entitled to the highest respect and honor. Its decisions and sentences, however, must have the approval of the President of the United States to give them validity. CHAPTER IX. CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMISSION, AND TRIAL. The order of the President required the Assistant Adjutant General of the army to detail nine competent military officers to serve as a commission for the trial of the parties in custody, and also that the Judge Advocate General should proceed to prefer charges against them for their alleged offenses, and bring them to trial before the Commission, under the conduct of the Judge Advocate General as the recorder thereof, in person, and assisted by such assistant, or special judge advocates as he might select, and that the trial should be conducted with all diligence, consistent with the ends of justice. Brevet Major General Hartranft was assigned to duty, by the President's order, as Special Provost Martial General for the occasion. The following officers were designated by the Assistant Adjutant General as the detail for the court:-- Major General David H. Hunter, U.S.V., to preside over the Commission. Major General Lewis Wallace, U.S.V. Brevet Major General August V. Kautz, U.S.V. Brigadier General Albion P. Howe, U.S.V. Brigadier General Robert S. Foster, U.S.V. Brevet Brigadier General Cyrus Comstock, U.S.V. Brigadier General T. M. Harris, U.S.V. Brevet Colonel Horace Porter, Aide-de-Camp. Lieutenant Colonel David R. Clendennin, Eighth Illinois Cavalry. Brigadier General Joseph Holt, Judge Advocate General United States Army, Judge Advocate and Recorder of the Commission, aided by such special or assistant judge advocates as he might designate. [Illustration: T. M. Harris. August V. Kautz. J. A. Ekin. Hon. Jno. A. Bingham. Chas. H. Tompkins. R. S. Foster. D. R. Clendenin. D. Hunter. Lew Wallace. A. D. Howe. Hon. J. Holt. H. L. Burnett. MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY COMMISSION.] The details for the Commission were made on the 6th of May, 1865, and it was ordered to meet at Washington City on the 8th of May, or as soon thereafter as possible. The Commission held its first meeting on the 9th of May, at ten o'clock A.M., all the members being present, also the Judge Advocate General.