Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-10-12
THE FACTS iEOUT GEy'L TOMPkINS.
The Case of the steamer Nevbern.
Gen'l TOmpt<ins and the President
UnsoIdierIike Conduct-Ghe Charges
of Gen'l Crook Again-t TOmp&ius.

Special prominence was given in the New
York World of the 10th inst. TO A communicates
signed "P. b. P" charging that the Secretary
of War sacrificed a vessel in use by the quarter
masters department, named the Newbern, for
political purpose, by selling her for $1,000,
sum far below her value; that Gen. Chas. Tom
kins, deputy quartermaster general, protested
against the sale; that the Newborn is now on
the line between San Francisco and Alaska,
where she has more than paid for herself in
transporting government troops and supplies:
that General Tompkins has been ordered before
a court martial for irregularity in the sale OF a
mule; that Gen. rs friends regard his arrest
petty persecution on the part of President
Grant, &c, sc.
The facts in regard 10 the purchase and sale
of the Newbern are briefly follows: She was
bought by the War department from the Navy
department on the LIST of September, lS6N, for
S35.CCO currency, and not tor 10000 as p. b.
P" alleges, TO transport troops and supplies be-
tween San Francisco and Alaska. She was, II
is true, repaired probably to the extent OF
$4,000 or $4,000, and ran between the points
named until January, 1871, when the majority
OF the troops were Withdrawn from Alaska; lines
OF merchant vessels had multiplied between San
Francisco and Alaska; and there was no further
need of her services. Under these circumstances
the chief quartermaster of the division of the
Pacific recommended her sale, and his recon-
mendatiOn was endorsed by the Quartermaster
General of the army. If Gen. Tompkins pro-
tested against her sale he did unsOldierlike
act for he was then chief quartermaster of the
Il
does not remember that he did protest; a. any
rate he knows that protest from Gen. T., who
wasthen Id Arizona, would have been grossly
impairment Every exertiOn was made bv the
" ar Department to get the highest price pos
sible for the Newbern, and after receiving seve-
raj offers, the Secretary, on the advice of the
Quartermaster General, sold her in VI arch.
1871, to the highest bdder-a Mr. Henry Norton
for so 900 in gOld-an advance Of more than
Sl5,rO0 on her cost. Ben. Holiday offered if the
department would give him the vessel TO carry
freight
reached 600, but his offer was declined. She
has since run between San Francisco and Ari-
IONA via the gulf of California. and not from
San Francisco to Alaska a st 4ted by "P. B. p,
The price received for the Newborn considering
the fact that the government had had three
years service from her, the Quartermaster
General thinks was fair and reasonable.
ToMPKINs MAKES RAID UPON THE PRESIDENT.
Soon after the close OF the war Gen. Tompkins
publicly and repeatedly charged Gen. Grant
with drunkenness, incompetency, Sc, for which
insubordinate and unsoldieriike conduct he could
have been tried by court-martial and dismissed
the service. Gen. Grant chose to be more lenient
with him, however. He sent for him and charged
him with having grossly villTed him-a charge
which Gen. T. could not deny. Gen. Grant then
informed him that as he, Gen. Tompkins, had
been stationed in Wash ngton during the war, il
was but justice to other and more deserving
officers that he should be assigned to duty out
side OF the District OF Columbia. He was there
upon sent to Texas as chief quartermaster to
Gen. GraH and the government, especially crit
icising the reconstruction acts OF Congress, and
doing much not only towards demoralizing the
army, but to increase the bitterness of the
southern people against the government.
ToMPKINs DON'T LIKE THE RECONSTRUCTION
ACTS.
He boosted that he had never read the recon
struction acts against which he inveighed SO
much. and one day Gen. Reynolds invited him
into his quarters, where he (Gen. r. read them
aloud to him, saying, as he concluded, " Now.
General, you know what the reconstruction acts
are that you condemn SO harshIy." Gen. L. was
subsequently relieved and sent TO Alaska, where
he remained some time as chief quartermsster.
On the withdrawal OF most OF the troops he was
sent to Arizona.
ToMPKINs STILL UNHAPPY.
He was dissatisfied with this assignment and
was continually asking to be relieved and As
signed to duty in Washington. Gen. Meiss, in
forwarding his application to the Secretary OF
War, dsapproyed the request on the ground
that an Indian war was in progress in Arizona,
and General T., according TO the articles OF
war. was guilty of cowardce in asking to be re-
lieved in the face of the enemy. Subsequently
Gen. Schoheld requested that Gen. TOmpkins
be relieved on the ground OF his inefiiciency.
Gen. T. was then relieved and for several
months remained unassigned because there was
TO vacancy for him. Soon after a vacancy oc-
CURED in Gen. Hancock's command, depart
ment OF Dakota, and Gen. Meigs recommended
that Gen. Tompkins be sent TO Gen. II. since
Gen. I. was particular personal and political
friend of General Hancock.
TIE CHARGES AGAINST ToMPKINs MADE BY
GENERAL CROOK.
This was done, but a short time since Gen.
Crook forwarded serious charges against Gen.
Tompkins, which it became ne cessary for the
latter to meet. Gen. Tompkins has gone to
Arizona where he will be tried by court martial
The charges, says the Quartermaster General
are so serious that if proved they will send him
to the penitentiary. Gen. Meigs believes and
hopes, however, that these charges on inyesti-
CATION will be found baseless. At any rate the
President has nothing to do with the business
The charges were made by Gen. Crook who al
leges fraud against General L. while the latter
was Chief quartermaster in Arizona.
SAM RANDALLs LIBEL SUITs.-Suit has been
brought III the supreme court PHILADELPHIA by
the Hon 8 Il Randall against M-iIii.--., Il