The Oath of Allegiance

[tamaroa]

If y'all don't mind, I thought I'd start a separate thread on the oath of allegiance since I think it deserves a thread of its own due to the consternation it caused just prior to the war. Anybody please weigh in and comment.

Here is Montgomery Corse's oath to the Union. He was a Confederate Officer who once commanded the brigade in which my favorite 11th Virginia Infantry was a part of. I believe the oath reads pretty much the same as today. It was administered to Corse in 1865 after the war.

http://www.alexandria.lib.va.us/lhsc...orse/oath.html

Below is the oath of allegiance for an immigrant when they become citizens.
I hereby declare, on oath. that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United State of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; or that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion: SO HELP ME GOD....

Here is a 1777 oath of allegiance to Pennsylvania.

I______, ________; do swear (or affirm) that I renounce and refuse all allegiance to George the Third, king of Great Britain, his heirs and successors; and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a free and independent State, and that I will not at any time do or cause to be done any matter or thing that will be prejudicial or injurious to the freedom and independence thereof, as declared by Congress, and also, that I will discover and make known to some one justice of the peace of said State all treasons or traitorous conspiracies which I now know or hereafter shall know to be formed against this or any of the United States of America."

Cadet's Oath of Allegiance to the United States

Modern Day Academy Oath:

I, ___________, SSAN, having been appointed a Second Lieutenant, in the
United States Air Force, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support
and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies,
foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the
same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation
or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the
duties of the office upon which I am about to enter. SO HELP ME GOD.


Bill

(Message edited by tamaroa on June 23, 2002)

(Message edited by tamaroa on June 23, 2002)

(Message edited by tamaroa on June 23, 2002)

[tamaroa]

I still haven't found the pre August 1861 oath; but, here is the post August, 1861 oath. Note the emphasis on Federal as opposed to state loyalty.

"The cadet oath begins, “I _____, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and bear true allegiance to the National Government; that I will maintain and defend the sovereignty of the United States, paramount to any and all allegiance, sovereignty, or fealty I may owe to any State or Country whatsoever….”

This vow of loyalty to the nation over the states dates from August 1861, when former Superintendent Robert E. Lee and 295 fellow West Pointers had thrown in with their native South. Agonized Lee, “I have been unable to make up my mind to raise my hand against my native state, my relatives, my children & my home. I have therefore resigned my Commission in the Army & never desire again to draw my sword save in defense of my State.” For choosing Virginia over the Union, Robert E. Lee would be separated from today’s West Point."

[blackirish]

With the help of others I have found some of the oaths. It appears that the oath taken by Cadets at West Point and the oath taken by officers in the United States army are quite different indeed.
The oath taken by Robert E. Lee upon his admission to West Point on September 25, 1825 is as follows:

"I, Robert E. Lee, a cadet born in the State of Virginia, aged 18 years and 9 months, do hereby acknowledge to have this day voluntarily engaged with the consent of my mother to serve in the Army of the United States for a period of five years, unless sooner discharged by proper authority. And I do promise upon honor that I will observe and obey the orders of the officers appointed over me, the rules and articles of war, and the regulations which have been or may hereafter be established for the government of the Military Academy." [Douglas S. Freeman, R. E. Lee: A Biography, Vol. 1, page 51]

Although there is reference to the State from which Lee came to be a Cadet there is no implication of an oath to serve Virginia.
Below is the oath as it was given in 1857:

"Regulations for the United States Military Academy," 1857 edition:

I, ______ of the State of _______ aged _____ years, ______ months, having been selected for an appointment as Cadet in the Military Academy of the United States, do hereby engage with the consent of my (Parent or Guardian) in the event of my receiving such appointment, that I will serve in the army of the United States for eight years, unless sooner discharged by competent authority. And I ____________ DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR [emphasis original], that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America, and that I will serve them HONESTLY and FAITHFULLY [emphasis original], against all their enemies or opposers whatsoever; and that I will observe and obey the orders of the President of the United
States, and the orders of the Officers appointed over me, according to the Rules and Articles of War."

Obviously, the oath had changed considerably by 1857, several years preceeding the Civil War.
The oath taken by officers in the United States Army (which would neccessarily also apply to Lee when he graduated West Point and recieved his commission) is somewhat different. After the Constitution was ratified the new government formulated that following oath to be taken by all officers in the United States military on Septemeber 29, 1729. This oath came in two parts:

"I,______, do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) that I will support the constitution of the United States."

The second part read:

"I,_______, do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) to bear true allegiance to the United States of America, and to serve them honestly and faithfully, against all their enemies or opposers whatsoever, and to observe and obey the orders
of the President of the United States of America, and the orders of the officers appointed over me."

Although the enlisted oath remained unchanged until 1950, the officer oath has undergone substantial minor modification since 1789. A change in about 1830 read:

"I, _____, appointed a _____ in the Army of the United States, do solemnly swear, or affirm, that I will bear true allegiance to the United States of America, and that I will serve them honestly and faithfully
against all their enemies or opposers whatsoever, and observe and obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the rules and articles for the government of the Armies of the United States."

Under an act of 2 July 1862 the oath became:

"I,_______, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I have never borne arms against the United States since I have been a citizen thereof; that I have voluntarily given no aid, countenance, counsel, or encouragement to persons
engaged in armed hostility thereto; that I have neither sought nor accepted nor attempted to exercise the functions of any office whatsoever under any authority or pretended authority in hostility to the United States; that I have not yielded voluntary support to any pretended government, authority, power, or constitution within the United States, hostile or inimical thereto. And I do further swear (or affirm) that, to the best of my knowledge and ability, I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely,
without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God."

Obviously, this last was in large part due to the Civil War and its influence on Congressional thought.

An act of 13 May 1884 reverted to a simpler formulation:
"I,________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or
domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I
take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of
evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the
office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

This version remained in effect until the 1959 adoption of the present wording.

blackirish

[tamaroa]

Here's another one to put in the bank, For the Confederacy that is:


Confederate Oath of Allegiance
I ____ do solemnly swear that I will faithfully and impartially perform all the duties incumbent upon me as ____ of Collin County according to the best of my skill and ability agreeable to the constitution and laws of the State of Texas and also the constitution and laws of the Confederate States of America so long as the State of Texas shall remain in that Confederacy. And I do further solemnly swear that since the 2nd day of March 1861 that I being a citizen of of Collin County, Texas have not fought a duel with deadly weapons, nor have I acted as second in carrying a challenge or acted, advised, or assisted any person thus offending, so help me God.

[tamaroa]

Rick, etal:

If any of you have seen the exact wording of an oath to the Confederacy, can you please lead me to it. I found the one, I posted previously, but it references Texas. Is there an oath out there that swears loyalty to the Confederacy and the Confederacy alone ( no states!) I am conversing with people on another board and we are all trying to find an oath to the Confederacy with little success.

Thanks,
Bill

[johan_steele]

THis is one of those old posts that I used to reference frequetly and just had difficult time finding. It has always been an interest to me ad thought maybe someone else might be interested as well.