Deserter to victim?

[archieclement]

This was in my newsfeed today

Civil War soldier executed in Maine for desertion may have been disabled

The only soldier shot to death in Maine during the Civil War, William Laird was the 20th person executed by a government on Maine soil.

www.bangordailynews.com

It's seems an attempt to spin a convicted ACW deserter into some type of victim......though the people doing so seem to even concede such a conclusion is unsupportable.

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

Interesting article. I agree with you how it seems like they are trying to make Laird the victim.

Any documentation on his disability or his mistreatment?

Thanks for posting this.

 

[archieclement]

Interesting article. I agree with you how it seems like they are trying to make Laid the victim.

Any documentation on his disability or his mistreatment?

Thanks for posting this.

Wasn't familiar with case at all until seeing/reading the story.

Apparently its based on nothing more then a couple old oral accounts.........

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

Wasn't familiar with case at all until seeing/reading the story.

Apparently its based on nothing more then a couple old oral accounts.........

Kind of what I gathered about the oral accounts. Very appreciate of you posting it

 

[Carol]

The article doesn't list any valuable sources. Oral histories are great when you are in need of an encouraging story. This makes me understand how history's facts were changed by using verbal, vibrant and thrilling stories. Thanks for sharing this and allowing me to vent just a little about facts backed with documentation.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (as defined today) would certainly have been present during this era, although probably not widely recognized nor properly understood at the time.

To ascertain whether Laird had any such disability, one would need to investigate his earlier behavior and actions, to form a conclusion. But because the knowledge of his pre-execution history seems limited and scant, then it's difficult to accurately assess (even from a modern perspective).

It does not appear that any mental shortcomings (distinct from illiteracy) were taken into account as mitigating factors in Laird's court-martial. The trial looks to have been an expedited process, with delivery of an execution sentence designed to serve as a warning to others contemplating similar conduct. Regardless of whether he was intellectually disabled or not, think a denial of natural justice may have occurred in this case.

 

[CWdiaryPA]

Kevin Levin linked to this article in his recent blog post. Sad story all around.

 

[Tennessee Union Gal]

In those days, unless you were missing a body part or raving mad, disabilities just didn't register. Desertion was serious business and examples had to be made. It was another time, sadly for many.