Court Martial Collection 

During the American Civil War, disobedience, inappropriate conduct and procedure, and illegal activities were common occurrences throughout the military. Soldiers were generally dissatisfied with their living conditions as soldiers and sought ways to make them better, such as drinking or committing theft. Sleeping on post was one of the most common charges brought against soldiers, since it put the lives of everyone in their company in danger. A lot of these charges do not seem that severe, but in the context of war, something like staying awake while guarding post was crucial. Those who disobeyed their orders or their superior officers, were put on trial under a court martial. A Court Martial was a type of court that consisted of either one military judge or a judge with a jury comprised of other soldiers. While there were various types of court martials, most were led by a judge advocate, who was a precursor to the modern-day prosecutor (the opposition to the defense). The court could call witnesses against the accused. The accused could also testify in court or call witnesses of their own to testify in their defense. The court would then proceed to determine if the accused was innocent or guilty and if guilty, what sentence should be imposed. Punishments could include hard labor, temporary imprisonment, loss of rank, or loss of pay for the duration of their sentence. 

 

The 102nd United States Colored Troops was an all-black regiment initially raised in Michigan as the first 1st Michigan Colored Infantry. Henry Barnes, a leader in Detroit and the editor of the Detroit Tribune and Advertiser, was responsible for organizing and raising the regiment during the fall and winter 1863-64.  He also served as the first Colonel of the regiment. The regiment left Detroit at the end of March 1864. For the next year and a half, the regiment served in South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. They participated in two significant battles, Honey Hill in November 1864 and Deveaux Neck, December 1864. Much of their service was at Beaufort, S.C. Most of the Court Martials presented in this collection were held in Beaufort S.C., which was the headquarters for the Department of the South. The exception to this is Private John Anderson, whose Court Martial was convened in Alexandria, VA. Examples of what soldiers were arrested for include sleeping on post as in the case of Frederick Leike, being drunk and disorderly conduct as in the case of William Washington, and desertion. The cases exhibited here also include charges for robbery, absence without leave, and threatening to kill as in the case of Nelson Hardie. These Court Martials and their verdicts varied from soldier to soldier but were all taken extremely serious in the eyes of their commanding officers and fellow soldiers.   

 

The original court martial documents are located in the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.:  Court-Martial Case Files, 1809-1894, Record Group 153, Records of the Judge Advocate General (Army). This series includes proceedings of general courts-martial, courts of inquiry, and military commissions. A general court-martial is the highest military tribunal convened to try violations of military law. A court of inquiry is an investigative body that lacks the power to impose punishments. And military commissions are special courts established under martial law for the investigation and trial of private citizens. These orders provide basic information such as the date, location of the trial, charge(s) brought against the accused, finding of the court, and sentence. The order also specifies whether the sentence was approved or disapproved by a higher authority.