No. 232.

Record of the McCook Court of Inquiry.

RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF A COURT OF INQUIRY, INSTITUTED BY THE FOLLOWING ORDER:

SPECIAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE,

No. 13. Washington, January 9, 1864.

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20. By direction of the President of the United States, a Court of Inquiry is hereby appointed to meet at Nashville, Tenn., on the 15th instant, or as soon thereafter as practicable, to investigate the conduct of Major Gens. A. McD. McCook, T. L. Crittenden, and James S. Negley, U. S. Volunteers,at the battle of Chickamauga, and in leaving the field, and also to give their opinion upon the facts which may be developed. The Court will adjourn from place to place, as may be deemed necessary to procure the testimony of witnesses, without regard to hours.

Detail for the Court: Major General David Hunter, U. S. Volunteers; Major General George Cadwalader, U. S. Volunteers; Brig. General J. S. Wadsworth, U. S. Volunteers; Colonel Edmund Schriver, inspector-general, recorder.

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By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

FIRST DAY.

NASHVILLE, January 29, 1864.

The Court met, pursuant to the above order, at 10 a.m., in the Saint Cloud Hotel.

Present, Major General Davis Hunter, U. S. Volunteers; Major General George Cadwalader, U. S. Volunteers; Brig. General J. S. Wadsworth, U. S. Volunteers, Colonel Edmund Schriver, inspector-general, recorder.

Major General A. McD. McCook, U. S. Volunteers, whose conduct is ordered to be investigated, was also present.

The order appointing the Court was then read. Major-General McCook being asked if he had any objection to the officers named in the detail, and replying in the negative, the members and recorder were sworn in his presence.

The Court then proceeded with the investigation, and directed the recorder to make the following communication to Major General George H. Thomas:

NASHVILLE, January 29, 1864.

Major-General THOMAS,

Commanding Department of the Cumberland, Chattanooga:

The Court of Inquiry instituted by Special Orders, No. 13, War Department, for the investigation of "the conduct of Major-Generals McCook, Crittenden, and Negly. U. S. Volunteers, at the battle of Chickamauga, and in leaving the field," desire