DDJ or DDT Gordon?

[David Lockmiller]

(12-17-2013 02:54 PM)Angela Wrote:  Just recently, I had a Lincoln paper in my hands and promised to find out all about it. That proves to be rather difficult and I was hoping to find some help on here.

The paper is a simple note on Executive Mansion stationary and reads “Washington, 23 July 1864, Please send by bearer the papers in the case D. D. J. Gordon”

I have searched online records but have not come across a person with that name.

After looking again closely, I noticed that the J could be a T as well and found a Daniel T. Gordon.

Scattered in various archives I learned that this person (if it is just one person) was born in 1833 in NY (Census of 1850), showed up on the payroll of the Treasury Department in 1857 (Warehouse Clerk in NY) and the NY Times reported his Nomination Recommended for Confirmation as Asst. Quartermaster with the Rank of Captain on February 18 1863.

On 13 August 1864 The National Republican reported: “Captain Daniel D. T. Gordon, Assistant Quartermaster United Btatea volunteers, dismissed by sentence of a General Court-Martial, has been restored to bis former rank In the service.”

He also shows up here:
GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY CORPS, Numbers 1.
Faison's Station, N. C., April 2, 1865.
In compliance with General Orders, Numbers 49, current series, War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, the undersigned assumes command of the Tenth Army Corps. The following officers will compose the staff of the corps: Surg. Norman S. Barnes, U. S. Volunteers medical director; Major Adrian Terry, U. S. Volunteers, assitant adjutant-general; Major Charles H. Graves, U. S. Volunteers, aide-de-camp; Major George F. Towle, Fourth New Hampshire Volunteers, acting inspector-general; Captain Daniel D. T. Gordon, U. S. Volunteers, aide-de-camp (…)”

I am rather curious how I can possibly find out more about the court martial that is mentioned in the National Republican since I think this could be what the note I mentioned was referring to (because of the dates).

I was advised to take a look at “Lincoln day by day” – but that did not seem to have anything either.

My question, after all this text, is rather simple – how can I learn more about that particular court martial? Especially from somewhat out of town. But any info would be great – I’ll be back in D.C. next summer!

Would the following be of some use to you?


National Archives, Washington DC

Army Courts-Martial
Court-martial records are a great source of information not only for a particular individual but also for providing insights into the trials and tribulations faced by soldiers. Records related to the proceedings of U.S. Army courts-martial, courts of inquiry, and military commissions can be found in Record Group 153, Records of the Judge Advocate General (Army). To find an individual's case file, first consult National Archives Microfilm Publication M1105, Registers of the Records of the Proceedings of the U.S. Army General Courts-martial, 1809–1890. The registers direct you to an alphanumeric series of case file numbers. The case files are located in RG 153, entry 15. Only a few select cases have been reproduced on microfilm.

The chapter notes to Thomas P. Lowry's book "Don't Shoot That Boy! (Abraham Lincoln and Military Justice) has dozens of references to Records Group 153 original source material. Unfortunately, the only "Gordon" listed in the index of Lowry's book is First Lt. John A. Gordon.

There is additional information on the National Archives website.

Good Luck!