CHARGE.
“Conduct to the prejudice of Good Order and Military Discipline.”
Specification—In this: that he, Corporal Denny, was author of, did write and cause to be published in the Worcester Daily Spy, on the morning of December 29th, 1862, an article containing sentiments false and calculated to mislead the public with reference to the acts of Captain George P. Davis, then commanding troops on board the Charles Osgood, and reflecting censure on his (Corporal Denny’s) superior officer, which article was, in form and substance, as follows:
“Considerable feeling was created by the refusal of the privilege, but a quantity of whiskey provided by the officers allayed the feeling with some, while it only added intensity with others. It was looked at by many as a kind of bribe, while others were conscientiously opposed to the indiscriminate distribution of whiskey by even superior officers. It is to the credit of a large number that they threw the stuff overboard as soon as received. There is a general feeling that whiskey drinking is already too prevalent to have it so openly countenanced, and all well-wishers of the Union army hope the practice may soon be abandoned.”
Said article, of which the above is only an extract, was written after the departure of the steamer Charles Osgood from New York and before her arrival at New Orleans.
To which charge and specification the accused pleaded as follows:
To the specification—Not guilty.
To the charge—Not guilty.