United States Army Provost Marshal General
The provost marshal general is a United States Army staff position that handles investigations of U.S. Army personnel. It is the highest-ranking provost marshal position in the U.S. Army, reporting to the Chief of Staff of the United States Army. The position brings all aspects of law enforcement in the U.S. Army in a single office.
United States Army Provost Marshal General
Headquarters of Provost Marshal General, Defenses South of the Potomac
A visibly whip-scarred contraband named Peter was likely photographed at the Provost-Marshal's office in Baton Rouge, pictured here in 1863 photograph ascribed to McPherson & Oliver
A note on the back of this George N. Barnard stereographic view depicting the former Crawford, Frazer & Co. slave market in Atlanta reads "No 6 View in Atlanta: Novr/64 - On Whitehall St. Ex negro-mart, used as U. S. Prov. Marshal's office"
Provost marshal is a title given to a person in charge of a group of Military Police (MP). The title originated with an older term for MPs, provosts, from the Old French prévost. While a provost marshal is now usually a senior commissioned officer, they may be a person of any rank who commands any number of MPs; historically, the title was sometimes applied to civilian officials, especially under conditions of martial law, or when a military force had day-to-day responsibility for some or all aspects of civilian law enforcement. A provost marshal may also oversee security services, imprisonment, fire/emergency services and ambulances.
Lieutenant Colonel James P. Smith, Jr., provost marshal of the Berlin District, left, and Major William J. E. Keish, commanding officer, 713th Military Police Battalion, check pass lists for the Potsdam Conference area in Potsdam, Germany on July 14, 1945
