Pickett Pickett - after his charge

Just one of those things I stumbled upon - an example of things I'd never heard about, and was surprised to find out about:

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ncuv/kinston1.htm
Unfortunately the web link is 'unavailable' at least on my computer. Would like to read it though.
civilwar GeorgePickett.jpg
Just realized this is a very old post and link probably not still available. Would anyone know the details contained in the link as I'm intrigued by it now.
 
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Unfortunately the web link is 'unavailable' at least on my computer. Would like to read it though.
View attachment 40131 Just realized this is a very old post and link probably not still available. Would anyone know the details contained in the link as I'm intrigued by it now.


Ancestry and RootWeb are acting up lately, i could not even pull up the Granville County Register of Deeds today.

The Link talks about Pickett's order to hang "Galvanized Yankees" captured by Confederate Soldiers. during his campaign around Kinston, North Carolina in 1864.
 
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And hang them he did. Pickett was being sought for these acts. He along with his family fled to Canada after being alerted that radicals were hunting him.Pickett saw these men, thanks to a notification by their C.O. that they were former Confederate soldiers, as traitors and deserved hanging. Guess which old friend stood up for him, Ulysses S. Grant, and vouched for him.
 
I had to trouble with the link this morning. It's quite a story--one I had not heard or read previously.
 
The group most thought of as "Galvanized Yankees"(recruited from prison camps) were sent West to fight the Indians in order prevent incidents such as this.
 
Seemed to me not only Pickett, but his subordinates and enlisted men had no problem identifying and hanging the galvanized north carolinians either..........
 
If these executions were deemed crimes I wonder if any thought was given to prosecuting Picket by the state of North Carolina for crimes against its citizens committed within the state. Before military construction took over, there was a state government. Even local county authorities could have filed charges. In the end there was no stomach for doing anything to detract from the valor and honor of Confederate heroes.

Another oddity is that traditionally military crimes like desertion were punished by firing squad where crime crimes like murder and rape were punished by hanging.
 
If these executions were deemed crimes I wonder if any thought was given to prosecuting Picket by the state of North Carolina for crimes against its citizens committed within the state. Before military construction took over, there was a state government. Even local county authorities could have filed charges. In the end there was no stomach for doing anything to detract from the valor and honor of Confederate heroes.

Another oddity is that traditionally military crimes like desertion were punished by firing squad where crime crimes like murder and rape were punished by hanging.

Most likely the reason why Pickett was not persecuted is due to the fact that these former confederates that Pickett hanged switched sides and became Union Soldiers, there wasn't a positive image of "galvanized Yankees" in the south.
 
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If these executions were deemed crimes I wonder if any thought was given to prosecuting Picket by the state of North Carolina for crimes against its citizens committed within the state. Before military construction took over, there was a state government. Even local county authorities could have filed charges. In the end there was no stomach for doing anything to detract from the valor and honor of Confederate heroes.

Another oddity is that traditionally military crimes like desertion were punished by firing squad where crime crimes like murder and rape were punished by hanging.
Thought was given to prosecuting Pickett and Hoke (OR Series II, Volume VIII, Part 1, Page 903)

"ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, May 1, 1866.

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

SIR: In compliance with your orders I have the honor to submit copies of papers called for by resolution of the House of Representatives dated April 16, 1866, requesting "a report of the Judge-Advocate-General and such other information as may be of record or on file in his department on the subject, which will show what are the facts in the case and what steps have been taken to bring to justice and punishment the murderers of the following-named Union soldiers, belonging to the First and Second Regiments of North Carolina loyal infantry, alleged to have been tried and executed by orders of the rebel generals Pickett and Hoke, under the pretext of their being deserters from the Confederate service, viz: Jesse J. Summerlin, Hardy Dougherty, Stephen Jones, Davis Jones, William Haddock, John Freeman, Joseph Brock, Sergt. Joseph H. Fulcher, William D. Jones, Charles Cuthrell, [Elijah] Kellum, Mitchell Busick, Lewis Freeman, Joseph L. Haskett, William Irving, Amos Amyett, Stephen Jones, John J. Brock." ......

The papers submitted show that the investigation of this transaction has been continued, under the commanding general Department of North Carolina, from the 19th October, 1865, and was progressing until the receipt of the resolution of April 16, with the view of collecting the whole testimony in proper form for such action as the President might direct.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Subsequent investigation focused the blame on solely on Pickett and Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt recommended his arrest and prosecution later that year, not withstanding Grant's opinion. After additional months of inaction the entire matter died away. As far as I can tell only one other Confederate general, Archibald C. Godwin, was considered for prosecution of war crimes. Godwin's mistreatments of Federal prisoners were alleged to have occurred before his promotion while he served under the Provost Marshal in Richmond (Castle Thunder) and in Salisbury, NC. The matter was dropped when it was realized Godwin had been killed in action during the war.
 
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Thought was given to prosecuting Pickett and Hoke (OR Series II, Volume VIII, Part 1, Page 903)

"ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, May 1, 1866.

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

SIR: In compliance with your orders I have the honor to submit copies of papers called for by resolution of the House of Representatives dated April 16, 1866, requesting "a report of the Judge-Advocate-General and such other information as may be of record or on file in his department on the subject, which will show what are the facts in the case and what steps have been taken to bring to justice and punishment the murderers of the following-named Union soldiers, belonging to the First and Second Regiments of North Carolina loyal infantry, alleged to have been tried and executed by orders of the rebel generals Pickett and Hoke, under the pretext of their being deserters from the Confederate service, viz: Jesse J. Summerlin, Hardy Dougherty, Stephen Jones, Davis Jones, William Haddock, John Freeman, Joseph Brock, Sergt. Joseph H. Fulcher, William D. Jones, Charles Cuthrell, [Elijah] Kellum, Mitchell Busick, Lewis Freeman, Joseph L. Haskett, William Irving, Amos Amyett, Stephen Jones, John J. Brock." ......

The papers submitted show that the investigation of this transaction has been continued, under the commanding general Department of North Carolina, from the 19th October, 1865, and was progressing until the receipt of the resolution of April 16, with the view of collecting the whole testimony in proper form for such action as the President might direct.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Subsequent investigation focused the blame on solely on Pickett and Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt recommended his arrest and prosecution later that year, not withstanding Grant's opinion. After additional months of inaction the entire matter died away. As far as I can tell only one other Confederate general, Archibald C. Godwin, was considered for prosecution of war crimes. Godwin's mistreatments of Federal prisoners were alleged to have occurred before his promotion while he served under the Provost Marshal in Richmond (Castle Thunder) and in Salisbury, NC. The matter was dropped when it was realized Godwin had been killed in action during the war.

My Great Great Great Grand Uncle was in the 57th North Carolina under Godwin.

Archibald Campbell Godwin.jpg


In a sort of related note, during the battle of Fredericksburg, Godwin lead the only 2 regiments of Hood's division that were engaged at Fredericksburg. Pickett saw the North Carolinians charge and pleaded with Hood to let his division go into the fight, but Hood advised Pickett to keep his Division in reserve positions.

I often read about his mistreatment of Federal Prisoners, Godwin was killed at the Third Battle of Winchester, so there were no charges against him.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10875
 
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Subsequent investigation focused the blame on solely on Pickett and Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt recommended his arrest and prosecution later that year, not withstanding Grant's opinion. After additional months of inaction the entire matter died away. As far as I can tell only one other Confederate general, Archibald C. Godwin, was considered for prosecution of war crimes. Godwin's mistreatments of Federal prisoners were alleged to have occurred before his promotion while he served under the Provost Marshal in Richmond (Castle Thunder) and in Salisbury, NC. The matter was dropped when it was realized Godwin had been killed in action during the war.
The considerations for prosecution were on the part of military and federal officials rather than state authorities. State and federal prosecutors are considered "separate sovereigns" and can make the decisions independent of each other. Indeed, immunities from prosecution by one authority, say, the feds, as in many modern cases, are not binding on the states. The defendants were citizens of the State of North Carolina and due protection from that sovereign as well as from the United States.

My point is, both the U.S. and North Carolina passed on prosecuting Pickett and his officers.
 
The considerations for prosecution were on the part of military and federal officials rather than state authorities. State and federal prosecutors are considered "separate sovereigns" and can make the decisions independent of each other. Indeed, immunities from prosecution by one authority, say, the feds, as in many modern cases, are not binding on the states. The defendants were citizens of the State of North Carolina and due protection from that sovereign as well as from the United States.

My point is, both the U.S. and North Carolina passed on prosecuting Pickett and his officers.

So was the persecution of Pickett considered by the state of North Carolina, or the Occupying Union Forces of Reconstruction era North Carolina.

I am just asking, I am not questioning your great sources.
 
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Great article, I had read on some of this before, but an excellent article. I must add though............It was not a war crime.

Respectfully,

William

I agree a very well written article about some controversial events of a little known campaign in the American Civil War.

I think you bring a good point on whether it should be called a war crime or not. Though the reasons these men were hung is not because they were Union soldiers, but rather confederate soldiers who deserted their original regiments and "joined the other side." I have no sources that say regular Union Soldiers from Northern States that were captured by Pickett or his regiments were executed, that i know of, again you will always have some soldiers who act independently in their actions...
 
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