Year: 1862

Important Repor OF tho Potter Invcsti-


eating Co mmittee.


The long expected report Of the Potter investigator ng
Committee, appointed by the House Of Representatives
At the extra session. 70 investigate the Of dsloya
clerks and other persons in the employment Of the go
vsrnment has at length been completed and will be pre-
sented to-day. More than FIVE hundred charges have
been thoroughly examined with excellent effect in
Instances, and with very unsatisfactory evidence in
others.


The clerks in the various public departments are
nearly all more less compromised by the results Of
this investigation. The principal charges against them
sympathy with the rebellion, abuse Of trust reposcd
in thsm and the general expression Of reasonable
disloyal sentiments


rue CHARGES AGAINST DISTRICT ATTORNEY cARRrSGyoN.


The evidence in this case discoses the fact that last
summer, while he captain Of . volunteer company
Washington (as well as District Attorney, his troops
ordered up to Seneca Mills, in Maryland but he
State" and that he "could not lift his hand against his
mother" At another time he is charged with saying he
that he received his pay as captain and
kept the Office Of District Attorney, given him by
Der Of republican administration The committee con-
clude that Captain Carringons sympathies divided
and that such cannot be trusted to repress the
bellion or to defend the constitution and the laws"
HOW LIEUTENANT COLONEL NAYNADrrR AIDED THE TRAITOR |


rREAsoxs


This officer holds the position Of assistant the chief
Of ordnance The principal charges affecting his loyalty
are-frst that he party the effort in December
1890 Of John B. Floyd then Secretary OF War; to
cannon TO south under the preece Of armng fort
hcations at Galveston and ship Island which in fact had
existence but in reality. 10 furnish the munitions
war for the intended rebellion and second that he was
to A. A. Belknap and 20 900 TO other parties in violation
of law and to the great detrment Of the public service
enemies. The first Of these charges formally pre-
erred by Colonel Craig Of the Ordnance Department in
June last against Major Maynader TO which the latter
in letter to Adjutant General Thomas dated
the 2lst OF the same month He says


condition OF any fortifcatons tho Gulf coast.
The Secretary of War sent for me and gave a
positive order to send the cannon pertaining to
the of the forts ship Island and Calves
| ton TO these forts. iknew not aud 1t did not be-
come TO inquire into the motives of the
Secretary Of War for giving an order clearly within his
province. My duty obedience and questioning
| and simply obeyed. asccgtaned from the Engineer
Department what kind and cabrc OF guns composed the
armament Of these forts tho proper kind
tanned, directed to be sent Article CO. Ordnance
Regulations Of 1852 rescribes that the armng OF per
mancnt fortiacations will be specially directed by the
Secretary Of War;


The principal witness on this charge is General H. G.
Wright. Of tho Engineer corps. He that Major
Maynadier applied 20 him for Information regarding the
number Of guns for Notifications at Galveston and Ship
Island, and that his answer as follows


My reply to the question was in effect that the works
referred to in condition to receive their
ments that the first mentioned not defensibe, not
being prepared for its first tier Of guns and that
the second the ground for laying the foundations Of the
fort had not been broken and finally that the guns would
not only be useless there but in the way Of any opera
tions Of construction. stated TO him, moreover that
the armament OF the works had never been fixed by the
armament board, and that, while could give him the
number Of guns the plans contemplated could give
him their calibre. In to this he stated effect
that he had the positive order Of the Secretary Of War
the guns and that while ho bound to obey the
order he not responsible for its proprsty. and
quested me 10 give him the information he wanted This
request Ear complied with as to show him the plans
of the works, count the number pieces Of ordnance Tor
which they designed and t0gve him my opinion az
| to what the kind and calibrc should be.


In answer TO many other questions tho witness further
that he prosumed that the purpose Of Secre
NJ w a Iaru n1.ar M
heavy guns In positions where they could be seized by
the rebels disanectcd authorities Of the Gulf states


could no other purpose in sending the guns those
places at that tmeh He adds


al was 80 fully impressed with this idea that pre-
sentsd the whole matter 70 General j. g. Totsn at that


time In this city, but not then duty in the Engineer
Department; aud he submitted statement OF the
In q note TO General Scott. What further action was
taken in the matter am unable TO state positively but


understand that the detention OF tho guns at Pittsburg
| grew out Of General Scott's action"


Lieutenant Colonel Maynadier dwels at length upon
the fact that the duty Of ordering the armament Of for


catons belongs TO the Secretary OF War But Captain
H. G. (now GeneraD Wright tostes before the Military
Committee, as TO the usual course pursued, that


/" The Engineer Department reports TO the Secretary
Of War that the particular work In ready for the whole
or part Of its armament, describing the armament
needed II then remains for the Secretary Of War
der the armament to be supplied or not, as he may
1T. The order TO the Ordnance Department, be-
lieve" Colonel Craig for ten at the head Of the
Ordnance Department. states on oath before the
committee, q that when fortincatons are ready for
armament the usual practice s for the Chief Engineer
notify the Chief OF Ordnance that the forthcation
ready for its guns naming the kind his
is referred 30 the Secretary Of War, who directs the


This is the testimony OF high officers of the army and
there II no doubt that Lieutenant Colonel M,ynadier in
executing the order OF Floyd for the transmission Of
hundred and fortyone OF the largest from Pitts
burg TO the Gulf of Mexico doubt did 10 with the FIJI
knowedg that one Of the forts unfinished and the
other not yet begun It's scarcely less clear that May