For the Boy Spy

General Butler

First Sergeant
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
So here is a cool pen and ink original work by George A Williams... sadly I doubt it was THE george a William's as he was english and not sure he made it to the US let alone do a CW work.
Rhe back says. Original pen and ink for the boy spy by William's, then under that george a williams.
The backing says something similar in black also.
But, the shows a group of contraband having IDd a spy in the union ranks. The spy has dug his grave and though he protests I dont think anyone was swayed.
Lots of quality background: mad dash of Cavalry, contraband eating watermelon, officers paying more attention to the cavalry. And off to the far right still on the wagon, is the spys coffin.
Very well done by a good hand.
Has an illustration feel to it.
Like it?
Anyone know this William's guy?

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This drawing is historically inaccurate. Highly so, in fact. In depicts the execution of a spy as being an informal "Let's have some fun and just hang the guy" type of event. Nothing is further from the truth.

During the Civil War, Congress gave U.S. Army courts-martial the power to try and punish by death spies who, in “time of war or rebellion,” were found in or about forts or camps of the Army. The Congress of the Confederate States gave Confederate courts-martial the same power to punish Union spies. Under the international military customs of the time, however, spies were subject to execution without trial, and in the Civil War at least some suspected spies were summarily executed by both armies. The number is unknown.

In those cases where a commander acted on his own authority and ordered an execution of a suspected spy, the order was usually carried out in strict military fashion very similar to those soldiers condemned for desertion. The spy was hung or faced a firing squad, usually in front of soldiers who were marched out to observe. Trust me, there would be no heckling and no watermelon eating at such a somber event.

Accuracy aside, this pen & ink drawing is very well executed (no pun intended) by a very skilled artist. It is not of the "folk art" variety. I'm sure with a little research someone should be able to identify the artist.
 
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This drawing is historically inaccurate. Highly so, in fact. In depicts the execution of a spy as being an informal "Let's have some fun and just hang the guy" type of event. Nothing is further from the truth.

During the Civil War, Congress gave U.S. Army courts-martial the power to try and punish by death spies who, in “time of war or rebellion,” were found in or about forts or camps of the Army. The Congress of the Confederate States gave Confederate courts-martial the same power to punish Union spies. Under the international military customs of the time, however, spies were subject to execution without trial, and in the Civil War at least some suspected spies were summarily executed by both armies. The number is unknown.

In those cases where a commander acted on his own authority and ordered an execution of a suspected spy, the order was usually carried out in strict military fashion very similar to those soldiers condemned for desertion. The spy was hung or faced a firing squad, usually in front of soldiers who were marched out to observe. Trust me, there would be no heckling and no water melon eating at such a somber event.

Accuracy aside, this pen & ink drawing is very well executed (no pun intended) by a very skilled artist. It is not of the "folk art" variety. I'm sure with a little research someone should be able to identify the artist.
So true about all you say and that is what leans me to an early 1900 illustration and not some scholarly effort in accuracy
 
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