Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the First Session of the Nineteenth Congress Page: 47
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41
GALES .& SEATON'S REGISTER
48,
SENATE.]
Prevention of Desertion.
[j as. 12, 1826.
ter of the British army to the degree of eminence which it
has at present reached," 8cc. •
I'.am aware there is still a considerable deduction from the
Jiay of the non-commissioned officers in the British army for
provisions. I have not been able to ascertain precisely
what is its amount, but I believe it is eight or nine pence
per day. It is the general opinion that the soldier pays
for every thing-that is distributed to him; but that is not
the case—it is only to a certain amount, and Government
pays the remainder. The pay of the ordinary sergeant of
irffantry may be somewhere about what it is in this coun-
try at present, but the pay of the artillery sergeant is
greater. I ask what is done in our service to compensate
them ? Nothing- that I know of, and, if it is necessary,
for the good of the service, to have good non-commissioned
officers,'you must strike out some mode of encouraging
them; if you cannot give them distinction, give them an
equivalent for'it; if you cannot give them promotion out
of their grade, give them distinction in it, and pay, suffi-
cient to dress well, to supply all their little wants, and
that they may cut some sort of figure amongst their friends
when they-are by the lenity of their officers, suffered to
visit them. They ought, also, I should think, to have suf-
ficient to support a family in a style of tolerable decency.
I have before observed, that the objects of the first sec-
tion of the bill will be materially promoted by passing the
third section; but whilst the committee were deliberating
on the subject, I had no idea that I could procure a docu-
ment, which! have since done, that would prove the fact
so decisively. Since the bill has been reported, I have
obtained from the Adjutant General's Office a document
to that effect—it is a statement of the number of deser-
tions amongst the non-commissioned officers distinct from
that of the men; and, if it continues in the same proportion
as it has done, it will make the number, for twelve months,
amount to thirty and a fraction. During the whole course
of my life, I have never known such a thing to occur be-
fore. I formerly served as a platoon officer in the army of
Gen. Wayne, and should certainly have known if there had
beenany uncommon desertion from that grade; and, during
the whole of that period, I am convinced there were not
four desertions of that kind—one was taken and shot, but
1 cannot recollect any other; and, whilst commanding the
Northwestern army, I do not recollect of a single instance.
Surely, sir, some system should be adopted by which the
men may be enlisted from amongst the respectable yeo-
.manry of the country—thirty non-commissioned officers
deserting in one year, is a humiliating spectacle, and the
Legislature should feel themselves bound, as far as they
can, to prevent its future recurrence.
I said, sir, that I had it in mv. power to shew tbat the
order which I have read from the Duke of York, raising
the pay of the non-commissioned officers, was produced
by the recommendation of the Duke of Wellington, and
that it was intended as a remedy against the desertions in
the army. There is an order of the Duke's, of the same
year, in which he complains that the desertions were
greater than at any former period. The order of tile
Duke of York says, indeed, nothing about desertion, but
holds out to the soldier the inducement of obtaining the
rank of non-commissioned officer, to whom more respect
and emolument had been given for a more faithful dis-
.charge of his duty; and a similar object is expected to
be accomplished by the section of the bill I am now dis-
cussing.
If you are not willing, sir, to adopt a system of this
kind- if you will not increase their pay, from the appre-
hension which my colleague has expressed, that it will
produce dissatisfaction in the army—what measures will
you adopt ? Something must certainly be done. Will
you say that the punishment of death shall again be in-
flicted ? Will you crimson your plains with the blood of
your own soldiers ? If you are resolved to do tins, be as-
sured the feelings of your fellow-citizens will not go with
you. Will you subject your gallant officers, who gained
you so much honor during the last war, to the revolting
task of executing their fellow-soldiers? I assure; you it is
an i employment, for which they have bo stomach.
Though accustomed to.scenes of blood, it was the blood
of their enemies, or friends who, falling in the defence of
their country, it is not permitted a soldier to regret. If
it were not irom the apprehension of a charge of garruli-
ty, which, it is said, belongs to the character of some old
soldiers, I could tell what I felt, when, at the age of eigh-
teen, it fell to my lot to command the guard which exe-
cuted two soldiers for desertion; and what I also felt,
when, as the commander of your army, I was called on to
sanction a sentence of death. But I -will tell you what I
have seen General Wayne, the Marcellus of your country,
suffer on a similar occasion. I witnessed the tear starting-
from his fine blue eye, and his breast heaving with emo-
tion, whenever he was called upon to perform this pain-
ful duty.
If you do not wish to revive this punishment, will you
restore the omnipotence of the cat-of-nine tails, that in-
strument of torture? If you do, you will find it ineffec-
tual. Resort to severe punishments-of that description,
procure the shlag from Prussia, or the knout from Rus-
sia—it will never be effectual in an American Army.
The punishment of the picket has even been tried, but
in vain j the only one that has proved effectual, is death.
Perhaps it may be said, it will be best to continue the
present system of confining the deserter to hard labor in
a fortress, with a ball and chain around his leg. Will the
Senate consider what will be the effect of this congrega-
tion of bad men? Amongst this number, there are many
old offenders, who are hardened in crime, and others who
are but young in guilt—the effect of such a system, al-
ways being to bring the least guilty to the standard of the
greatest. And what amass of villany will you periodi-
cally turn loose on the community. Try, then, I beseech
you, some other plan—try the effect of lenity and in-
struction—take the fetter from the leg, and apply it to
the mind of your soldier, and make him what he should
be, the willing and faithful servant of his country-
After all, Sir, this bill is not entirely to my mind. I
would have added some other inducements; 1 would have
added honorary distinction ; and I would have increased
the pay of the corporals; but 1 feared to go too far, lest
nothing should be obtained. There is another clause I
would willingly have added; to restore again to your ar-
my the ministers of religion. Until lately I had not
known that the grade-of Chaplains had been abolished.
May not to this cause be, in part, attributed the increased
number of desertions in your army ? I know there are ob-
jections in the minds of some military men to the employ-
ment of Chaplains; but it has always arisen from the cha-
racter of the Chaplains themselves. I know also that
books of caricatures have been printed in England against
that grade ; but, in the reform that has lately taken place
under the Duke of Wellington, a considerable change
has been effected in that particular. They are now cho-
sen with great care, and faithfully do their duty. A (.'hap,-'
lain, properly chosen, and employed where he can have
constant access to the men, will, no doubt, be of effectual
service, and I regret they are no longer to be found as a
component part of our army.
I am sorry to have detained the committee so long, bat
I consider it a most important subject, and well worthy all
the consideration that can be bestowed on it.
Mr. ClIANDLEIt said, he believed that when the Sen-
ate considered what sort of men the ranks of the army
was filled with, in time of peace, they would perceive
how difficult it was to prevent desertion; for so long as
such quantities of wild land remained, which is so easily
obtained, it is impossible to induce men to enlist into your
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Gales, Joseph, 1761-1841. Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the First Session of the Nineteenth Congress, book, 1826; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30753/m1/28/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.