New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-06-11
THE STOLEN RECORDS.


MILITARY COMMITTEE-wHERH THE LET
TIERS AND REPORTS WENT follow THE
MILITARY RING WRITES UISTOBY-WHAT
DID BADEAU DO WITH THEM
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUEEl
WASHINGTON, June 10.-The House Military
Committee to-day made its report the loss of the Buell.
Court records, and submitted tho testimony to the
House for printing After setting forth that the object
of the Committee among other things, to learn who
was responsible for the loss Of the records the report
says:
The Committee has examined large number Of wit
nesses who might have knowledge Of these papers and
their abstraction and find no trace as TO where
the papers of the Court Of Inquiry are or
may be- 1t seems that the only paper re-
lating to this important case found in the
War Department was the opinion Of the Court. Early
in tho report 1t stated that Gen. Wallace. the Presi
dent Of the Court and Gen. Buell. both testify that moth
ing was disclosed in the inquiry which tended to make
an injurious impression regarding Gen. Grant or Gen.
Sherman and this is borne out by the testimony Of the
two officers in regard to the manner in which the
records OF the War Department kept. The report
states that the eterboOks Of the headquarters Of the
army particularly the letter-boOks Of Gen. Hal
leck, have been mutated. Leaves have been torn
out, and in some places the stubs marked
as private and personal and in the blank back leaves Of
some others memorandum, signed by officer Of Gen.
Halecks staff that they were torn on for the reason
that they personal ana ana
taken out by Gen. Halleck These indexes and stubs
were examined by the Committee and it was found
stated that of them private; but the Com
mtee reports that it cannot at present express opn
ion as TO what were the contents of these letters
many Of them not indexed, and many others had
but a slight memorandum indicating their character.
great number OF them seemed to have been Official
business of importance and necessarily OF value pub
lie historical documents.
In
tons made by Order or by permission of Gen.
Halleck, and before they into the hands OF his
successor or OF the War Department.
The Committee also report that by order OF Gen.
Rawlins, then Secretary Of War, a number OF let
ters and documents taken from the files Of the
War Department and delivered TO Gen. Adam
Badeau who was at the time writing
history OF the war These letters were Of an official
character all OF them and important in their nature,
being about in number They appeared 10 have been
no testimony of the loss abstraction Of any regular
reports OF army operations Is alluded TO- Inc report
sent England but whether returned TO this country
not by Gen Badean does not appear They have not
been returned TO the files OF the War Department.
The remainder OF the report refers TO the manner OF
keeping the files Of the various bureaus OF the depart
men and is not important The committee ask further
time 10 investigate the matter OF the loss Of the papers
and documents, believing that additional light may be
thrown upon the subject by the examination OF wit
Who cannot be reached during the present session
In his testimony, Gen. Wallace, the Presi.
dent Of the Buell. Court OF Inquiry. was asked
bt there he was y Which was INJURIOUS to the
military reputation of any officer other than Gen Buell.
To this he answered in effect that the facts affected Cen
Halleck and after thinking moment, named also An
drew johnson. He testified that the records were also
in the possession of these gentlemen after the ad-
Monument of the inquiry The witness also says that
the testimony duplicates Gen. Haeck as responsible Tor
the failure Of the operations begun against Chattanooga
Andrew johnson, In his testimony, says that the
records his that they never even
under his notice, and that If they were removed
during his President he was never informed OF
1t but if it had been he would have remembered it,
The testimony OF the Acknowledgement OF the Army
shows that the following enumerated letters are
of the Army, commanded by u s. Grant IN
for March, April and May of 1864 in regard to military
operations and other matters pertaining to the armes
received from the headquarters OF the Army OF the
United States 81 letters NotelThese letters were left
Mansion S1n sn on "uI April &c. 1861 ' Also the letter
book Of the Headquarters of the Army com
tiers from Gems. Banks, Gerard, Gilmore, and
Gbon in reference to military operations and other
&C i'm BOOK "a = letters received at the Headq
OF the Army OF the United States ls6i-ten letters
Executive Mansion, April c. ls69-etters from Gen. w.
sherman, Gen Mrey, Gen; Geo. f. McGnness Gen;
the military pefa.on o re sileTs SHfe5 Ies
letters were left with Gen Badeau at the Executive
Mansion, April 8, 1862 Letters from Gen. L. A: Hitch
CAPTAIN Pennocf, g. sN: Gen H. Prince Gen Meade and
GEN Hoffman, recorded under letter Pr in Book a."
IS letters. NOte)-These letters were left with Gen.
Badeau the Executive Mansion, April g. 1869 Letters
from Gems. Butler and Gilmore, recorded under Y In
Book a." ~ letters. NOtel-1hese letters were left
with Gen. Badeau at the Executive Manslon April g.
1862 Letters from the Hon. NJ stanton Secretary OF
War and Gen. Sigel Gen. Augur, Gen. +. ID. Townsend,
Gen L. c. L. Washburne, Gen. j. H. Wilson, Judge-Ad-
yocate l.. c. Turner Gen. Q. X: Warren, Cen H. q.
Wright Gen. Haleck, Gen. o. b. Wilcox, aud Gen. Hun
ter recorded under letter wv" l27 letters. (N0te).-
These letters left with Gen. Badeau at the EKecu
tive Mansion, April 6, 1869.
In Gen TO Ansends teslln0ny also appeaJe The fact