Between the Lines Part 39

Baltimore, July 19th, 1865.

Special Order No. 1.

I. Lieut. H. B. Smith, 5th N. Y. H. Artillery, is hereby relieved from duty as a.s.sistant Provost Marshal, 8th Army Corps, and will rejoin his regiment without delay.

By command of Major General Hanc.o.c.k.

ADAM E. KING, a.s.st. Adjutant General.

Official.

(Signed) GEO. H. HOOKER, a.s.sistant Adjutant General.

Lt. H. B. Smith, 5th N. Y. H. Artillery, D. Co.

Headquarters, Middle Department, 8th Army Corps.

Baltimore, Md., July 20, 1865.

Lieutenant H. B. Smith, 5th New York Artillery, was on detached service as a.s.sistant to the Provost Marshal, Middle Department, 8th Army Corps, at Baltimore, Maryland, during sixteen (16) months, 1864 and 1865, and always performed his duties zealously, efficiently, and promptly.

He won the confidence and esteem of the General Commanding, and all the officers of the Staff. As Lieut. Smith is to be mustered out of service, I take pleasure in thus furnis.h.i.+ng him with evidence of the meritorious service he has rendered, and my belief that he will be equal to any trust that may be reposed on him, and entirely worthy the confidence of all with whom he may be a.s.sociated in civil life.

SAMUEL B. LAWRENCE, Lieut. Col. & A. A. G.

On August 1st, 1865, I was appointed as a civilian to perform the same duties:

Military Headquarters, Middle Department, Office Provost Marshal.

Baltimore, August 31, 1865.

Special Order No. 106.

1st. H. B. Smith, Commanding Detective Corps. Middle Military Division, will proceed to Philadelphia, Pa., for the purpose of obtaining information regarding a certain commissioned officer of the U. S. Vet. Res. Corps.

On completion of his duty he will report at these headquarters without delay.

Quartermaster's department will furnish transportation.

By command of Major General Humphreys.

JOHN WOOLLEY, Lt. Col. & Pro. Mar. General.

Headquarters, Middle Military Department, Office Provost Marshal General, Baltimore, Sept. 20, 1865.

Special Order No. 116.

IInd. H. B. Smith, Chief of Detective Corps, Middle Military Department, and one man as guard, will proceed to Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., in charge of the following-named horse thieves:

Michael Shea and H. J. Hoffman. On arrival he will deliver the prisoners with accompanying paper to Colonel T. Ingraham, Provost Marshal General, Defences of Potomac, receive receipt and report at these headquarters without delay.

Quartermaster's Department will furnish transportation.

By command of Major General Hanc.o.c.k.

JOHN WOOLLEY, Lt. Col. & Pro. Mar. Gen'l.

Horse stealing was much in fas.h.i.+on at this time.

Headquarters, Middle Military Department, Office Provost Marshal General, Baltimore, Sept. 22, 1865.

Special Order No. 117.

II. H. B. Smith, Chief of Detective Corps, Middle Military Department, and one man as guard, will proceed to Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., in charge of the following named horse thieves:

Wm. H. Smith and R. B. Franklin, alias Robert Nelson. On arrival he will deliver the prisoners with accompanying papers to Capt. Geo. B. Russell, Acting Provost Marshal General, Defences North of Potomac, receive receipt for same and report at these headquarters without delay.

Quartermaster's Department will furnish transportation.

By command of Major General Hanc.o.c.k.

JOHN WOOLLEY, Lt. Col. & Provost Marshal General.

FILE XLVII.

Captain Beckwith convicted--Gambling--Order to take Beckwith to Albany penitentiary.

Along about August and September, 1865, the Government ordered surveillance of all gambling houses, to discover if disbursing officers were gambling. This was my first experience in the art. It was a free school, for the tuition was on Uncle Sam. The lessons have served me all my life, and I have never wanted to go to that school since.

We appropriated from five to ten dollars an evening, to be spent in each house visited, depending on its standing. That gave us entry and made us welcome so that we could spend the evening. I gambled and observed, along with Captain Beckwith. I saw him win, and also saw him lose; lose far more than he could afford to. That was his undoing. Powerful interests were extended in his behalf and he was pardoned. Now read the two doc.u.ments following:

War Department, Adjutant General's Office.

Was.h.i.+ngton, October 19, 1865.

General Court Martial.

Orders No. 584.