Sentenced to Death:

The Court Martial Proceedings of

Lieutenant William H. White.

The following document, relating to the final proceedings of a Military Court Martial against a junior officer of the Army of Tennessee who was tried for similar charges brought against Captain Jazeb R. Rhodes, who was executed for this offense, was located amongst the documents held at the National Archives, and brought to light by Edward Milligan, of Alexandria, Virginia. The document can be found in Record Group 109 - CSA Compiled Military Service Records: GO 165/2 Department of the Army of Tennessee. It is unclear if the execution of Lieutenant White was ever carried into effect, due to the absence of any recorded material about the final outcome. If this officer was executed, then it would bring to two, the number of officers known to have been executed for offenses against the Confederate States.

Headquarters, Army of Tennessee,

Chattanooga, Tenn., August 20th, 1863.

General Orders

No. 165.

I. At a General Court Martial convened at Chattanooga, Tenn., on the 21st day of July 1863, in pursuance of Special Order No. 191, part 1, dated July 19th, 1863, of which Col. J[acob]. H. Sharp, 44th Miss. Regt. is President, was arraigned and tried:

II. 1st Lieut. William H. White, Co. D, 4th Regt. Ga. Cav. on the following Charges and Specifications:

Charge 1st and Specifications thereon withdrawn.

Charge 2nd.

Advising Desertion.

Substance of Specifications.

That accused, at Chaney Springs, Tenn., on the 1st of May 1863, and at divers times between that time and 11th of June 1863, did advise William White, a private of Co. D, 4th Regt. Ga. Cav. to desert the service of the Confederate States.

Specification 2nd.

That accused, at same time and place above specified, advised Jas. White, a private of said Co. D to desert said service.

Specification 3rd.

That accused, at same time and place above specified, did advise W.H. Nabors, a private of said Co. D to desert said service.

Charge 3rd.

Persuading a soldier to desert the service of the Confederate States.

Specification 1st.

That accused, at same time and place above stated, did persuade said private Wm. White, of said Co. D to desert said service.

Specification 2nd.

That accused, at same time and place above stated, did persuade Jas. White, of said Co. D to desert said service.

Specification 3rd.

That accused, at the same time and place above stated, did persuade said private W.H. Nabors of said Co. D to desert said service.

Charge 4th.

Quitting his Guard.

Substance of Specification.

That accused, about the 14th of June, 1863, at Cross Keys, Tenn., was, as Lieut of said Co., placed in charge of a guard on picket and did, without urgent necessity, and without leave of his superior officer, desert his guard and leave the same.

Charge 5th.

Disobedience of the lawful command of his superior officer.

Substance of Specification.

That accused, on the 14th of June 1863, at Cross Keys, Tenn., when ordered by Wm. P. Rogers, Capt. of said Co. D, 4th Ga. Cav., to take a squad of men in charge and to post them as pickets, to watch and if necessary report the movements of the enemy to said Capt. Rogers, and to return about sunrise with said squad of men, did not so post his men, but did leave the men and quit the service of the Confederate States, and did not return as directed.

Charge 6th.

Holding correspondence with the Enemy.

Substance of Specification.

Specification 1st.

That accused, at Nashville, Tenn., on 14th July 1863, and at divers times between that time and the 21st day of July 1863, did hold correspondence with one Col. Geo. W. Bridges, of the Army of the United States, at war with, and an enemy of the Confederate States.

Specification 2nd.

That accused, at Nashville, Tenn., on the 18th of June 1863, and at divers times between that time and the 21st day of July 1863 1863, did hold correspondence with one Colonel George W. Bridges and one Brig. Gen'l. R.S. Granger, they being in the Army of the United States, a Government at War with, and the enemy of the Confederate States.

To which the accused pleaded as follows:

To 2nd Specification of 6th Charge Not Guilty.

To 1st Specification of 6th Charge Not Guilty.

To the 6th Charge Not Guilty.

To the Specification of 5th Charge Not Guilty.

To the 5th Charge Not Guilty.

To the Specification of 4th Charge Not Guilty.

To the 4th Charge Not Guilty.

To the 3rd Specification of 3rd Charge Not Guilty.

To the 2nd Specification of 3rd Charge Not Guilty.

To the 1st Specification of 3rd Charge Not Guilty.

To the 3rd Charge Not Guilty.

To the 3rd Specification of 2nd Charge Not Guilty.

To the 2nd Specification of 2nd Charge Not Guilty.

To the 1st Specification of 2nd Charge Not Guilty.

To the 2nd Charge Not Guilty.

III. Finding and sentence of the Court.

On mature deliberation the Court finds the accused as follows:

Of 1st Specification of 2nd Charge Guilty.

Of 2nd Specification of 2nd Charge Guilty.

Of 3rd Specification of 2nd Charge Guilty.

Of the 2nd Charge Guilty.

Of 1st Specification of 3rd Charge Guilty.

Of 2nd Specification of 3rd Charge Guilty.

Of 3rd Specification of 3rd Charge Guilty.

Of the 3rd Charge Guilty.

Of the Specification of 4th Charge Guilty.

Of the 4th Charge Guilty.

Of the Specification of 5th Charge Guilty.

Of the 5th Charge Guilty.

Of 1st Specification of 6th Charge Guilty.

Of 2nd Specification of 6th Charge Guilty.

Of the 6th Charge Guilty.

and does, therefore, sentence him, the said 1st Lieut. Wm. H. White, of Co. D of the 4th Regt. of Georgia Cavalry, to be hanged by the neck until dead, at such time and place as the Commanding General may appoint, two thirds of the members of the Court concurring therein.

IV. The proceedings in the foregoing case, of 1st Lieut. Wm. H. White, Co. D 4th Regt. Ga. Cav. having, with the finding and sentence of the Court, been submitted to the Commanding General, are by him approved. The execution of the foregoing sentence will be carried into effect as therein provided, between the hours of 10 o'clock A.M. and 2 o'clock P.M. of Saturday, the 22nd day of August 1863, at Chattanooga, Tenn., under the direction of Brig. Gen'l. J.K. Jackson, Commandant of the Post of Chattanooga, Tenn.

By Command of General Bragg,

(Signed) George Wm. Brent,

A.A. Gen'l.

Official.
[Signed:] Archer Anderson,
A.A. Gen'l.

Maj. Gen'l. A.P. Stewart,
Comd'g. Division.

©Terry Foenander

October, 2001