Today in History:

890 Series I Volume XVII-II Serial 25 - Corinth Part II

Page 890 Chapter XXIX. WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS.

quarters Department of the Tennessee, February 3, 1863, and of which Brigadier General J. M. Thayer, U. S. Volunteers, is president, was arraigned and tried Thomas W. Knox.

CHARGE 1ST.-Giving intelligence to the enemy, directly or indirectly.

Specification 1st.-In this, that Thomas W. Knox, citizen and camp follower, did, while following and attending the Army of the United States, on board a chartered transport in the service of the United States, write for publication, and cause to be published in the New York Herald, of date January 18, 1863, a certain article purporting to be a history of the operations of the army before Vicksburg, dated Steamer Continental, Right Wing, Thirteenth Army Corps, Milliken's Bend, January 3, 1863, in which he gives the names of commanders of corps, divisions, and brigades comprising said army, with the number and description of the regiments composing one of said divisions, thereby indirectly conveying to the enemy an approximate estimate of its strength, in direct violation of the Fifty-seventh Article of War.

Specification 2d.-In this, that the said Thomas W. Knox, citizen and camp-follower, did publish or cause to be published in the New York Herald, under date of January 18, 1863, a certain article purporting to be a history of the operations of the army before Vicksburg, dated Steamer Continental, Right Wing, Thirteenth Army Corps, Milliken's Bend, January 3, 1863, in direct violation of General Orders, Numbers 67, dated War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, Washington, August 26, 1861.

CHARGE 2.-Being a spy.

Specification 1st.-That said Thomas W. Knox, being a citizen and camp follower, and having no authority, leave, or consent to attend the army, did, at Helena, Ark., on or about the 21st day of December, 1862, get on board the transport Continental, and did remain on board said transport until about the 3rd day of January, 1863, acting as a spy, in direct violation of General Orders, Numbers 8, dated Headquarters Right Wing, Thirteenth Army Corps, Memphis, Tenn., December 18, 1862, Paragraph VI, as follows:

Any person whatever, whether in the service of the United States or transports, found making reports for publication which might reach the enemy giving them information and comfort, will be arrested and treated as spies.

Which orders were published in the public newspapers of Memphis, and their purport know to the said Knox, on or about the 3rd day of January, 1863, about which time he wrote for publication a letter of January 3, 1863, which was published in the New York Herald of January 18, 1863, containing all he pretended to know of the organization and strength of said army, and detracting from the merits of many officers high in command of said army, thereby giving information and comfort to the enemy.

Specification 2d.-That said Thomas W. Knox did, whilst so acting as a spy, publish or cause to be published in the New York Heral, under date of January 18, 1863, sundry and various false allegations and accusations against the officers of the Army of the United States, to be great detriment of the interest of the National Government and comfort of our enemies, to wit:

To his right was General Stuart, busy erecting a bridge over the bayou, and on the extreme right was General A. J. Smith, within 1 1\2 miles of Vicksburg, frittering away his time in preparing to throw a bridge across a place where his troops could readily march through. This was the situation up to the latter part of the forenoon of the


Page 890 Chapter XXIX. WEST TENN. AND NORTHERN MISS.