Civil War Order ~ 1st NY Mounted Rifles Court Martial ~ Confederate Sympathizer

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Civil War Order ~ 1st NY Mounted Rifles Court Martial ~ Confederate Sympathizer:
$14.75

Offered here is an interesting document from the Civil War. This General Order was among an archive of documents from the Brigade staff of the3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac. General Orders such as these were printed and distributed to the various commands as a way of spreading official information to the troops. This one, General Orders No. 242, came under the War Department header and is dated July 28, 1863 from Washington. It is marked in ink as having been received at Brigade on August 15.The seven-page circular contains the details of the court martial of a Second Lieutenant in the 1st New York Mounted Rifles, though at the time he was on detacheddutywith the Engineer Corps at Suffolk, Virginia.
On the first charge, \"giving intelligence to the enemy,\" it was alleged that the Lieutenant:
did have under his command one George W. Ballentine, a Private of Company \'B,\' 1st Regiment Mounted Rifles, New York State Volunteers, acting on Engineer Corps as a Sergeant, and did persuade, and by his manner of talking induce, said Ballentine to desert the service of the United States, for the purpose of joining the enemy; that said Ballentine did so desert the service, and did go to the enemy; that prior to his going said Lieutenant Grant did furnish him with certain valuable articles to assist him in effecting his escape from the Union lines; and that in order that he might fully advise the enemy of the strength and position of the Union forces at Suffolk, Virginia, from which place he was to desert, he, the said Grant, did furnish said Ballentine with a map or draft of all of the fortifications in and about Sufffolk, Virginia, together with a statement of the strength and disposition of the Union forces at said place. This at Camp Suffolk, Virginia, on or about the 28th day of March, 1863.
It was further alleged that the Lieutenant had told Ballentine that by providing this information to the rebels, they would surely give him a high position in their service. He had also been accused of saying things like, \"that he wished the so-called Confederates would be successful in their efforts against the Government of the United States; that he did not believe the North could ever be triumphant; that they could never take the cities of Charleston and Vicksburg, and that he hoped they never would.\" He also had apparently uttered that \"if it had not been for his love for a woman he would have been in the Confederate Army long ago.\"
There are several other charges which make for interesting reading, including his words against General Peck. The Lieutenant was found guilty, sentenced to be dismissed, and imprisoned for the remainder of the war. President Lincoln approved the sentence and the Lieutenant was dismissed July 24.
General Orders such as these were often printed in the field by the Army\'s portable printing presses that began operation in 1863. Documents were also printed in local Virginia print shops near the Army, and in larger print shops in Washington and other cities. For more fascinating information about the Army of the Potomac\'s printing processes, Google \"Civil War Field Printing\" to find the National Museum of American History\'s informative page on the topic.
The circular measures about 5\" x 7 1/2\"and has two holes in the left margin used for placing the document in a binder. The paper is in excellent sturdy condition, not stiff, and not particularly delicate. Light wear to corners and edges.
This document was purchased from the estate of the late Norm Flayderman, who is well known as having been the authority on Antique American firearms.The archive from which the document came belonged to Thomas H. Dunham, who had started the war as a private in the 11th Massachusetts, worked on brigade and division staffs after being wounded at Chancellorsville and the Wilderness, and finished the war as Colonel of the 11th (he earned a brevet brigadier\'s commission for his service).
Please see my other items for more interesting Civil War letters, documents, and images. I\'m happy to combine shipping on multiple purchases.
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