The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-08-10
The Resignation of Capt. HarrIson-Re-
Spouse of GEN. Pope.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2, 1892 General Pope
has sent the following reply to Capt. Harri-
sons letter denying that he had deserted:
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF VIRGINIA !
WARRENToN, VA, July 80, 1852. T
CAPT SAMUEL l.. HARRISON, 95th Regt.
n. Y. Vols: Your communication of July
9th is received. 1t is not necessary to inform
You that commissioned officer, by absenting
himself without leave, is guilty of desertion as
well as non-commissioned officer or private,
and is subject to the same process of recovery
and to the same punishment for the offense.
Nor do you need to be told that neither your
Colonel nor any other officer except such as
are desi5 nated by law and regulation, has any
right to accept your resignation, nor, under
| existing orders of the War Department, to
give you any leave based on such rendered re-
signstion. You state that you received some
injury On the Railroad, and that the medical
| officers of your regiment advised you to resign
| This may be true bat until your resignation be
accepted by proper authority you are not dis
charged from your obligations as an officer of
the army. Neither your resignation, the GER
tifcates of the medical oficers-if there were
any-nor any other papers bearing on the SUBJ
| ject, have ever reached this Office.
| 1t is needless to tell you as you must of ne
cessity know it, that under these circumstances
| you are deserter from the service of the
| United States. In time of active operations
IN the face of the enemy, it is not possible to
try an officer for such offences, especially is it
not so when he is beyond the reach of the mil
itary authorities of this army, and his COM
pany about to march upon the enemy without
captain; it is, therefore, my deliberate in
tention to adopt the course which seems most
| effective to prevent such aesertionE. Every
| officer of this army absent without authority
! will be advertised in the public papers, and
dlsgraced before his people, if it be possible to
| do so.
No resignation of any officer whatever will
| be accepted except upon medical certificate of
the most conclusive character, or proof Of
| worthlessness. 1t is therefore to be distinctly
understood that any officer of this army whose
resignation has been accepted without medical
certificate has proved himself worthless and
| incompetent. Neither with credit to himself
nor with any sort of fair deeling toward the
private soldier, can any volunteer officer tender
his resignation. The soldier has agreed to go
| into the service of the United States, with the
understanding that certain persons who per-
| suaded him to enlist shall continue to command
him. If he had thought otherwise there is no
| doubt that in many cases he would have de-
| chned to volunteer. When he has been sworn
| ID, he Is bound for the whole term of service,
/ and there should be no one exempt, nor, so far
as can control this army, shall he be exempt
| from the same restriction, in that respect
which has been imposed on the private sol
der
A large part of the dissatisfaction justly felt
by the private soldiers of the volunteer regi-
ments has arisen from this very practice. As
soon as commissioned officer grows tired of
the fatigue and hardship of service he tenders
his resignation, and in very many cases has
found means to have it accepted. A private
| soldier has no such means of freeing himself
| from an obligation which he imposed on him
self with the full understanding that theoficer
who persuaded him to volunteer, was equally
| bound with himself, and would remain with
him. The practice of abandoning the private
soldiers who have volunteered at their in
stance, reflects little credit upon officers, and
will only be tolerated in this army when can
not longer control it.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN PoPE, Major-Gen. Commanding.