The Deserter is faithless and the Renegade false.
The difference between these two is this—the first class are untrue to the colors, their intention being to withdraw altogether from the conflict, to leave the seat of war, and, it may be, to escape into a country outside it; but the second class go over to the enemy in order to fight in his ranks against their former comrades. According to the general usages of war, deserters and renegades, if they are caught, are to be subjected to martial law and may be punished with death.
Although some exponents of the laws of war claim that deserters and renegades should be handed back to one’s opponent, and on the other hand exactly the opposite is insisted on by others, namely, the obligation to accept them—all we can say is that a soldier cannot admit any such obligation.
But both may be useful.
Deserters and renegades weaken the power of the enemy, and therefore to hand them over is not in the interest of the opposite party, and as for the right to accept them or reject them, that is a matter for one’s own decision.
CHAPTER VII
CIVILIANS IN THE TRAIN OF AN ARMY
“Followers.”
In the train of an army it is usual to find, temporarily or permanently, a mass of civilians who are indispensable to the satisfaction of the wants of officers and soldiers or to the connection of the army with the native population. To this category belong all kinds of contractors, carriers of charitable gifts, artists, and the like, and, above all, newspaper correspondents whether native or foreign. If they fall into the hands of the enemy, they have the right, should their detention appear desirable, to be treated as prisoners of war, assuming that they are in possession of an adequate authorization.