The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-03-13
A CHAPTER IN THE SECRET HIS
TORY OF THE WAR.

TORY OF THE WAR.
The Cincinnati Gazette publishes at
exceedingly interesting chapter Of the 90.
eret history Of the war, and the publica-
ton will bring to light other chapters re.
lating TO the came subject which cannot
fail TO produce . sensation. Tho parties
are al Ohioans, but some OF them have q
nasionAi reputation. The following are
the facts:
In October, 1864, +. w. HURT, was
commissioned assistant quarter master of
volunteers. He almost Immediately DO
gan TO speculate in forage and supplies for ,
Camp Chase, having tor his associates per. |
cons connected with the Ohio State Jour |
nal, published at Columbus. Subse-
quenNy he was transferred 10
Cincinnati, where, in the spring Of 1863.
he began the business Of which a partial
history IL now revealed. Henry ID. Cooke,
who had been OF the Journal was then in
Washington, the head Of that branch of
the house OF Jay Cooke s. Co., the gov
eminent bankers and agents HURT
opened u correspondence with him in
January, 1868, stating that he WAS the
purchasing and distributing quartermas-
ter at Cincinnati; that his superior oil.
hcer, Capt. j. IA. Dickerson, was an Oh.
stacfe IN his way; that he was able,
from hn position, to enrich himself and
any friend who might aid him, both in the
purchase 81 supplies aud in the purchase
OF biz, Vouchers, lie wanted Dickerson
ismosed and himself appointed, and then
ne could do better business. Id. Cooke
sent one George $. Scott, with whom he
ree3iC HURT he can deal freely, and prom
tses to send out also bis brother Pit,
Cooke, II he can. Cooke also promise.
ali he can do TO have HURT promoted. In
time George 8. Scott reached Cincinnati
with his credentials from II. u. Cooke
Cooke states in one of hi.
letters that Secretary Chas,
would do oil he could, and
that John Sherman had personally asked
stanton for Hurts promotion. Scott rep.
= resented the houses of jay Cooke * Co
w. ID. Colt Il Co, bankers, and w. Hun.
ter & Go, bankers. of Philadelphia. Scot.
At once made salss to HURT for the govern
lnsnt; be also made purchases Of vouch.
srs, The money was furnished BY the
banks named, HURT sharing with Scott
the profits. The vouchers we're pure based
BY Scott at q large discount. The pur-
ehasee were OF corn, Data, hay, ct ceters.
FIT Cooke also went into the business
purchasing corn in Chicago and selling il
to HURT at Cincinnati HURT kept them
advised Of the government regulations.
ana thus they could buy ard sell AZ sd .
vantage. The Programme Includes the
removal OF Dicksrson Ani the aasoci alton
u Capt. @. w. AoQlsoo, brother-in-lav
On senator Shermsn, With Hur.s, ia order
to inorsass Hurtt's opportunities. This
business was Progressing swimmingly
when Gen. Burnsids was put ia commsn !
oil the department of Ohio He soon sus-
psceed that Hnrt was acting dishonesty,
and, July rs 1868, ordered Major Mclean
10 seize Hurts books and papers, and
investigate the business Of his office. On
september 70, 1868, Major Mclean
made his report, detailing the whole af-
is'f, and inclosing with II six letters from
:. HURT to Henry ID. Cooke; two letters
Z, from Cooke TO HURT; six letters from
durtt 70 Allen, editor Of the Columbus
journal one letter from HURT to Sens-
tor sherman. and various letters between
Scott and HURT. The conspiracy was
hsmpered by the failure to get Dickerson
removed and HURT promoted 70 his place
To show how earnest and widespread the
EFFORT was to have Dickcrson removed, we
give the following letter from Pitt Cooke
TO Scott:
PHILADELrHIA, April 9, 1868.
6s0rg. s. Scott, Esq.
W. q. Morehead and have written
strong letters to-day to Gen. j. X. NJ. M.
" fissourg, and bosom friend and most
influential adviser OF Sec. s., and urged
lin 70 write for Capt II and insist on
his promotion and appointment. He will
do H. and will succeed. Never fear. Tell
! captain this, and We have other strings
70 pull, and are bound to succeed. We
. made Il clear that tho house OF NJ. ~ 90.
. Pttsburg, would DO no loser BY tho Ar
rangsmsnt Ever yours truly,
=. [Slgned. PIT.
Major Mclean made his report Sept.
&c. On the 2sth the papers were put into
the hands Of Judge.Advocate Burnett, who
Gin time prepared charges and specilcs-
tions covering the entire mass of te.ti- |
msny, and showing the connection of
|. all the parties who 10 any wsy had bo. |
come mixed up with the business. The !
10Th of November WAS fixed for tho trial |
OF the case. On the 18th OF October, |
Judge Advocate Burnett wrote TO the War |
department that the case was important
lAad would be contested with great deal
sei psrnnscity and with all the force that
money and influence could bring to bear.
inere WAS an intense excitement At Wash |
Lngton, aud on October oath an order was |
issued from the war department that
Major Mclean should proceed witbon,
hsisy 70 Fort Vancouver, Oregon, and re. |
port tos duty. By some accident tbi, or.
Ger. though made public, was not sent 20
Mclean. General Burnside, who was At
knoxville heard of it, and appealed TO
stanton 10 recall 1t. Burnside also or.
asrsd him 10 remain at Cincinnati till fur.
sAsf eeders. In the meantime the court. |
martial wac dissolved. In December !,
wAs discoyere1 In Washington that Nc.
Loan had not left for Oregon. AND
an. explanation was demanded
He wss then ordered to leave in,t,n,sr
which he did. All the papers in the cssa
we're then sent 10 Washington. A vssr
lseer HURT was tried on only few tam
ofthe original case, and con yicted. All
tbs papers in the original case, with ali
; Hurts correspond ence, are on the files ip
the war department, su beet 20 the call of
Congress A few only Of them, and por.
tioh on the testimony, are now made pub.
lie. Capt. Dicksrson, thu honest man in
the case became insane, and died in the
hospital.
We give additional letter. thu, CAS-,
some light upon the subject, only adding
that Pitt Cooke 10 BROTHER Of Jay Cooke
.Hsas ssssbs letter.;
. ~n HvRrT TO SCOTT
i 10. CiHoIsHATI, o., March "a, 1868.
Dear Scott; 80
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