Absent without Leave

[Stiles/Akin]

http://www.historynet.com/insight-absent-without-leave.htm

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Excellent article. Thanks for sharing.

 

[diane]

When Sherman went through Georgia and South Carolina, soldiers went home. It really damaged Lee's army, which was part of the idea. Maybe his biggest loss was Wade Hampton, who went home to South Carolina when Sherman began his second campaign into SC. Hampton wasn't AWOL but Lee understood why he had to leave.

 

[chucksr]

"Dealing with desertion illuminates the challenge of pinning down statistics and comprehending exactly what they indicate. Surviving Confederate records contain many vexing gaps, a problem compounded by uncertainty in fathoming how best to read surviving documents."

And yet, many would propose to know the answer of why there was desertion and what the impact was. I liked the article --it was surprisingly objective--the author studied the matter, read the surviving documents and never tried to force a conclusion. That's honest.

 

[mofederal]

A good article. It was nice to see real numbers being used. I really enjoyed it Thanks @Stiles/Akin for an article listing good facts and figures.

 

[lelliott19]

Very well written article. And definitely one of the biggest challenges in writing Company rosters for a regimental history. Soldiers who were home still recuperating from wounds were often listed as AWOL. I have even found a number who had enlisted in other regiments - possibly because they were unable to rejoin their original regiment. Since I am working on a Georgia regiment, I suppose I see this oftener than most since transportation to return to Virginia was difficult/impossible at times.

 

[diane]

That was also a problem with the Southern cavalry. They were responsible for their horses and if they lost theirs, they had to go get another. Sometimes it took them a while! There were quite a few who were thought to have deserted but they were only looking for another horse.

 

[donna]

Good article. Thanks for posting.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I really liked the article, especially the explanation about desertions around 1862.

 

[Bruce Vail]

Also a spurt of desertions from ANV in late 1863. As ANV units settled into winter camp following the carnage of the Gettysburg campaign, many men took off for home. For North Carolinians, many believed that there would be no prosecutions or punishment for any who made it home.

In the case the the 3rd North Carolina Infantry, 10 deserters were captured near Richmond. All were sentenced to death.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Was the sentence actually carried out?

 

[Bruce Vail]

Was the sentence actually carried out?

Yes, but not all ten.

It was very dramatic. In Sept. 1863 the entire Division of Gen. Allegheny Johnson was assembled at the parade ground at the ANV camp in Orange Court House. Seven of the 10 men were marched out, tied to stakes, and shot to death. It was all intended to deter further desertions.

see https://civilwartalk.com/threads/executions-sept-5-63-at-orange-court-house.123530/#post-1309927

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Thank you and that event was horrible.

 

[Cavalry Charger]

Yes, but not all ten.

It was very dramatic. In Sept. 1863 the entire Division of Gen. Allegheny Johnson was assembled at the parade ground at the ANV camp in Orange Court House. Seven of the 10 men were marched out, tied to stakes, and shot to death. It was all intended to deter further desertions.

see https://civilwartalk.com/threads/executions-sept-5-63-at-orange-court-house.123530/#post-1309927

 

[Bruce Vail]

Thank you and that event was horrible.

Yes, it was a horrible event.

The long-suffering rank-and-file of the 3rd North Carolina, like dozens of other units in the ANV, suffered more from the stupidity, incompetence, or indifference of their own officers than they did from the Yankees.

 

[AshleyMel]

My ancestor has several absent with out leave on his records and I was at first perplexed by them then as I learned more I understood!
Thanks for the article!

 

[Bruce Vail]

My ancestor has several absent with out leave on his records and I was at first perplexed by them then as I learned more I understood!
Thanks for the article!

Understood...what?

 

[AshleyMel]

Understood...what?

Oh sorry, understood there were many reasons for being absent. I thought once you were AWOL that was it for you! I don't know the specifics of course, but my ancestor has several notes through the course of his time where he was absent with out leave only to show back up and continue doing whatever it was he was doing. Maybe he was taking care of personal business, like fathering some of those 13 children he had! I even have a handwritten account of an advancement or loan of some type he received after one of the AWOLs. He did served his full commitment and was mustered out.

 

[UCVRelics]

Great article. I imagined that by the shear numbers of the Union army that the rate of AWOL would have been higher. There is a BIG difference in AWOL and desertion. I dealt with quite a few AWOLs in my many years in the US Army outcome: article 15 reduction in rank, forfeiture in pay, and the one I did the most washing ALL the track vehicles in the motor pool everyday. Bergdahl was a deserter not awol. Desertion is a wartime thing and punishable by DEATH.