The Court is thus lenient owing to this being the first case of the kind brought before it.
Wm. A. Leach, Lt. Col. 90th Regt. Pa. Vols., Pres.;
Jas. A. Clark, Adjt. 17th Pa. Cavalry, Judge Advocate.
The Proceedings and Findings in the foregoing case are hereby respectfully submitted to Brig.-Gen. Hayes for his consideration.
James Carle, Col. 191st Pa. Vols., Senior Officer, 2d Floor.
Confed. Mil. Prison, Danville, Va., Nov. 1, 1864.
The Proceedings and Findings of the Court Martial of which Lt. Col. W. A. Leach, 90th Pa. Vols., was President, having been submitted to Brig.-Gen. Hayes, the Senior Officer present, are approved. The extreme leniency of the Court must be apparent to all, and can only be excused by the novelty of the case brought before it. Language fails to convey censure adequate to the gross vulgarity and ungentlemanly conduct of the accused. Captain [we omit the name] seems to forget or misconceive his responsibility in his present circumstances. An officer being a prisoner of war is not relieved from his responsibility to his government nor from his liability to the regulations of the service as far as may be applied to his dishonor by ungentlemanly and unofficer-like conduct; and many other offenses committed by an officer when a prisoner of war are as punishable as if that officer were serving with his command. And it is well the officers in the prison have organized a Court for the summary punishment of those of their number, who, forgetful of their position and their honor, would bring shame upon themselves and their associates.
It is to be hoped that Capt. [name we omit]'s conduct in the future will be such as will cause to be forgotten his mistakes of the past.
Joseph Hayes, Brig. Gen. U. S. Vols.