Thacher said of the punishments ordered by the court martial "Death has been inflicted in a few instances of an atrocious nature, but in general, the punishment consists in a public whipping, and the number of stripes is proportioned to the degree of offense. The law of Moses prescribing forty stripes save one but that number has often been exceeded in our camp. In aggravated cases, and with old offenders in our camp the culprit is sentenced to receive one hundred lashes or more. It is the duty of the drummers and fifers to inflict the chastisement, and the drum major must attend and see that the duty is faithfully performed. The culprit being securely tied to a tree or post receives on his naked back the number of lashes assigned him by a whip formed of several small knotted cords which sometimes cut through the skin at every stroke. However, strange it may appear, a soldier will often receive the severest stripes without uttering a groan or once shrinking from the lash even while the blood flows freely from the lacerated wounds.
"They have now, however, adopted a method which they say mitigates the anguish in some measure. It is by putting between the teeth a leaden bullet, on which they chew while under the lash till it is made quite flat and jagged. In some instances of incorrigibles villians it is adjudged by the court that the culprit receive his punishment at several different times, a certain number of stripes repeated at intervals of two or three days in which case the wounds are in a state of inflammation, and the skin rendered tender and the terror of the punishment is greatly aggravated.
"Another mode of punishment is that of running the gauntlet, this is done by a company of soldiers standing in two lines, each one furnished with a switch and the criminal is made to run between them and receive the scourge from their hands on his naked back; but the delinquent runs so rapidly and the soldiers are so apt to favor a comrade that it often happens in this way punishment is very slight".[211]
Boardman thus recorded a punishment, "This morning another rifleman was drummed out of camp not whipped, but if he ever returns again he is to receive thirty lashes."[212] Other punishments were riding the wooden horse for fifteen minutes with two guns tied to the victim's feet and then ten minutes without guns, or riding a rail. There were, too, the fines and imprisonments, but often the the penalties bordered on the humorous line and furnished real amusement to the rest of the soldiers, one man was sentenced to wear "A clogg chained at his legg for three days, another was to wear a clog four days with his coat turned wrong side outwards".[213] The last penalty was for Major Carnes's cordage. Trials were held for anything from disorderly conduct or stealing a shirt to treason.
In the court martial and its actions it is possible to see a reflection of England and the methods of torture used there. The colonists had not been away from the mother country long enough to get away from those devices for the punishment of offenders.
The number and kind of trials also show that the soldiers as a rule were inclined to have their own way and disregard orders for the majority of the trials were for the disobedience of minor orders.
A study of conditions during the Revolutionary War in the light of the present day and especially in the light of the Great War with the care given the soldiers in the way of housing, medical aid, sanitation and recreation makes the soldier of 1776 more of a hero than he had been before. That he under the most adverse circumstances withstood the war conditions and came out victorious for liberty seems almost a miracle.
John Adams described the continental army as follows: "Our Army at Crown point is an object of wretchness enough to fill a human mind with horror, disgraced, defeated, discontented, dispirited diseased, naked, undisciplined, eaten up with vermin, no clothes, bed, blankets, no medicines, no vituals but salt pork and flour". One almost wonders that it is not a true characterization but it is interesting to note that of the fifty diaries and journals studied only one or two reflected a pronounced discontented or dissatisified spirit, the others mentioned the sufferings and hardships but did not complain.
The leaders of the War for Independnece have long been appreciated for the part they played, perhaps over appreciated. But the leaders could not have accomplished their goal had it not been for the private. The private was undisciplined it is true and willful at times, but to him with his sufferings, hardships and even willfullness must be given a great amount of the honor.
[177.] Coits, Orderly Book, (July 20, 1775), p. 54.