Penalty for Desertion

[ARW]

In doing research on my ancestors I have put together this story of a 3x cousin. Harrison Vroman enlisted 2/24/1862 Co G 107 PVI in Bradford County. He is shown from Regimental records as wounded on 12/13/1862 at Fredricksburg VA however I do not know what the wound was. Have not found any records on that yet. On July first the regiment was on the far left of the Union line. The record shows he was at Gettysburg but deserted sometime on 7/1/1863. I guess you could assume he had enough and just headed home. He returned to the Regiment on 6/12/1864 . The attached shows he was docked 10 months pay. It looks like he rejoined the regiment and became a POW 8/19/1864 at Weldon Railroad VA where 145 men and 6 officers were captured, He died while in prison on 11/16/1864 at Salisbury NC. he is buried Salisbury National Cemetery.

To add to the story his brother was released on Surgeon Cert of Disability in Jan 63. This is pure conjecture but is he sitting around on the night of July 1st thinking my brother went home because he was sick, I get shot and here I am getting shot at again.

Anyway it looks like they took him back and just docked him for the time he was gone. I have never really looked into how the army dealt with this but i am sure we have all seen stories of men being hung for desertion. Anyone have ideas of what could have happened here? Why they just let him have a do over. Not that I'm not glad for him they did.

 

[ARW]

So after more google searches i found this... https://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/23934 kinda answers my own question. Still wonder if others have found this.

 

[Cavalry Charger]

My only thought is maybe they were desperate for men at that stage, though that is pure conjecture on my part.

How sad that he rejoined only to be taken prisoner and die in a POW camp.

I had just created my reponse before you posted that last link, but it's a great link. It definitely provides an explanation.

 

[leftyhunter]

In doing research on my ancestors I have put together this story of a 3x cousin. Harrison Vroman enlisted 2/24/1862 Co G 107 PVI in Bradford County. He is shown from Regimental records as wounded on 12/13/1862 at Fredricksburg VA however I do not know what the wound was. Have not found any records on that yet. On July first the regiment was on the far left of the Union line. The record shows he was at Gettysburg but deserted sometime on 7/1/1863. I guess you could assume he had enough and just headed home. He returned to the Regiment on 6/12/1864 . The attached shows he was docked 10 months pay. It looks like he rejoined the regiment and became a POW 8/19/1864 at Weldon Railroad VA where 145 men and 6 officers were captured, He died while in prison on 11/16/1864 at Salisbury NC. he is buried Salisbury National Cemetery.

To add to the story his brother was released on Surgeon Cert of Disability in Jan 63. This is pure conjecture but is he sitting around on the night of July 1st thinking my brother went home because he was sick, I get shot and here I am getting shot at again.

Anyway it looks like they took him back and just docked him for the time he was gone. I have never really looked into how the army dealt with this but i am sure we have all seen stories of men being hung for desertion. Anyone have ideas of what could have happened here? Why they just let him have a do over. Not that I'm not glad for him they did.

View attachment 259185

President Davis in his 1864 speech at Macon,Georgia openly admitted that two thirds of the Confederate Army was AWOL during the summer fighting season. Davis promised amnesty for those who returned. If you google "Cornell University Davis speech Macon , Georgia you should find it.
Sometimes deserters were shot sometimes they were branded. Some times they were forgiven if they came back. Desertion was a huge problem for both sides until the very end if the war. If you like I can bump up my two previous regarding Confederate and Union desertion.
Leftyhunter

 

[ARW]

If you like I can bump up my two previous regarding Confederate and Union desertion.
Leftyhunter

That would be great

 

[leftyhunter]

Your wish is my command!
Leftyhunter

 

[huskerblitz]

In the Kentucky regiment I research, dozens of men were in the same situation. Some missed the boat (literally) when it departed and later rejoined their regiment. Others decided they were done fighting only to be arrested and returned, and some were listed as deserted but were actually wounded and in a hospital or had been captured. This regiment never executed anyone for desertion. Actually what happened most of the cases they were charged, found either not guilty or guilty of being AWOL, forfeited the amount owed to them for the time they were absent, paid for arrest and/or transportation....and with the added twist of being required to make up time (meaning staying on after their initial enlistment should have ended). This last part was later found to be in violation and couldn't not be used against men charged with being absent without leave.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Glad I read this, thank you. Had some hazy idea deserters were always imprisoned or shot, seemed so barbaric. A few nurse accounts speak of witnessing executions. Good to be able to revise that impression.

 

[CSA Today]

Federal executions.​

Desertion and murder appear to be the primary reasons.​

http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/athens/civil_war_soldiers_executed.htm​

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[archieclement]

Federal executions.​

Desertion and murder appear to be the primary reasons.​

http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/athens/civil_war_soldiers_executed.htm​

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Were USCT disproportionately ill disciplined? Seems a lot on the list

Off hand seems they were less then 10% of the army, but seem almost 20% of this list

 

[CSA Today]

Were USCT disproportionately ill disciplined? Seems a lot on the list

Off hand seems they were less then 10% of the army, but seem almost 20% of this list

I noticed that too.

 

[gary]

I'm wondering what happened to deserters post-war? Did the Army care?

 

[zburkett]

From what I have read, executing a deserter was usually a very public affair with all the troops lined up to watch. Examples to discourage others from deserting. Deserters who returned on their own, even after months, usually were welcomed back or given some sort of unit discipline. I don't remember reading of any deserters being sent to prison, it didn't accomplish anything.

 

[Bruce Vail]

Federal executions.​

Desertion and murder appear to be the primary reasons.​

http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/athens/civil_war_soldiers_executed.htm​

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Fascinating. I wonder if there is a similar list of Confederate executions?

 

[Bruce Vail]

Mutiny!! Never heard of this case in the 3rd Colored Infantry before. Anybody know the particulars?

 

[CSA Today]

Mutiny!! Never heard of this case in the 3rd Colored Infantry before. Anybody know the particulars?

There was resentment by the USCTs in not receiving equal pay to whites, perhaps a number of them went too far. http://www.mrlincolnandfreedom.org/civil-war/black-soldiers/pay-and-promotion/

 

[Bruce Vail]

Mutiny!! Never heard of this case in the 3rd Colored Infantry before. Anybody know the particulars?

Answering my own question: The Jacksonville Mutiny of 1865

Good explanation of the circumstances at http://www.executedtoday.com/2014/12/01/1865-the-jacksonville-mutineers/

 

[CSA Today]

I'm wondering what happened to deserters post-war? Did the Army care?

The post-war US Congress apparently didn't.

"That desertion did not prevent a man posing after the war as an honorable soldier is evident by a study of pension records. The laws required honorable discharge as a requisite for a pension; but in the case of those charged with desertion Congress passed numerous private and special acts "correcting" the military record."
J.G. Randall, David Donald, The Civil War and Reconstruction pp. 330-331.

 

[19thGeorgia]

Anyway it looks like they took him back and just docked him for the time he was gone. I have never really looked into how the army dealt with this but i am sure we have all seen stories of men being hung for desertion. Anyone have ideas of what could have happened here? Why they just let him have a do over. Not that I'm not glad for him they did.

I've seen many records like that. Deserted is noted on the muster roll and then several months later they are present. Sometimes they are docked pay for that period. The only explanation I can give is they had a good excuse.

 

[huskerblitz]

I don't remember reading of any deserters being sent to prison, it didn't accomplish anything.

I have came across a few from the unit I research that were sent to prison. With that said, I don't know if they resisted arrest or if there was some other reason for them being sent to prison and 'hard labor'. Without reading their court-martial cases I'm not sure why, but some did get prison time.