Civil War fact of the day. On this day in 1864, as the Battle of Boydton Plank Road became the last major action of the year on the Petersburg front, Brig. Gen. G.W.C. Lee wrote from the Richmond defenses about the increasing number of desertions from his command. HEADQUARTERS LOCAL DEFENSE BRIGADE, Chaffins Farm, October 27, 1864. Major T. O. CHESTNEY, Headquarters Department of Richmond, Va.: MAJOR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a list of men who have deserted from my command to the enemy since the 4th instant.* You will see by an inspection of the list that most of the men are mechanics, some of them workers in iron, of very great value to our Government. It is the opinion of many of the battalion and company commanders that most of the desertions are due to recent orders of the Adjutant and Inspector Generals Office directing that certain classes of men heretofore exempt from military duty in the field, in which are included mechanics and others necessary to the Government, in the several departments, shall be sent to the field. Pains have been taken to inform the men that those necessary to the Government will not be sent to the field, and constant efforts are made to allow no intercourse with the enemys pickets and to prevent men from deserting the picket-line, in which way most of the desertions occur; but desertions still continue at the rate of two or three every night. The men who desert are for the most part from the class which has no interest in our cause, and who are probably unwilling to undergo the privations to which all sorts and conditions of our people are subjected, and they would probably leave us upon every favorable opportunity. The orders referred to hereinbefore probably help their conclusions, and they now have the opportunity. I have deemed it my duty to put you in possession of these facts, and have the honor to be, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. W. C. LEE, Brigadier-General.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 13:00:00 +0000
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