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CPT Charles A De Arnaud

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CPT Charles A De Arnaud Veteran

Birth
Russia
Death
28 Dec 1905
District of Columbia, USA
Burial
Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Union soldier buried at Mt Olivet December 29, 1905
Rendered services for his adopted country which are acknowledged by Lincoln, Grant, Fremont and other distinguished men...
Died age 70 (Evening Star, PAGE 5, Washington, District of Columbia, Saturday, December 30, 1905)
His illness was reported in several newspaper articles before his death.

See article in the National Archives
'An Imposter If There Ever Was One'
The Trials of Charles De Arnaud, Spring 2015, Vol. 47, No. 1, By James W. Harlow
"Charles De Arnaud was the most infamous government claimant of the Gilded Age. .... "

Other references to his lawsuit which was heard by the Supreme Court. First part of transcript is as follows:
151 U.S. 483, 14 S.Ct. 374, 38 L.Ed. 244
DE ARNAUD v. UNITED STATES.
No. 550.
January 29, 1894.
Statement by Mr. Justice SHIRAS:
1. This is an appeal from a judgment of the court of claims, dismissing the petition of Charles De Arnaud, in which he sought for a judgment in his favor against the United States for the sum of $100,000, for services the petitioner alleged he had rendered as a 'military expert,' employed for 'special and important duties,' by Gen. Fremont, for and on behalf of the United States.

2. The facts of the case, as found by the court below, are as follows: The claimant is a native subject of Russia, residing in the United States. The following is a translation of the provisions of the law of Russia according to citizens of the United States the right to prosecute claims against such government in its courts:

3. 'Sec. 1292. The decision of the court is announced to both parties according to general rules, but independently thereof a copy of the decision is forwarded to the local government institution spoken of in section 2084.'

4. 'Sec. 1296. In the execution of a judgment against a government institution the claimant presents a certified abstract of the decision to the institution, which is bound to execute the judgment accordingly.'

5. 'Sec. 1519. Aliens residing in Russia are subject to Russian laws, as well personally as in regard to property, and enjoy the common defense of safeguards and protection thereof.'

6. 'Sec. 1288. Claims of private persons against the government institutions are governed by general rules, and are brought according to the location of the property or according to the place where the loss was sustained by the private person, or according to the place where the government institution or where the government officer is situated or resides who represents the government in court.'

7. The claimant came to this country about the year 1860, and was, prior to that time, an officer in the Russian army, where he served in the Crimean war as lieutenant of engineers, and was serving as such when the armistice was concluded between Russia and the contending allies.

8. In the year 1861 John C. Fremont was a major general in the United States army, in command of the western department of Missouri. In the month of August, 1861, he entered into an agreement with the claimant, by which the claimant was employed by him to go within the Confederate lines, make observations of the country in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri, to observe the position of the rebel forces, the strategic positions occupied by them, and advise him (Gen. Fremont) of the movements necessary to be made by the Union forces to counteract the movements of the enemy, and to facilitate the advance of our troops, and aid them in attacking and repulsing the Confederate forces.

9. In consequence of that arrangement he did go within the Confederate lines, and, agreeably to what he was instructed to do, brought back to Gen. Fremont full information of the kind desired, maps of the country, of various roads, the number of troops, their stations, condition, and, as far as he could judge and find out, their projected movements.

10 He was absent on that business a number of days, came back, and reported in St. Louis about the 12th of August, 1861, to Gen. Fremont, who was so satisfied with the information that he brought, with the intelligence and sagacity he displayed in collecting it, and the usefulness of his information, that he (Fremont) then made an arrangement for him to continue in the service of the department. About the 12th of the month of August, 1861, he again left for the country occupied by the Confederate forces to collect information. The most important part of the services rendered by him was in the beginning of the next month, (September,) when, with the information that he had collected, he was returning to report to Gen. Fremont a movement of the Confederate forces upon Paducah. On reaching Cairo he found that he had only time to report to Fremont by telegraph, and reported forthwith personally to Gen. Grant, informing him that troops were advancing upon Paducah, and that it was necessary to move immediately in order to occupy the place. Gen. Grant did move instantly, and took possession of Paducah, Ky., solely on information given by the claimant, and to the effect that the rebels were moving upon that city with a large force.
11 The claimant was paid $600 on the following orders and receipts:
'Headquarters Western Department,
13. 'Camp Near Jefferson City, Oct. 6, 1861.
14 'Major Phinney, U. S. A., Paymaster, etc.:
15 'Will pay to Charles De Arnaud the sum of three hundred dollars ($300) for secret service.
16 J. C. Fremont,
17 'Major General.' 'Received, Jefferson City, October 6, 1861, from Major J. H. Phinney, three hundred dollars for secret service, as per special order of Major Genl. J. C. Fremont of this date. $300.
18. [Signed duplicate]
19 'Chas. De Arnaud.'
20 'In the Field,
21. 'Headquarters Western Department, Oct. 23, 1861.
22 'Major Phinney will pay to the bearer, Mr. Charles De Arnaud, three hundred dollars for secret service to the United States.
23 'J. C. Fremont,
24. 'Major General Commndg.'
25. 'Received, Warsaw, Mo., October 23, 1861, of Major Jas. H. Phinney, paymaster U. S. A., the sum of three hundred ($300) 'for account of secret service rendered to the U. States' by special order of Major Genl. Fremont, dated near Warsaw, Mo., Oct. 23, 1861.
26. 'Chas. De Arnaud.'
27. On January 6, 1862, the claimant presented his claim to the war department, and it was reported upon by the quartermaster as follows:
28. 'No. 22. The United States to Charles De Arnaud, Dr.
29. 'January 6, 1862. For special services rendered to the United States government in traveling through the rebel parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, etc., and procuring information concerning the enemy's movements, etc., which led to successful results, (as per certificate hereunto appended,) $3,600.
30. 'Q. M. Genl.'s Office, 9th Jany., 1862.
31. 'In view of the certificate of Gen. Grant of 30th Nov., and the more general certificate of Maj. Gen. Fremont of 2d Jany., herewith, covering all of Mr. Arnaud's services, the sum of thirty-six hundred dollars appears to me to be a not unreasonable compensation. I state this at Mr. Arnaud's earnest request.
32. M. C. Meigs,
33. 'Q. M. Genl.' On the 13th of January the claimant went to President Lincoln, and laid before him his claim, with the following letters:
34. 'Cairo, Ill., January 6, 1862.
35 'Hon. A. Lincoln, President, U. S. A.:
36. 'The bearer, Charles De Arnaud, has to my knowledge rendered important services to the government. He, at the risk of his life, gave information which led to our capture of Paducah, Ky., in advance of the rebels. Thereby he saved the country thousand of lives and millions of dollars. I fully indorse his certificate of Maj. Gen. J. C. Fremont. He is entitled to the largest remuneration the government pays for such services.
37. 'Respectfully, etc.,

... and at the end of the transcript the claim was deemed dismissed:
" 127. In no view that we can take of this case can we find any just foundation for a claim against the government, and the judgment of the court below, dismissing the claimant's petition, is accordingly affirmed."
Union soldier buried at Mt Olivet December 29, 1905
Rendered services for his adopted country which are acknowledged by Lincoln, Grant, Fremont and other distinguished men...
Died age 70 (Evening Star, PAGE 5, Washington, District of Columbia, Saturday, December 30, 1905)
His illness was reported in several newspaper articles before his death.

See article in the National Archives
'An Imposter If There Ever Was One'
The Trials of Charles De Arnaud, Spring 2015, Vol. 47, No. 1, By James W. Harlow
"Charles De Arnaud was the most infamous government claimant of the Gilded Age. .... "

Other references to his lawsuit which was heard by the Supreme Court. First part of transcript is as follows:
151 U.S. 483, 14 S.Ct. 374, 38 L.Ed. 244
DE ARNAUD v. UNITED STATES.
No. 550.
January 29, 1894.
Statement by Mr. Justice SHIRAS:
1. This is an appeal from a judgment of the court of claims, dismissing the petition of Charles De Arnaud, in which he sought for a judgment in his favor against the United States for the sum of $100,000, for services the petitioner alleged he had rendered as a 'military expert,' employed for 'special and important duties,' by Gen. Fremont, for and on behalf of the United States.

2. The facts of the case, as found by the court below, are as follows: The claimant is a native subject of Russia, residing in the United States. The following is a translation of the provisions of the law of Russia according to citizens of the United States the right to prosecute claims against such government in its courts:

3. 'Sec. 1292. The decision of the court is announced to both parties according to general rules, but independently thereof a copy of the decision is forwarded to the local government institution spoken of in section 2084.'

4. 'Sec. 1296. In the execution of a judgment against a government institution the claimant presents a certified abstract of the decision to the institution, which is bound to execute the judgment accordingly.'

5. 'Sec. 1519. Aliens residing in Russia are subject to Russian laws, as well personally as in regard to property, and enjoy the common defense of safeguards and protection thereof.'

6. 'Sec. 1288. Claims of private persons against the government institutions are governed by general rules, and are brought according to the location of the property or according to the place where the loss was sustained by the private person, or according to the place where the government institution or where the government officer is situated or resides who represents the government in court.'

7. The claimant came to this country about the year 1860, and was, prior to that time, an officer in the Russian army, where he served in the Crimean war as lieutenant of engineers, and was serving as such when the armistice was concluded between Russia and the contending allies.

8. In the year 1861 John C. Fremont was a major general in the United States army, in command of the western department of Missouri. In the month of August, 1861, he entered into an agreement with the claimant, by which the claimant was employed by him to go within the Confederate lines, make observations of the country in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri, to observe the position of the rebel forces, the strategic positions occupied by them, and advise him (Gen. Fremont) of the movements necessary to be made by the Union forces to counteract the movements of the enemy, and to facilitate the advance of our troops, and aid them in attacking and repulsing the Confederate forces.

9. In consequence of that arrangement he did go within the Confederate lines, and, agreeably to what he was instructed to do, brought back to Gen. Fremont full information of the kind desired, maps of the country, of various roads, the number of troops, their stations, condition, and, as far as he could judge and find out, their projected movements.

10 He was absent on that business a number of days, came back, and reported in St. Louis about the 12th of August, 1861, to Gen. Fremont, who was so satisfied with the information that he brought, with the intelligence and sagacity he displayed in collecting it, and the usefulness of his information, that he (Fremont) then made an arrangement for him to continue in the service of the department. About the 12th of the month of August, 1861, he again left for the country occupied by the Confederate forces to collect information. The most important part of the services rendered by him was in the beginning of the next month, (September,) when, with the information that he had collected, he was returning to report to Gen. Fremont a movement of the Confederate forces upon Paducah. On reaching Cairo he found that he had only time to report to Fremont by telegraph, and reported forthwith personally to Gen. Grant, informing him that troops were advancing upon Paducah, and that it was necessary to move immediately in order to occupy the place. Gen. Grant did move instantly, and took possession of Paducah, Ky., solely on information given by the claimant, and to the effect that the rebels were moving upon that city with a large force.
11 The claimant was paid $600 on the following orders and receipts:
'Headquarters Western Department,
13. 'Camp Near Jefferson City, Oct. 6, 1861.
14 'Major Phinney, U. S. A., Paymaster, etc.:
15 'Will pay to Charles De Arnaud the sum of three hundred dollars ($300) for secret service.
16 J. C. Fremont,
17 'Major General.' 'Received, Jefferson City, October 6, 1861, from Major J. H. Phinney, three hundred dollars for secret service, as per special order of Major Genl. J. C. Fremont of this date. $300.
18. [Signed duplicate]
19 'Chas. De Arnaud.'
20 'In the Field,
21. 'Headquarters Western Department, Oct. 23, 1861.
22 'Major Phinney will pay to the bearer, Mr. Charles De Arnaud, three hundred dollars for secret service to the United States.
23 'J. C. Fremont,
24. 'Major General Commndg.'
25. 'Received, Warsaw, Mo., October 23, 1861, of Major Jas. H. Phinney, paymaster U. S. A., the sum of three hundred ($300) 'for account of secret service rendered to the U. States' by special order of Major Genl. Fremont, dated near Warsaw, Mo., Oct. 23, 1861.
26. 'Chas. De Arnaud.'
27. On January 6, 1862, the claimant presented his claim to the war department, and it was reported upon by the quartermaster as follows:
28. 'No. 22. The United States to Charles De Arnaud, Dr.
29. 'January 6, 1862. For special services rendered to the United States government in traveling through the rebel parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, etc., and procuring information concerning the enemy's movements, etc., which led to successful results, (as per certificate hereunto appended,) $3,600.
30. 'Q. M. Genl.'s Office, 9th Jany., 1862.
31. 'In view of the certificate of Gen. Grant of 30th Nov., and the more general certificate of Maj. Gen. Fremont of 2d Jany., herewith, covering all of Mr. Arnaud's services, the sum of thirty-six hundred dollars appears to me to be a not unreasonable compensation. I state this at Mr. Arnaud's earnest request.
32. M. C. Meigs,
33. 'Q. M. Genl.' On the 13th of January the claimant went to President Lincoln, and laid before him his claim, with the following letters:
34. 'Cairo, Ill., January 6, 1862.
35 'Hon. A. Lincoln, President, U. S. A.:
36. 'The bearer, Charles De Arnaud, has to my knowledge rendered important services to the government. He, at the risk of his life, gave information which led to our capture of Paducah, Ky., in advance of the rebels. Thereby he saved the country thousand of lives and millions of dollars. I fully indorse his certificate of Maj. Gen. J. C. Fremont. He is entitled to the largest remuneration the government pays for such services.
37. 'Respectfully, etc.,

... and at the end of the transcript the claim was deemed dismissed:
" 127. In no view that we can take of this case can we find any just foundation for a claim against the government, and the judgment of the court below, dismissing the claimant's petition, is accordingly affirmed."

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  • Created by: Jane
  • Added: Jun 8, 2023
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/255235930/charles_a-de_arnaud: accessed ), memorial page for CPT Charles A De Arnaud (unknown–28 Dec 1905), Find a Grave Memorial ID 255235930, citing Mount Olivet Cemetery, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA; Maintained by Jane (contributor 47569466).