Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-15
Greeiy's Official Report of the Execution
of Private Henry.
WASHINGTON, August 11th.-The follow
ing Is Lieutenant Greelys official report Of
| the cXCcutiOn Of private Horny:
BY kAcgraIal.I
PORTSMOUTH N. H., August

| the execution of private Henry:
PORTSMOUTH N. H, August II. 1881.
:, 10 nc AGtmGnt-GoT0! ef he Lilited Sqtcs.
| through TIC Chi'J SiGRGt Officer {. s. I-SR [
| have the honor 70 report that on June g. 1881 al
| Camp Clay, near Cape Sahin. GrinneI Land il
| became necessary for me to order the military
| execution OF Private Charles Il. Henry of the
| Fifth Cavalry. tor continued thicving. The or
| der was given in writing, on my individual re.
| spons5ility, being deemed absolutely essential
| for the safety of the surviving members of the
| expedition. Ten had already died of starya-
| tiOn and two more lay at the point of death
| The facts inducing my actions were as follows
! ihe provisions had been stolen in November,
| ISIS. and lIcurys completely therein was more
| lhan suspected. On March u, 1854. the party
| Lcarly pcrishcd from aSphyXia. While several
| men were unconscious. and efforts were being
| made for their restoration, private Henry stole
| about two pounds of bacon from the mess stores
| He was not only seen by Eskima Jens and Ed
! wards, but his stomach being overloaded lie
| threw up the undiScStCd bacon. An open in
vestigdtion was had, and every member of the
party declared him guilty of this and other
theits. y clGmor for his life WAS raised but was
| suppressed by me. put him under surveillance
until our waning strength rendered his physical
| services Indispensable Later. he was found,in-
! toNicated having stolen the liquor on hand for
| general issue. \ second time his life was de-
mnnded, but again spared him. on June 5th.
| theit of provisions on his part hav-
ing heen reported to? me, had
appealed TO his practical sense, pointing ont
what was necessary to preservation. lie prom
| lScd entire reformation, but, uistruSting him |
| issued written order that he should hc shot Ii
| detected stealing again. On June 9th he not
| only stole part of the shrimps for our breakfast
| but visited unauthorized our winter camp and
| stole certain scalskins preserved for food then
| ordered him shot. On his person was found the
| silver chronOgraph abandoned by me at Fort
| Conger and stolen by him. In his bag was
| found n large quantity of sealskin and IL pair of
| seGlskfn boots stolen few days before from the
| hunter Suspecting completely on the part of
! several, ordered his execution by three of the
most reliable men, after his death order was
read 20 the entire party and concurred in by
| every member US being not only Just but essen
| tial 10 o'lr safety. To avoid public scandal !
| ordered that no man should speak of this mat
| ter until an official report was made of the
! facts. have the honor to request that Court
OF Inquiry be ordered or a Court-martial con
| Vened should the honorable Secretary of War
| deem either advisable in this case ! have
thought il best not to ask for written statements
of the surviving members of the party for an ap
pendiX TO the report, lest ! might seem TO be
| tampcring with them. have not asked them
since our rescue, June 22d, whether their Opin-
| ions concurrinS in my action have changed or
not. leaving such questions 10 your action, If
deemed requisite. | naturally regret that cir
, cumstanceS imposed such Il terrible RESPONSE
| bility upon US, but am conscious that should
| have failed in my duty to the rest of my party
| had not acted promptly and summaTily.
! A. W. GREEIY