court of inquiry is, under such circumstances, tantamount to an official statement that some transaction to be inquired into and explained, charge, or imputation, is before the reviewing officer and affecting his mind to the prejudice of the officer at whose instance he grants the inquiry. When such is the case the letter asking the court, or something indicating the particular transaction, should be laid before them both for their edification and the advantage of the officer whose honor and reputation is to be affected by the result of the inquiries.

Major-General Price stands ready to vindicate his own acts, but does not propose to vindicate the conduct of every single officer and man who accompanied him on his campaign last fall into Missouri. So far as respects himself personally as an officer and a gentleman, he desires everything brought to light concerning it; but as he could only exercise human diligence and human energy, and was forced to rely on the zeal and discretion of junior officers for such support as would with good fortune be successful, he cannot be fairly bound to defend all his juniors, who, not having asked for an inquiry, are not before this Court. Much less can it become him, and still further is it from his desire, to investigate such disasters to his command in Missouri as were accompanied with the loss or captivity of the brave and valuable officers who commanded immediately at the time.

Major-General Price requests that the Court will determine the course they may feel it their duty to pursue in the progress of this investigation, and that he may be advised of such determination and make his dispositions in accordance. He calls attention to the second clause of the Article of War under which all courts of inquiry are authorized and instituted, which relates to the danger of courts of inquiry being perverted and used for the destruction of military merit, and relies on the high tone and integrity of his brother officers, uninfluenced by other than considerations of the most manly and soldierly character, for his complete vindication. He must as in duty bound to himself insist that courts of this character can only legitimately be called into being and dissolved by commanding officers of departments, and that any unasked for interference with their deliberations at any stage, so as to govern or direct any steps in the investigation, or produce delays, are without warrant and calculated to do him injustice and wrong.

EXHIBIT A.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., August 4, 1864.

Major General S. PRICE,

Commanding District of Arkansas:

GENERAL: You will make immediate arrangements for a movement into Missouri, with the entire cavalry force of your district. General Shelby should be instructed to have his command in Northeast Arkansas ready to move by the 20th instant. You can instruct him to await your arrival with the column immediately under your command. A brigade of Louisiana troops, under Colonel Harrison, has been ordered to report to you. They should be added to General Marmaduke's command, and with his old brigade constitute his division. General Clark should be transferred to the command of Marmaduke's old brigade. Colonel Greene should be left in Arkansas, together with the other regimental commanders whose mutinous conduct was already proved them unfitted for command.