully clothed with authority, and in duty
bound to treat, and care and provide forsuch pris
oners and while the said prisoners at said
prison, and in his Charge as such COM
mandaiit, were in condition OF extreme
want and suffering, as well as many of them i'll
and dying, by reason Of the utter and continued
insufiiciency Of the rations clothing, shelter and
medical attendance, and OF the cold and exposure
to which they were constantly subjected, and of
the small and narrow limits TO which they were
violation of the laws and usages of civilized war
fare utterly fail and neglect to provide or cause
to be provided, or to attempt to have provided,
for the said prisoners, confined as aforesaid, and
i'll his charge as such commandant at said prison,
proper sufficient rations, clothing, fuel shelter,
water, or hospital attendance; that by reason of
such wilful and malicious failure and neglect, the
said prisoners were never supplied with food either
of quality or quantity sufficient to preserve
health or sustain life, and the food furnished be-
or>ffn of fnox
description; also, that By reason thereof none of
the said prisoners were supplied with sufficient
water for culinary purposes, or even Tor satisfy
ing thirst, or with wood, except in very small and
Inadequate. quantities, and this though an ample
supply of water and wood could easily have been
Obtained, in the immediate neighborbood of said
prison, and readily transported to the same by
the prisoners themselves; also, that by reason
thereof clothing was supplied to the said pris-
oners, many of them being left during the sever
ity of winter without Clothes shoes, blankets, or
other adequate or suitable covering for their per-
sons, and even without straw or other suitable
thing which to lie; Also that by reason thereof
the shelter furnished said prisoners, was entirely
insufficient to protect them from the inclemeney
of the weather, great number of whom there
fore-as well as on account of the insufiiciency Of
clothing and wood as af0resaid-were obliged TO
burrOw in the ground of said prison as the only
means of protection; also, that by reason thereof
the hospital accommodations and medical atten-
dance furnished said prisoners when sick, were so
slight and inadequate, that when once sent to the
hospital OF said prison, the said sick rarely return
ed alive therefSom, and that by reason further OF
such willul and malicious failure and neglect q
very great number of said prisoners, to wit: the
number of about twelve hundred per month, died
from disease, starvation and exposure. All these
and other wrongs to the said prisoners confined
as aforesaid he, the said Gee then and there did.
This at Salisbury, North Carolina, in or about the
months of November and December, 1861"
iSnfcfrufiOn Sf-Iu this that John III Gee.
while being, or claiming to be, Major in the re-
bel military service, and as such being in COM
mand and charge of the prison established and
used by the rebel government or military author
titles, at Salisbury, North Carolina, for the con
finement of prisoners of the war, taken and held
as such from the armies of the United States oi
America, and being in charge of a large number
of such prisoners there assembled to wit: the
number of ten thousand or thereabouts, and while
the said prisoners at said prison. and in his charge
:. as such commandaut, were in condition OF eX-
treme want and suffering, as well as many of them
i'll and dying, on account of the utter and con-
tinued iusuiicicncy of the rtions, clothing, s1el
ter and medical attendance furnished for them,
and the cold and exposure to which they were
constantly subjected, did, when sundry citizens
of Salisbury, acquainted with the condition OF the
said prisoners aforesaid, offered and attempted
to relieve said prisoners by administering in some
degree to their wants, and by slight acts of kind
ness and charity, which could in no manner have
tended to relax the discipline of said prisoil-cru
elly, and in violation of the law and usagcs Of
civilized warfare prohibit said citizens from so
relieving the said prisoaers; and this although,
he, the said Gee as well as the said rebel govern
mcnt and authorities then, and there altogether,
/ failed and neglected properly provide the wants
| and necessities OF said prisoners. This at Sails
bury North Carolina, in or about the months
! of November and December, lSo4 81
CHARGE II.
! ~ Mitr5er in yiolaiioa OF the laos Of VAR
Specification 1st-In this, that John II Gecwhilt
| being, orclaiming TO be, Major in therebel mil
! itary service, and as such being in command and
charge of the prison established and used by tht
rebel government or military authorities at Sails
/ bury North Carolina for the confinement OF pris
| oners of war, taken ard held as such from thu
armies of the United States of America, and be
| ing in charge Of large number of such prison
| ers, there assembled, to wit the number of TEL
thousand or thereabouts, did-upon the occasion
of slight disturbance, engaged in by q yerJ
| small number of the said prisoners at said prison
than said small number took no part, an(
| which disturbance was caused by suffering
of the said prisoners from starvation, for whcl
| the said Gee was responsible, and which dis
| turbancc the said Gee could have quelled and ter
minated, by the arrest OF the few principally con
cerned therein, and by the use of moderate force
and the ordinary means of enforcing discipline
which were at his command--wiliuliy, fclolious
ly, recklessly, and in violation of the laws ant
1 usaGes of civilized warfare, order the entir
| prison guard to fire upon the mass of prisoner
in the enclosure of said prison, indiscriminately