Corporal and Dishonourable Punishments in the Union Army during the American Civil War in the Light of Army Regulations and Reports of the General Courts-Martial in the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac

Both armies and the soldiers serving in them have, since the earliest times, functioned according to army regulations and military law. The primary purpose of such regulations has been to ensure effective army management. One of the sine qua non conditions was the maintenance of iron discipline and unconditional obedience of subordinates to their superiors. Any actions that threatened this principle were seen as detrimental to the army. Hence, it is not surprising that in practically all such situations, soldiers who committed rule‑breaking offences were brought before courts martial, tried and, if found guilty, convicted and punished according to the offence/crime committed. This article will Focus primarily on the various types of corporal and dishonourable punishments that were applied to soldiers during the American Civil War (1861–1865), most of which, from today’s perspective, would be seen as torture. This issue will be presented on the basis of contemporary army regulations and the proceedings of general courts‑martial, thus showing both the theoretical and practical side of the issue hand.