Beschreibung:

Lot of 5: General Orders No. 46, 25 June 1864. Extract of 1st Corps ANV Military Court. Interesting punishments: in the case of Private B.P. Kelly, 15th SC, "To be caused to ride a wooden horse or a log not above ten inches in diameter, two hours a day, one in the morning and one in the evening for twenty days, Sundays excepted, without being relieved meanwhile from his other duties; and to forfeit one month's pay." His infraction is not indicated in this extract. The other two apparently were AWOL, and both were to carry a fence rail four hours a day (2 AM, 2 PM), without relief from other duties, and one to forfeit two month's pay, the other three month's pay. This also highlights the fact that by this time, they were not executing men for desertion, even though it was punishable by death. Both sides were encountering shortages of manpower, the South, of course, more than the North. They could not afford to execute too many (and the political ramifications would have been even more dire than the manpower shortages). Estimates of desertions in the Confederacy run as high as one in three at some point during the man's term of service, in part because families begged the men to come home as the Union Armies approached. This extract with docket on verso signed by W.H. Taylor (clerk signed?) and A.E. Young. Also docketed by G.M. Sorrel. G.O. No. 18, 1st AC, 6 Nov. 1864. When charges are brought against officers and men, the party filing them will give a copy to the Adjutant of the person's regiment or battalion, and that officer will serve the copy as soon as is practicable. Signed Osmun Latrobe. G.O. No. 19, 1st AC, 9 Nov. 1864. Orders establishment of Field Officers of the Day, who will visit their guards and pickets at least once during the day and once between midnight and daylight. "Division Commanders on the North side of the James River will act as field Officers of the Day for the whole line, alternating with each other every third day...Major Genl. Field will take the first tour." By command of Lt. Genl. Longstreet, signed by Osmun Latrobe. Judge Advocate's Office, Military Court of 1st Corps, ANV. Copy of the content of G.O. No. 12, very similar to G.O. No. 18 (above), indicating that commanding officers serve the men accused of infractions. Signed by C.W. Wallace, Judge Advocate, who indicates that the work of the court has been delayed, and this is an injustice to all. For reasons that are not clear, both of the above GO's (18 & 19) are docketed as received 21 Nov., even though they were issued nearly two weeks earlier, probably part of the cause of the JAG's frustration evidenced in this communication. G.O. No. 22, 1st AC, 22 Nov. 1864. Proceedings in Military court against Asst. Surgeon T.D. Merritt, 18th Miss. Infy. accused of drunkenness on duty, misbehavior before the enemy, and willful "misapplication of Hospital stores belonging to the Confederate States." Apparently the court could not come to an agreement, and Surgeon Merritt would be returned to duty with charges dismissed. Signed by Osmun Latrobe. Joseph Kershaw, CSA The following lots were in the possession of Major General Joseph Brevard Kershaw (1822-1894) when he was captured at Sailor’s (Saylor’s, Sayler’s) Creek, 6 April 1865. Kershaw was a native of South Carolina. A Joseph Kershaw who immigrated to North America from Yorkshire in 1750 served as a Colonel in the Revolution. Kershaw’s wife, Harriet, was a daughter of one of General Marion’s aides-de-camp. Thus, both families had a history of military service. Kershaw began practice as a lawyer in Camden, SC in 1844, but served a year as lieutenant of Co. C, Palmetto regiment, in the Mexican War. He was later a state representative and was sent to the convention which decided South Carolina’s secession, although Kershaw, himself, was reportedly opposed to it. In February he was commissioned colonel of the 2nd SC Regiment, serving at Sullivan’s Island. Barely a week after South Carolina’s secession, Fed