Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-28
MEN WHO LEFT THE FLAG.
Soldiers Who Deserted From the Uniol
Armies During the War.

MORE THAN 100000 OF THEN FOUND OTHER
THINGS MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN FIoHrISo-
WHY THEY DESERTED AND THE MANS TAKEN
TO REPREss THE EvIL-A CURIOUS aALLERr
OF PORTRAITS.
A WAY UP IN THE TOPMOST ATTIC OF
"A the War and Navy building is stored away,
quite out Of sight, very curious and interesting
collection Of photographs. They are tin types,
600 and odd in number, and are fastened with
tacks in rows upon three big parallelograms of
plank. Beneath each one is an inscription tell
ing story of the war, for the pictures are those
of deserters from the federal armies during the
rebellion.
This assemblage Of licensees includes only
those gathered by single provost marshal. To
hold the photographs Of all the men who de-
serted from the ranks of the Union during the
war great many large rooms would be re-
quired When one considers the feelings Of
patriotism that are supposed to have animated
northern hearts during the mighty civil strug-
gle, all beating with one universal throb for
the preservation of the country, it is painful to
think of the fact that from the beginning to
the end of that period of civil strife 26s, 900
men deserted from the stars and stripes.
The faces in the collection of tin types de-
scribed afford a strange study. In not a few Of
them one distinctly recognizes the criminal
type. Most of these represent bounty Jumpers,
who make business of desertion. running away
from one regiment for the purpose of enlisting
In another, and thus obtaining by fraud repay
ment several times over for their patriotism.
Inasmuch $500 offered to each fresh re-
cruit from October, 1868, to May, 1864. this form
OF industry was sufficiently profitable to afford
inducements to the INSCRIPTIONS. One fellow
whose picture is tackled to the planks is set
down in the memorandum beneath as having
deserted no less than twenty-three times, al
though he was evidently hardly more than
youth. His name Patrick Gallagher. On
the other hand. there are many faces in this lit
tie gallery which are decidedly prepossessing.
THE RECORD OF DEsERrERs.
The number of men recorded as deserters is
considerably in excess Of what it should be, in
asmuch as it was swelled by the names Of many
stragglers and other persons who were unavoid-
ably absent from duty, owing to accidents or
unreported disability. 1t is estimated that only
about 200. 900 soldiers forsook the nations flag
during the war deliberately and of their own
free will. These latter figures seem large
enough. but it has been correctly said that no
cause is SO just or SO beloved that in its be-
half will not be attended with desertion by its
defenders" Many causes besides cowardice
and indifference to duty operative in such
matters-not least of them love and anxiety for
kindred and other dependents at home. for
whose sake even patriot may sometimes be in
duced to run awav,
The experience had by the United States re-
specting desertion and the means of preventing
1t was got during the rebellion at great cost.
long time passed before it came to be real
lied that there was but one way to deal effect
lively with the evil-namely. by the exercise of
the utmost severity. So long as lenent meas
ures were applied men dropped out of the ranks
by thousands, undeterred by fears of punish
ment. Lives sacrificed. battles lost and conse-
quent prolongation of the struggle were the
fruits of want OF vigor in treating the trouble
in the early stages of the war. Thus mercy to
those who ran away was really great cruelty to
those who remained true TO the cause. Among
the causes for desertion was the fact that in the
beginning Of the conflict majority of the vol
unteers had no knowledge of military law and
discipline.
DEsERTERs' STORIES.
Another evil brought about by desertions was
the encouragement of recruiting by stories
which the deserters spread respecting the
alleged harsh treatment and unnecessary hard
ships imposed upon them by officers in COM
mand. 1t is undeniable that the large bounties
offered gave encouragement to runaways, and
the maintaining of SO costly system for Sc
curing fighting men would have ruined the
Il
| Is cOntendcd that a better plan to adopt in the
event OF another war would be to do away with
bountlcs and grant higher pay to volunteers
who would thus be enabled to make some sort
of provision for their families left behind
Naturally individuals who had never expe-
rienced military discipline were apt to find it
| irksome, and it is not surprising that the yarns
told by deserters of cruelties which they
| were obliged to undergo should have done harm
For example, the accounts they gave of having
been tied up by the thumbs compare
lively mild punishment for .refractoriness-
were construed as signifying chung up by the
thumbs" very different and extremely bar
barous performance.
BEFORE THE WAR.
Prior to the beginning of the war the army
regulations gave a reward of $40 for the arrest
| and delivery of deserter. Such arrests were
usually made by the police of the cities for the
sake of the reward. During the spring and
summer of 1861 large bodies of volunteer
troops were called into service and assertions
became very frequent. Accordingly. there
| should have been an increase of the rewards
given; but. on the contrary, an order was issued
from the adju.ant generals Office September T.
1861. reducing the reward for the capture of a
deserter to So, which was to cover all expenses
involved. This action. intended as an economy
proved extremely expensive in the long run
1t effectively put stop to arrests, and the mis-
cniei grew dpace.
THE PROVOST MARsHALs AND DEsERrERs.
Several general orders followed at intervals
for collecting stragglers and deserters, &c, but
it was not until March 3. 1868. that ANYTHING
really effectual was done. On that date Con-
gress passed the first enrolment act making it
the duty of provost marshal general in WASH
ington to maintain correspondence with pro-
vost marshals in every congressional district
respecting deserters and means for their appre-
hension. The law required all officers in COM
mand of regiments and battalions not attached
to regiments to report each month the deser-
lions from their commands during the month
previous. They were obliged to make out
blanks, giving the name, description. residence
and probable whereabouts of each such
cb5entee. These reports were duly classified at
the Office of the provost marshal general in
Washington and information was sent to the
provost marshals in the various congressional
districts about the runaways who might be ex-
pected to be found jim their respective neighbour
hoods. The provost marshals were ordered to
arrest the delinquents when they could be
found.
REPORTS FROM THE FIELD.
At the beginning it was found very difficult
to get the commanding officers in the field to
send their reports of assertions with regularity.
Obviously, they were very busy with other
things, and such clerical matters fatigued them
However. way of getting over that trouble was
oh xrh H.