Question About Shooting Shirkers

[kevikens]

I was reading a book today where the author cites a pre battle pep talk by a Union Colonel. He wraps up the speech with an order that officers are to shoot down, on the spot, malingers, cowards, skulkers, and cowards and if they did not he would. This raised the question in my mind just how commonly did officers actually do this? I know they wacked backsides with the flat of their swords, but really shooting them down?

 

[Silverfox]

Wondered about some of those same issues---Reading a book now where General Forrest got upset about some men removing horses too far away from the cannons---A junior officer explained they were following procedures etc. to do this---To his credit the General apologized to the men.

 

[rpkennedy]

In all my readings, I've never come across a single incident of a file closer shooting a skulker but there were certainly a lot of speeches about it. General William Harrow gave a rather blue speech on the topic at Gettysburg.

Ryan