The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-01
CAPITAL NEWS.
A Court OF Inquiry as to the Failure
of the Greedy Expedition.
The Secretary of War Puts Some Leading
Questions to General Hazen-Gresham
Sustained by the President.
A COURT OF INQUIRY.
The Greedy Relief Expedition To Be Inves
Jigated.


Uigated
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-The War Depart
ment has issued a special order appointing a
court of inquiry to investigate the cause OF
the failure of the Greedy relief expedition
and report whether the conduct of any
officer of the army calls for further proceed
ings before a general court-martial, and the
reasons for the conclusions that they may
reach. The detail for the court is Brigader-
general S. V. Benet, chief of the ordnance
department; Colonel r. B. Ayres, of the
Second artillery; Lieutenant-coonel 0. NJ.
Poe, OF the corps of engineers, and Major
Henry Goodfellow. The Judge-advocate of
the United States army. will act as recorder.
Inc court Will meet i'll Washington Nov g..
1t is understood that the Navy Department
will not take any further action in the case
OF Commander Frank Wildes commanding
the Yantic, for the part taken by him in the
late expedition, unless it shall be deemed ex-
pedient after the result of the testimony
which may be developed in the proceedings
OF the court of inquiry appointed by the
Secretary of War.
The Secretary of War has written letter
to General Hazen, chief signal officer, in re-
ply to the communication and letter trans
hitting Lieutenant Garlington's report of
the relief expedition to Smiths sound.
After referring to the disastrous failure of
the expedition and expressing regret that
stores were not left at Littleton island on
the way up, the Secretary says:
ut would seem that the directions con-
tanned in the memorandum mentioned in
your letter, known as supplemental orders
that Lieutenant Darlington in going
north establish base of sup
ure, the omission of which, after
it had once been thought of it is difficult
to understand. 1t is now clear that it was
never an order to Lieutenant Darlington
and it is equally clear that having seen it,
and having under your orders a discretion,
he could not have done more wisely than to
follow the particular suggestions contained
in it and above mentioned"
The Secretary goes on to say that after the
telegraphIc reports of the disaster were re-
ceived he directed the acting chief signal
officer to furnish the Secretary of the Navy
a copy Of Garlington's instruc-
tons, and the list, as furnished,
contained among other things the paper
called supplemental orders" These papers
were of course supposed to be as stated, an
authentic copy of the instruction to Lieu
tenant Darlington; and the Secretary of the
Navy and the Secretary of War, in their
conference, formed the opinion as to his
having disobeyed an order which. it now APP
pears he did not in TACT receive as an order
Inc secretary requests TO De ADVISED what
explanation there is, if any, of the discre-
pancies existing in the papers furnished, and
what the records of the signal Office show
to have been with the supplemental
order, and what in case Lieutenant CARING
ton had himself been lost upon this exped-
ton, would have prevented resting upon his
record an imputation of having disobeyed a
positive instruction as to the landing of his
extra stores at or near Littleton island, on
his way north.
The Secretary adds: Il observe in the
agreement between yourself and the owners
of the Proteus under which it started upon
this expedition, clause providing for sale
by the Proteus to Lieutenant Greely's party
at Lady Franklin bay of coal, if needed, to
the amount of seventy TONS l beg you will
advise me why it was supposed that the
party might need to have the benefit of a
contract for fuel to that amount in case the
Proteus had succeeded in reaching Lady
Franklin bay"
The failure of Lieutenant Darlington to
keep his ship in company with the Yantic
and his departure south from Littleton is
land after the loss of the Proteus is severely
criticised, and the Secretary concludes the
letter by informing General Hazen that he
has submitted the case to the President,
with the recommendation that he direct the
appointment of court of inquiry.