GENERAL ORDERS, 
No. 76. 
ADJUTANT GENERAL’S OFFICE, 
Washington, September 12, 1861. 
I.-At the General Court Martial which convened at Fort Monroe, 
Va., pursuant to “ Special Orders ” No. 190, of July 16,1861, from the 
War Department, and of which Col. John W. Phelps, 1st Regiment 
Vermont Volunteers, is President, was arraigned and tried Colonel 
William H. Allen, 1st Regiment N. Y. Volunteers, on the following 
charges and specifications, viz: 
Charge I. 
“Disobedience of Orders.” 
Specification—“In this; that Colonel William II. Allen, commanding 
the 1st Regiment New York Volunteers, did go himself and 
did send a portion of his command beyond the line of Pickets 
of Camp Hamilton, Va.., in direct violation of Special Orders 
No. 27, from Major General Butler, dated June 7, 1861. This 
on or about the 27th day of June, 1861, at or near Buck Roe 
farm, Va.” 
Charge II. 
“Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline.’’ 
Specification ls£—“In this; that Colonel William II. Allen, command- 
ing the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers, did arrest or 
cause to he arrested in his, said Colonel William H. Allen’s, camp, 
one Patrick H. Hopkins, a citizen of the State of Virginia, 
having and exhibiting at the time of his arrest a written pro- 
tection or safeguard from Major General Butler, commanding 
the Department of Virginia, &c., and did keep said Hopkins a 
prisoner in his said Colonel Allen’s camp several hours without 
reporting said Hopkins’s arrest to General Peirce, his immediate 
commanding officer. This at the camp of the 1st Regiment 
New York Volunteers, near Fort Monroe, Va., on or about the 
27th of June, 1861.’’ 2 
Specification 2d—“In this; that Colonel William II. Alim, command- 
ing the 1st Regiment New York Volunteers, did arrest or cause 
to be arrested one Robert Jackson, a citizen of the State of 
Virginia, said Jackson having and exhibiting at the time of 
his arrest a safeguard or protection in writing from Major 
Geueral Butler, and did fail to report such arrest to Brigadier 
General Peirce, his immediate commanding officer. This at or 
near Buck Roe farm, Virginia, on or about the 27th of June, 
1861.” 
Specification 3d—“In this; that Colonel William H. Allen, commanding 
the 1st Regiment New York Volunteers, did arrest or cause to 
be arrested, Richard Arrington, James Hopkins, and John 
Clinton, citizens of the State of Virginia, and did send them to 
Major General Butler, commanding the Department of Virginia, 
without Major General Butler, or his immediate commander, 
Brigadier General Pierce’s orders, or without reporting to 
Brigadier General Peirce that he had made such arrests. This 
at or near Buck Roe farm, Va., on or about the 27th of June, 
1861.” 
Charge III. 
“ Maliciously causing private property to be destroyed.” 
Specification—“In this; that Colonel William II. Allen, commanding 
the 1st Regiment New York Volunteers, caused to be burned 
on a place called Buck Roe farm, Va., a quantity of wheat in 
sliooks, the produce of about twenty-five acres ; this without 
any authority from the Commander-in-chief of the armies of 
the United States. This at or near Buck Roe farm, on or 
about the 27th of June, 1861.’’ 
Charge IV. 
“ Conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.” 
Specification—“In this; that Colonel William II. Allen, commanding 
the 1st Regiment New York Volunteers, did inform General 
Peirce, in the presence of his aides, and did inform other officers, 3 
that he (Colonel Allen) had not sent a party to burn a wheat 
crop, referring to a crop of wheat which had bern burned in the 
neighborhood. This after he had sent a party to burn the 
wheat, and had approved the report of the officer commanding 
the party sent. This at or near Camp Hamilton, Virginia, on 
or about the 27th June, 1861.” 
Charge V. 
‘ ‘ Breach of Arrest. ’' 
Specification—“In this; that Colonel William 11. Allen, commanding 
the 1st Regimont New York Volunteers, after being placed in 
arrest by Major General Butler, in Special Orders dated June 
28, 1861, did leave his confinement before he was set at liberty 
by his commanding officer or by a superior, by going beyond 
the limits assigned to him by orders, dated June 28, 1861, and 
signed by Major General Butler, commanding the Department 
of Virginia, &c. This at or near Hampton, Va., on or about 
the 2d July, 1861.” 
Charge 6. 
“ Drunkenness on duly.” 
Specification—“In this; that Colonel William 11. Allen, commanding 
1st Regiment New York Volunteers, was drunk at Major 
General Butler's office, when visiting said office by order of 
Major General Butler. This at Fort Monroe, Va., on or about 
the 28th of June, 1861.” 
To which charges and specifications the accused pleaded as follows, 
viz : 
To the Specification 1st Charge, “ Not Guilty.” 
To the 1st Charge, “ Not Guilty.” 
To the 1st Specification 2d Charge, “Not Guilty.” 
To the 2d Specification 2d Charge, “ Not Guilty.” 
To the 3d Specification 2d Charge, “ Not Guilty.” 
To the 2d Charge, “Not Guilty.” 
To the Specification 3d Charge, “ Not Guilty.” 4 
To the 3d Charge, “Not Guilty.” 
To the Specification 4th Charge, “ Not Guilty.” 
To the 4th Charge, “ Not Guilty.” 
To the Specification 5th Charge, “ Not Guilty.” 
To the 5th Charge, “ Not Guilty.” 
To the Specification 6th Charge, “ Not Guilty.” 
To the 6th Charge, “Not Guilty.” 
’ Findings of the Court. 
After mature deliberation the Court found the accused, Colonel 
William H. Allen, commanding the 1st Resiment of New York Volun- 
teers, as follows: 
Of the Specification to 1st Charge, “Guilty, except the words “did 
go himself and,” and except the words “No. 27,” and the words 
“dated June 7, 1861.” 
Of the 1st Charge, “ Guilty.” 
Of the 1st Specification to 2d Charge, “Not Guilty.” 
Of the 2d Specification to 2d Charge, “Not Guilty.” 
Of the 3d Specification to 2d Charge, “Not Guilty.” 
Of the 2d Charge, “Not Guilty.” 
Of the Specification to 3d Charge, “Guilty.” 
Of the 3d Charge, “Guilty.” 
Of the Specification to 4th Charge, “Guilty, except the words Gen. 
Peirce in the presence of his aides.” 
Of the 4th Charge, “Guilty.” 
Of the Specification to 5th Charge, “Guilty.” 
Of the 5th Charge, “Guilty.” 
Of the Specification to 6th Charge, “Not Guilty.” 
Of the 6th Charge, “Not Guilty.” 
Sentence. 
And the Court did, “therefore sentence him, Colonel William II. 
Allen, commanding the 1st Regiment New York Volunteers,” “ To be 
cashiered. ’ ’ 
II..In conformity with the 65th Article of War, the proceedings of 
the General Court Martial in the foregoing case have been transmitted 5 
to the Secretary of War, and by him laid before the President of the 
United States, and the following are the orders thereon: 
Washington, September 10, 1861. 
The proceedings, findings, and sentence of the Court in the case of 
Colonel William H. Allen, 1st Regiment New York Volunteers, are 
confirmed and approved. 
A. LINCOLN. 
The name of Colonel William H. Allen, 1st Regiment New York 
Volunteers, will accordingly be stricken from the rolls of the service, 
to date from September 10, 1861. 
III.-The General Court Martial of which Colonel John W. Phelps, 
1st Regiment Vermont Volunteers, is President is dissolved. 
order : 
Official: 
L. THOMAS, 
Adjutant General. 
Assistant Adjutant General.