The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-03-20
uEApQ'Rs FIFrH MILITARY DIsrRIcr, /
NrW ORLEANS La Feb. Is. 1858

UEApQ'Rs Firth MILITARY DIsrRIcr,
New ORLEANS, LA, Feb. IS, 1868.
SJ,ci1i Orders No 80.
/. A General Court Martial Is hereby appointed
to meet AZ San Antonio. Texas. on Monday, the
10th day Of March, 1868, at 10 o'clock, ., m or
or soon thvteafter as practicable for the trial Of
Brevet Major g. W. Smith, captain 35th In
fantry, and such other prisoners rs may DO prop
orly brought before 1t.
DETAIL OF THE COURT.
l. Brevot Major General Edward Hatch, Col
onel Ninth Cavalry.
Brevet Brigsdier General R. s. Mckenzie
Colonel Forty first Infantry.
1 brevet Brigaiier General James Cakes,
Colonel Sixth Cavalry.
g. Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Henry A. Ellis,
Captain Thirty fifth Infantry.
6 Surgeon Dallas Biche, United States
Army.
Z. Captain Isaac Arnold, Ordnance Depart.
ment, United States Army.
First Lieutenant Joel 7 Kirknsn, Twenty
sixth infantry Judge Advocate.
No other officers than those named can be as
rcmbled without manifest injury 10 the service.
BY command of Major General W. s. Hancock.
GEORGE L, HARrsuFF,
Assistant Adjutant General
HEApguARrERs THIRD MILITARY DIsIRIcT,)
dept. of Georgia, Florida and Alabama
ATLANTA, GA, March 3. 1868.
Gsmsydl Oriey, No, 80
J. The Board Of Officers Of which Brevet
Lieutenant Colonel Maurice Maloney, Lieutenant
Colonel 10th U. S. Infantry, Is presfdent, and
which assembled at Savannah, Georgia, on the
LIST instant. pursuant to Special Orders No. %,
current series, from these Headquarters, for the
purpose Of Investigating the cause Of disturb
ance at a meeting at Savannah, Georgia, on the
ith day of February, 1868. submit the following
OPINION:
The Board is Of opinion that Charles
II Hopkins, Of Savannah, is mainly response
hIe for the getting up Of tho meeting on the 4th
February, 1865 in the city Of Savannah, and
was materially assisted BY Moses II. Bentley
and Henry II Ellen, both citizsns Of Savannah,
but the Board would state that these two latter
declare In their testimony that they acted under
the impression that Charles II. Hopkins would
attend or had attended to giving due notice to
tic civil and military authorities which the
Board finds he failed 10 do.
2. The conduct Of the assembly was orderly In
Chippewa square, and was such while engaged
In walking down to the unfinished church in
New street but the Board is Of opinion that the
very act of adjourning in q body was unwiss
and imprOper-it was ordered TO disperss be.
cause due notification had not been given to, oil
permission received from tho proper authorities
and without disperEing, or asking permission
the meeting moved of in 4 body to another
place called a church. but which, though prob
ably intended for one whom completed, is nov
only half story unfinished building, covered
over by temporary roof and which heretofore
has only been used as place Of meeting Of q
political club, and which presents to tho OBJ
server nothing Of the appearance Of q church
whatever The Board 10 OF opinion that the
said building was not Of capacity to hold all the
crowd who went there, and asa consequences,
there was a considerable number left on the out.
side. The Board IL Of opinion that the meeting,
though political was Of m orderly character
until the disturbance commenced. though in the
then existing political state Of Affairs In tho com
munity, and taking into confederation the cir
cumstances under which the meeting was held
1t would naturally be more excitable than on
called for any other purpose. The appearance
Of the police caused the FIRST excitement, and tn
arrest Of an unrufy negro on the outside Of tn
building by a policeman excited the crowd /
such an extent that it rapidly became disorder
and riotous
3. Tho Board IL Of the opinion, after matur
deliberation on all the circumstances as show
in the oral and documentary evidence befor
them, that the measures adopted by tho police
on tho occasion OF the disturbance In New street
Savannah, on the 4th February, 1865, wer
justifable.
II. The proceedings and opinions Of th
Board having been placed before the command
ing general, he regrets he is unable to coucu
with the Board In tho conclusions to which the
have arrived. He agrees with the Board tina
the conduct Of Charles II. Hopkins, Nose
Bentley, and others, in calling a meeting with
out complying with the municipal ordinances
was In the highest degree reprehensible, an
deserving Of severe condemnation; but he doe
not concur with the Board, that because tn
getters up Of the meeting failed to comply wit
the orders Of the Mayor, that therefore tina
tticsr was authorized to disperse the same, m
to proceed to use force for this purpose, withOu
regard to the character Of the meeting, or th
deportmen Of the persons composing H. II th
meeting proved quiet and orderly, it should hav
been allowed to proceed undisturbed, whateye
measures may have been subsequently taken +
puui,h the parties responsible for getting it W
The General is not disposed to impute in
proper motives to the Mayor, He, however
considers that that officer acted hastily and ere
In judgment, but inasmuch as 1t appears in ev
dsnoe that the Mayor referred to the command
ing officer, post Of Savannah, before acting, IN
that officer !ailed to advise him against his pre-
posed action, 1t may be conidered that hi
course indirectly received the sanction Of tn
military authorities Therefore, while the Con
mandng General entertains the opinion ez
pressed above he directs no further action
taken In tho matter and that any prisoners l
the hands OF tho military be turned over TO th
civil authorities.
By order of Major General Meade.