WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, May 2, 1866.

Honorable S. COLFAX, Speaker of the House of Representatives:

SIR: In reply to the resolution of the House of Representatives of April 16, 1866, directing the Secretary of War to communicate the Judge-Advocate-General's report and other information respecting measures which have been taken to bring to punishment the murderers of certain Union soldiers belonging to the First and Second Regiments of North Carolina loyal infantry, alleged to have been tried and executed under orders of the rebel generals Pickett and Hoke, I have the honor to transmit herewith the Adjutant-General's letter of the 1st instant on the subject, covering and enumerating all the papers and correspondence on file in the Department.

Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

[Inclosure.]

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, May 1, 1866.

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

SIR: In compliance with your orders I have the honor to submit copies of papers called for by resolution of the House of Representatives dated April 16, 1866, requesting "a report of the Judge-Advocate-General and such other information as may be of record or on file in his department on the subject, which will show what are the facts in the case and what steps have been taken to bring to justice and punishment the murderers of the following-named Union soldiers, belonging to the First and Second Regiments of North Carolina loyal infantry, alleged to have been tried and executed by orders of the rebel generals Pickett and Hoke, under the pretext of their being deserters from the Confederate service, viz: Jesse J. Summerlin, Hardy Dougherty, Stephen Jones, Davis Jones, William Haddock, John Freeman, Joseph Brock, Sergt. Joseph H. Fulcher, William D. Jones, Charles Cuthrell, [Elijah] Kellum, Mitchell Busick, Lewis Freeman, Joseph L. Haskett, William Irving, Amos Amyett, Stephen Jones, John J. Brock."

The papers herewith are:

1. Letter of Major General B. F. Butler to General Grant, inclosing copy of correspondence between Major General J. J. Peck, U. S. Volunteers, and the rebel General Pickett, concerning the execution, &c., of loyal North Carolina Union soldiers.*

2. Extracts from North Carolina rebel newspapers.+

3. Report of a board of inquiry, and report upon the alleged murder of a large number of U. S. soldiers by the rebels during the spring of 1864, convened at New Berne, N. C., October 19, 1865.+

4. Additional proceedings of same court.+

5. Proceedings of second board of inquiry in case of murder of Union soldiers at Kinston, N. C., in 1864.+

6. Report of Judge-Advocate-General of December 12, 1865, on memorial and other papers relating to the barbarous slaying upon the gallows of certain Union soldiers at Kinston, N. C.; papers hereunto appended.+

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*See Butler to Grant, April 14, 1864 (with inclosures), Series I, Vol. XXXIII, p. 865; Palmer to Pickett, February 9, 1864; Pickett to Palmer, February 17, 1864; Pickett to Cooper, February 26, 1864; Pickett to Peck, February 27, 1864; Pickett to Peck, March 15, 1864, and Pickett to Cooper, March 25, 1864, Vol. VI, this series, pp. 936, 964, 993, 994, 1095 (two), respectively.

+Published in Executive Document, Numbers 98, House of Representatives, Thirty-ninth Congress, first session, pp. 10-89.

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