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No. 103.

New Orleans, December 3, 1862.

At a Military Commission which convened at New Orleans, pursuant to Special Orders No. 221, from these Headquarters, and of which Col. HENRY W BIRGE, 13th Regiment Connecticut Volunteers, was president, were arraigned and tried:

L. WILLIAM GAUNT.

CHARGE--"Treason."

SPECIFICATION--In this: that said William Gaunt did attempt to convey drugs and medicines without the lines of the United States Army, thus affording aid and comfort to the enemy.

To which charge and specification the prisoner pleaded Not Guilty.

FINDING OF THE COMMISSION.

Of the specification--Guilty.

Of the charge-Guilty.

SENTENCE.

That all the property, purchased by said William Gaunt for the purpose charged, be confiscated to the use of the Government of the United States, and that said William Gaunt be confined at hard labor on Ship Island during the war.

II. JOHN P. HORR.

CHARGE" Treason."

SPECIFICATION 1st-For that: being a citizen of the United States of America and owing allegiance thereto, the said John P. Horr, on or about the 24th of July, 1862, having heretofore been in rebellion against the said United States, and having given his parole of honor as a prisoner of war, that he would not give any aid, countenance or assistance to any of the enemies of the United States of America, did pass without the lines of the armies of the United States to and within the lines of the armies of the Confederate States so called, and did then and there receive a pass from the General commanding at Camp Moore, La., to pass said lines to New Orleans and return, and did then and there undertake to convey to said Camp Moore medicines and Government supplies, intending thereby to give aid, countenance and support to the enemies of the United States aforesaid.

SPECIFICATION 2d-For that being a citizen of the United States of America and owing allegiance thereto, the said John P. Horr, on or about the 24th July,

1862, having given and taken his parole as aforesaid, did pass and repass between the army of the United States aforesaid and the army arrayed against it, conveying goods, medicines and letters, and other aid, countenance and assistance to the enemies of the said United States, thereby violating his said parole so given and taken as aforesaid.

To which specifications the prisoner pleaded Not Guilty.

FINDING OF THE COMMISSION.

Of the first specification-Guilty.

Of the second specification-Guilty.

Of the charge-Guilty.

SENTENCE.

And does therefore sentence that the prisoner, John P. Horr, be confined at hard labor, on Ship Island, during life, unless sooner discharged by the President of the United States.

The Commission is agreed on the above sentence, instead of a sentence of capital punishment, in consideration of the fact that the principal evidence for the conviction of the prisoner was derived from his own admission.

III. J. M. KOSTARBATER, Private of Company F, 13th Regiment Connecticut Vol

unteers.

CHARGE" Insubordination."

SPECIFICATION-In this: that having repeatedly been warned to perform his duty as a baker at the St. James Hospital, did, on or about the 10th of August, most positively and insolently refuse to bake any bread, at a time when the lives of wounded soldiers were dependent upon the individual efforts of every employee of the hospital.

To which charge and specification the prisoner pleaded Not Guilty.

FINDING OF THE COMMISSION.

Of the specification-Guilty.

Of the charge-Guilty.

SENTENCE.

On account of extenuating circumstances, the prisoner shall forfeit to the United States two months' pay, and be reprimanded before his company by his commanding officer.

IV. WILLIAM H. MARSHALL.

CHARGE Treason."

SPECIFICATION-In this: that said William H. Marshall did convey medicines, provisions and letters without the lines of the United States forces, thus affording aid and comfort to the enemy. This on or about the 10th of May, 1862.

To which charge and specification the prisoner pleaded Not Guilty.

FINDING OF THE COMMISSION.

Of the specification--Guilty.

Of the charge-Guilty.

SENTENCE.

The Commission sentence William H. Marshall to confinement, at hard labor, on Ship Island, for one year.

II.

The proceedings of the Military Commission, in the foregoing cases, having been submitted to the Commanding General, he endorses upon them, "Proceedings, findings and sentences approved ;" and in the case of John P. Horr, he endorses in addition, "but the sentence should have been death; the source of the evidence of guilt should make no difference in the crime, if the fact is satisfactorily proved.”

III.

The Military Commission, of which Col. H. W. BIRGE is President, is hereby adjourned.

BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL BUTLER :

R. S. DAVIS,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant General.

No. 104.

New Orleans, December 5, 1862.

The attention of the Commanding General has been called to the rapidly increasing consumption of provisions in this Department of late, far exceeding the amount needed for the subsistence of the troops and legitimate employees. Much waste has arisen from the want of proper attention in the issues to contrabands. Numbers are fed unnecessarily, and are made dependent upon the Military Commissariat, which, by the exercise of a little judgment and reflection, might have been avoided.

The attention of all officers ordering the issues of provisions to contrabands is called to the necessity of the observance of a rigid economy in this matter, as well as to the care and preservation of subsistence stores whilst in depot, and in transitu from point to point. Hereafter the following will be the ration for all able-bodied contrabands, men and women, above the age of sixteen years, in the employ of the several Staff Departments, and those necessarily employed in the service of regiments or detachments, viz:

lb. pork or bacon, or 1 lb. beef;

1 lb. corn meal, flour or hard bread, and at the rate, to every 100 rations, of 10 lbs. hominy or rice;

5 lbs. green coffee, or 4 lbs. roasted and ground coffee;

10 lbs. sugar;

2 quarts vinegar;

lb. tallow candles, or lb. adamantine candles;

4 lbs. soap;

2 quarts salt; and

1 gallon molasses-twice per week.

Children of contrabands, in the service of Government, under sixteen years of age, will be allowed one-half the above ration.

No issues will be made to others, except to the sick and decrepit, and then in quantities just sufficient to suffice their wants.

All officers ordering the issues of provisions to contrabands, will carefully verify the number drawn for; and at the end of every month, muster all contrabands drawing provisions, transmitting to these Headquarters, by the 5th of the following month, a certified muster-roll, stating number, age and sex, and in what capacity employed. Separate rolls will be made for those doing duty in the several Staff Departments, and in the service of regiments or detachments.

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