GENERAL ORDERS, 
No. 18. 
WAR DEPARTMENT, 
Adjutant General’s Office, 
Washington, May 8, 1861. 
I..At a General Court Martial convened at Fort Union, New 
Mexico, by special orders No. 28, 1860, from the Headquarters of 
the Department of New Mexico, whereof Colonel B. L. E. Bonneville, 
3d Infantry, was President, was arraigned and tried Captain William 
K. Van Bokkelen, Assistant Quartermaster, U. S. A., on the following 
charges and specifications, viz : 
Charge 1st. 
Violation of the 39th Article of War. 
Specification. In this, that he, Captain William K. Van Bokkelen, of 
the U. S. Quartermaster’s Department, did pay or allow to be 
paid, out of the public funds in his charge, two hundred and 
twenty-five dollars, ($225,) on account of services as Trans- 
portation Clerk alleged by said Captain Van Bokkelen to have 
been rendered by K. A. Hanna during the months of July, Au- 
gust, and September, 1859, the said Hanna not having rendered 
the said service. This at Fort Union, New Mexico, on or about 
30th September, 1859. 
Charge 2d. 
Rendering incorrect accounts to the Government. 
Specification. In this, that he, Captain William K. Van Bokkelen, of 
the U. S. Quartermaster’s Department, did allow to be signed, 
and did file in support of his Accounts, false vouchers for certain 
disbursements of Public money, viz: The receipts of R. A. Hanna 
for two hundred and twenty-five dollars, ($225,) certified by the 
said Captain Van Bokkelen to have been paid to the said Hanna 
by him on account of services as Transportation Clerk during the 
months of July, August, and September, 1859, whereas the said 
Hanna did not render the said services, nor did he in good faith, 
or for his own benefit, receive the money stated in the account to 2 
have been paid him. This at Fort Union, New Mexico, on or 
about September 30th, 1859. 
Charge 3d. 
Habitual and Avowed Misapplication of the Public property under his charge. 
Specification 1st. In this, that he, Captain William K Van Bokkelen, of 
the U. S Quartermaster’s Department, having under his charge 
the Corrals, the Forage, and the men appertaining to the Quarter- 
master’s Department at Fort Union, N. M., and having sold by 
proper Authority certain Public horses, did permit his public 
employes to buy some of them, bring them back to the Corral 
(and keep them there by Public means) for their private uses. 
This at Fort Union, N. M., during part of the summer and fall 
of 1859. 
Specification 2d. In this, that he, the said Captain William K. Van 
Bokkelen, of the U. S. Quartermaster’s Department, having under 
his charge the Corrals, the Forage, the Wagons and teams, and 
the men appertaining to the Quartermaster’s Department at Fort 
Union, N. M., did improperly allow his public employes to use 
these public means in the cultivation of land for the purpose of 
raising forage thereon, and in hauling said forage into said Corral, 
and in storing it there. This at Fort Union, N. M., during part 
of the spring, summer, and fall of 1859. 
Specification id. In this, that he, Captain William K. Van Bokkelen, of 
the U. S. Quartermaster’s Department, did say that he made it 
his practice to use the Government means under his control for 
his private purposes, without having due regard to the public 
interests intrusted to him. This at Fort Union, N. M., on or 
about the 15th September, 1859. 
Specification 4th. In this, that he, Captain William K. Van Bokkelen, 
of the U. S. Quartermaster’s Department, did state that he had 
made seven thousand dollars ($7,000) since he came into this 
Department by means of his Government facilities. This at 
Fort Union, N. M., on or about the 15th September, 1859. 
Specification 5th. In this, that he, Captain William K. Yan Bokkelen, 
of the U. S. Quartermaster’s Department, did say that if he had 3 
not been a fool he would this year have taken the public men and 
teams, &c., under his control, have thereby raised forage to sell 
to the government, and so made five thousand dollars ($5,000) 
for his own pocket; and that if he remained here next year he 
would do it. This at Fort Union, N, M., on or about September 
15th, 1859. 
Charge 4tu. 
Conduct unbecoming an Officer and a Centleman. 
Specification 1st. In this, that he, Captain William K. Van Bokkelen, of 
the United States Quartermaster’s Department, did keep a black 
book against his brother officers, in which to record their transgres- 
sions in word or deed, so that he might, whenever he had personal 
motives for so doing, base charges on this record. This at Fort 
Union, New Mexico, during the year or a portion of the year 1859* 
Specification 2d. In this, that he, Captain William K. Van Bokkelen, 
of the United States Quartermaster’s Department, did state that 
he kept a black book against his brother officers, in which he re- 
corded any transgressions of theirs by word or deed, in order to 
protect himself against charges which they might otherwise pre- 
fer against him, and that he had found it to work well. This at 
Fort Union, New Mexico, on or about September 15th, 1859. 
The Court find the accused, Captain William K. Van Bokkelen, 
Assistant Quartermaster of the United States Army, as follows; 
Of the Specification of the 1st Charge, Guilty. 
Of the 1st Charge, Guilty. 
Of the Specification of the 2d Charge, Guilty. 
Of the 2d Charge, Guilty. 
Of the 1st Specification of the 3d Charge, Guilty of the facts as stated, 
except the words “and keep them there by public means;” but attach no 
criminality thereto. 
Of the 2d Specifiation of the 3d Charge, Guilty of the facts as stated, 
except the word *1 improperly ; ’ ’ but attach no criminality thereto. 
Of the 3d Specification of the 3d Charge, Guilty. 
Of the 4th Specification of the 3d Charge, Guilty, except the words 
“ by means of his government facilities ; ” but attach no criminality thereto. 4 
Of the 5th Specification of the 3d Charge, Guilty. 
Of the 3d Charge, Guilty, except the words “ Habitual and.” 
Of the 1st Specification of the 4th Charge, Guilty. 
Of the 2d Specification of the 4th Charge, Guilty. 
And the Court do, therefore, sentence him, Captain William K. Van 
Bokkelen, Assistant Quartermaster of the United States Army, to be 
cashiered. 
II.-The proceedings of the Court Martial having been transmitted 
to the Secretary of War, and laid before the President of the United 
States, the following are his orders on the case: 
The court have convicted the accused of “avowed misapplication of 
public property” on three specifications: 1st. That he said he made it 
his practice. 2d. That he said he h d made a large sum of money, 
not, however, the court find “ by means of his Government facilities,” 
whatever that may mean ; and 3d. That he said if he had not been a 
fool he would have made a large sum of money by use of public men 
and teams ; and that he intended to do it next year. Such declara- 
tions would be proofs under proper specifications to a proper charge ; 
but they are not specifications of fact to the charge stated. The verdict 
on this charge cannot therefore be sirstained. 
The accused is also convicted of keeping a 1 * black book or record of 
the transgressions of his brother officers.” The contents of such private 
records, or the fact of his making or keeping them, are matters that 
public authority can have no more right to inquire into as ground of 
prosecution than into the contents of his memory. The charge is not 
tenable. 
The other two charges, viz.: in the matter of Hanna’s accounts, are 
sufficient, and are sustained by the plea of the accused, and by the 
evidence for the prosecution. But the court rejected legal evidence 
offered by the defence to rebut them ; for the clerk of the quarter- 
master being offered to explain the accounts the court refused to allow 
him to be sworn upon evidence which did not go to his competency at 
all, and which, even as going to his credibility, was not in legal form. 
The accused is therefore entitled to a new trial, for the benefit of the 
evidence ruled out, if he claims it. He will therefore be allowed to 
sav whether, the 3d and 4th Charges being dismissed, he abides the 5 
verdict and sentence on the 1st and 2d charges, or claims a new trial 
on them. 
JOHN B. FLOYD, 
Secretary of War. 
War Department, July 26, 1860. 
Pursuant to which order and to special orders No. 155 of said date, 
and of special orders No. 192 of September 7,1860, from the Adju- 
tant General’s Office, a new trial of the aforesaid 1st and 2d charges 
and the specifications was granted and had before a general court 
whereof Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Bomford, Captain of the 8th In- 
fantry, was President, and the following is the finding and sentence of 
the said court. 
That Captain William K. Van Bokkelen, Assistant Quartermaster 
U. S. Army, is “guilty of the specification to the 1st charge; that he 
is guilty of the 1st charge; that he is guilty of the specification to the 
2d charge; that he is guilty of the 2d charge. And the court does 
therefore sentence Captain William K. Yan Bokkelen, Assistant Quar- 
termaster U. S. Army, to be cashiered.” 
III..The proceedings of the General Court Martial in the foregoing 
case have been submitted to the Secretary of War and by him laid 
before the President, by whom they are approved. Captain William 
K. Yan Bokkelen accordingly ceases to be an officer of the U. S. Army 
from this date. 
IY..The General Court Martial of which Colonel B L. E. Bonne- 
ville, 3d Infantry, is President, is dissolved. 
By order of the Secretary of War. 
L. THOMAS, 
Adjutant General. 
Official: 
Assistant Adjutant General.