, 1874-03-09
BECRETB OF THE WAR,

Tie Cincinnati Hazelto publishes m oxceed-
Eng!y interesting chapter Of tho secret history Of
tho War, and tho publication will bring to light
other ohaplora relating to tho sa1ne subject
which cannot fail to produce sensation. The
parties aro all ohionnp, but somo Of tl,um havo
q nntional reputation Tile following arc tho
facta:
In October, 1861, T. ". HURT was commia-
a|onod Assistant Qunrtormastar Of Volunteers.
1To alnoHt Immediately began to speculate in
forage and supplies for Gimp Clnso having for |
It's associatos persons conuoctoa with tho Ohio !
State journal, published at Columbus. Subso- |
quent1y ho WA transferred TO Cincinnati, where,
in tho spring Of 1863, ho began thc bua!ucas Of
which partial history In now rovoalod. uonry
D. Cooke, who lad hocn Of tho Journal, was
then in Washington, tho head Of TINT branch Of
tic house Of Jay Cooke i Co., tho Government
pankora ind agauts. Hurtt opened corre-
Bpondouee with him in January, 1863. stating
that he was tho purchasing and disbursing
Quartormnstor OF CincIn,ati; that bis superior
officer, Capt. J. II. Dickcrson, vas IN obstacle III
lia WY; TINT l1o waB abe from liis position to
enrich li,nsolf aud any friends who might
aid him, both in the purchase Of supplies and Ii,
tho purchase Of liB vouchors. 10 wanted Dloh-
oraon removed md himself appointed, aud thon
lie could do botter business, II. D. Cooke seut
ono George s. Scott, with whom ho tells Hurtt
he can doal freely, aud promises to send out
also his brother, Pitt Coolsc, If he eau. Oooko
also promises all ho can do to lavo Hurtt pro-
motcd, In timo, George s. Scott roachod Cinein-
natl with Ills credentials from, Fl. D. Coo1se.
Cooke statcs in ono Of his lottors that Secretary
Chase would do ali he could, and that John
Hurtt'a promotion. Scott represented tie houses
Of Jay Cooke 4 Co., ". D. Cott l. Co., bankots,
and ". Hunter l. Co., baukcrs Of Philadelphia.
Scott ut oncc mado salcB to Hurt Tor the Gov
ornmout; ho also nude purchases Of Vouchers.
Tic money was furnished by tho banks namod,
HURT sharing with Hcott the profits. The
vouchers wero purchased by Scott at d large dia-
count. The purchases wero of corn, oats, hay.
etc. Pitt Cooke also wont into tho business,
purchasing corn in Chicago and selling 1t to
f1ulkL III Clt1Gl1uAtl4 11uitL AVPk klH!44 Aufl60A
Of the Government roquisltions, and thus they
could buy mud sell ut advantage The pro-
gramme included tho removal Of Dlckerson and
tho association Of Capt. @. W. Moulton, brother
iu-law of Senator Sherman, with Hurtt, III order
to increaBo Hurtta opportunities. Tnis
business was progressing swimningly when
Gen. Burnside was put in command oi
the Department Of the Ohio. He soor
suspected TINT HURT WAS acting dishonesty
aud, July 2S, 1868, ordered Mini. Mclean tt
sclzo Hurtt's books and papers, ana investigate
tho business Of llls Office. On Sept. 20. 1863
! Mai Mclean made his report detailing thu
whole affair, md inclosing with it aix letters o
| HURT to II. .. Cooko two letters from Cook
to HURT; six letters from HURT to Allen. odito1
of tho Columbus Journal; one letter from Hur
to Senator Sherman, aud various lottors botweol
Scott and Hultt. Tho conspiracy was lGmperot
by the failure to get Dioke,son removed an'
HURT promoted to hia place. 70 show ho'
earnest and widespread tho effort WAS to hag
this accomplished, VIC give the following lette
from Pitt Cooko to Scott:
| PHILADELPHIA, April 2, 1868.
George S. Scott, Esq.,:
", q. Alorohead and have written strong letter
to-day to Gen. J. X. N. ar. o., Pittsburgh, and bosom
friend aud most influential advisor OF Sec. s., an
urged him to write for Capt. H. aud insist Ats pro
motion mud appointment. Ho will do It, and will Sue
ceed, Mover fear Tell Capt. this, and We have othe
strings to pull, aud nro bound to 8ucceed. Ito made
clear that the house af H. t. Co., Pittsburgh, tcoad
no loser BY the arrangement. Ever yours truly,
tSIgneN PITT.
Mai. McLoan msdo his report Sept. 26. O
tho 23th tho papers wero put into tho hands Q
Judgo-Adyocato Burnett, who lu time prepare
charges aud specifications covering the ontir
mass OF Testimony, and showing tho couuectlo
OF oil tue parties who in any way lad becom
mixed up with tho business. The goth Of M
vembcr was fixed for the trial Of the case. O
tho 18th Of October, Judgo-Adyocate BurneI
wrote to tho War Department TINT tho caso VT
Important and would bo contested "with grc'
deal Of portiuacity aud with oil tho fosco thl
...ouey and Influence could bring to boar
There was an intense excitement at Washington
aud on Oct. % un order vas issued from tho VI
Department that Mai. Mclean should procee
NlEH0ut uGlilY 10 E0FE fAAGoAfoll OApGous III
report for duty. By aomo accilont this orde
though made public. waa not sont to McLca1
Con. Burnside, who was ut Knoxville, heard {
IT, and appealed to Stanton to recall
BURNSIDE ALSO ordered Mclean to romain
Cincinnati until further orders. In tho moa
timo tho court-n,artial was dissolved. III D
ccmbor it WIS discovered ut Washington tl1'
AIcLonn had not loft for orogou, md an oxpl
na!ion was demanded. lie was then ordered
loayo instantor, which ho did. All the papc
in tue caso woro thon Bent to Washington,
yoar later Hurtt was tried Oh only few ito,
Of tho original caso, aud convicted. All II
y papers III the original casc with oil Hurt
. correspondence, arc Oh the files in tho "
> Department, subject to tho coll of Congress-.
fow ouly Of tLom, mud a portion only of the tt
y timony, aro now mado public. Capt. Dickerse
tho honest man iu tho case, became inBano q
," .1io1 II, thu hoarifa1