Courts-martial in the 56th
| Name | Rank | Co. | Date of trial* | Charge(s) | Drinking involved? | Outcome |
| Van Wyck, C.H. | Col. | -- | Dec. 1, 1863 | Making false muster (at Seabrook Island, S.C.); Disobedience (allowed sergeant to wear officer's uniform, Beaufort, S.C.; making false muster); Neglect (failed to report paperwork) | N | Not guilty |
| Carroll, Michael | Pvt. | A | Dec. 1, 1864 | Neglect (at inspection at Port Royal Island, S.C., his gun had an inch of sand in the bottom of the barrel) | N | Guilty: Fined 1 month's pay. Court was lenient because he was raw recruit |
| Toohay (also spelled Toohey, Tooey, Toey), Michael | Pvt. | A | Jan. 1, 1862 | Violence to a superior officer (threw stick of wood at lieutenant while encamped in Washington, D.C.); Disobedience (refused to be quiet, said "I'll do as I please"); Disrespect (as above) | N | Guilty: 6 months' hard labor with ball and chain, at half-pay |
| Benson (also Bensen, Banson), Charles | Pvt. | B | Jan. 1, 1865 | Conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline (as a prison guard, refused to allow a private to empty the night pails [commodes] and procure water at Beaufort, S.C.; confined a private in an iron collar for several days; refused to allow a private to go to the sink [latrine]) | N | Not guilty, but general presiding at trial was outraged |
| Thayer, Charles F. | Capt. | B | Jan. 1, 1862 | Selling U.S. property (sold government wood while encamped at Washington, D.C.) | N | Guilty: Dismissed from the service, ordered to pay for wood. Thayer petitioned to have decision overturned; no record of outcome |
| Jackson, James | Pvt. | C | March 1, 1864 | AWOL (absent without leave for two hours in Beaufort, S.C.); Conduct prejudicial (forcibly entered the dwelling of colored persons, aided Pvts. Corey, Davis, and Kennedy [see all] in the rape of Betsy Landson, colored woman; aided Pvt. Corey to rape her) | N | Guilty: 2 months' hard labor. Victim testified she had cooked for the camp. "My name ain't Betsy Ladson. I live by Aunt Charlotte," she testified. She said she had never seen Jackson. Jackson was tried with Pvts. Davis, Corey, and Kennedy. |
| Terwilliger (also Terwillegar), Benjamin | Sgt. | C | Sept. 1, 1864 | Disobedience (refused to take an estimate of camp equipment to headquarters; when released from arrest, refused duty) | N | Guilty: Reduced to ranks, ordered confined to guard house for 1 month |
| Allen, George F. | Pvt. | D | Jan. 1, 1864 | Desertion (deserted, threw away uniform at Beaufort, S.C.); Conduct prejudicial (wore civilian clothes) | Y | Guilty: On both charges. Sentenced to 18 months' hard labor with 24-pound ball and chain; fined $12 per month for 18 months |
| Clark, Sylvester | Pvt. | D | Sept. 1, 1864 | Desertion (deserted at Harrison's Landing, Va.) | N | Guilty: Sentenced to 2 months' hard labor with ball and chain; dishonorably discharged |
| Wheeler, John J. | Capt. (later promoted to major) | D | Dec. 1, 1862 | Neglect (allowed straggling on reconnaissance at Gloucester Point, Va.; allowed his men to steal chickens from civilians); Disobedience (allowed depredations, stole poultry); Neglect (at Gloucester Court House, Va., failed to have the regiment properly guarded; failed to post the guards) | N | Not guilty |
| Warring, William H. | Pvt. | F | Feb. 1, 1865 | Neglect (delayed transmission of a vital message to Gen. Schimmelfennig by four hours at Morris Island, S.C.) | N | Guilty: Fined 3 months' pay, reprimanded |
| Bryer (also Bryers), John J. | Sgt. | G | Dec. 1, 1864 | Conduct prejudicial (drunk and disorderly; refused arrest; foul language; disturbed the camp with noise); Disobedience (refused arrest); AWOL: after taps at Beaufort, S.C. | Y | Guilty: Reduced to ranks, fined 2 months' pay |
| Corey (also Correy), Robert | Pvt. | G | Aug. 1, 1864 | AWOL: 2 hours in Beaufort, S.C.; Conduct prejudicial (broke into colored people's homes; tried to rape Betsy Landson, colored woman; assaulted her with force of arms) | N | Guilty of breaking into colored people's homes; three weeks' hard labor at Beaufort, S.C. |
| Davis (also Daves), John | Pvt. | G | June 1, 1864 | AWOL: 2 hours in Beaufort, S.C.; Conduct prejudicial (broke into dwelling of a colored person; attempted rape of Betsy Landson; beat her | N | Guilty: 2 months' hard labor; victim testified: "He held my feet down for Pvt. (Robert) Corey. Prisoner hit me with a stick. He broke into my house with an axe. When he held my feet, I fight him." Sergeant testified that the prisoner has good character. Two other privates say he was never in the house. Tried with Pvts. Jackson, Kennedy, and Corey. |
| Decker, Demmon S. | 1st Lt. | G | March 1, 1864 | Conduct unbecoming an officer (used foul language to the lieutenant at Beaufort, S.C.; caused a disrespectful article about Col. Van Wyck to be published in the newspaper: Disobedience (foul language); Disrespect (published an article in the newspaper; foul language about the colonel at Seabrook Island, S.C.) | N | Guilty: Dismissed |
| McGuire, James | Sgt. | G | Dec.1, 1864 | Drunk on duty (at Beaufort, S.C.); Contempt (foul language to lieutenant; refused arrest with foul language) | Y | Guilty: Reduced to ranks, must serve 4 months' hard labor. fined 4 months' pay |
| Connelly (also Connolly, Conley), John | Pvt. | H | March 1, 1864 | Stealing (stole a bottle of lemon syrup from the house of Sarah, a colored woman, at Beaufort, S.C.) | Y | Guilty: Sentenced to 5 days on bread and water |
| Aughmoody (also Auchmoody), Wright H. | Lt. | I | Jan. 1, 1864 | Neglect (did not inspect the pickets; allowed a private on guard duty with one inch of sand in the bottom of the gun's barrel); Disobedience (allowed men on guard duty with less than 40 rounds at Port Royal, S.C.) | N | Guilty of neglect: Reprimanded (court exercised leniency) |
| Bradford, William H. | Pvt. | I | Jan. 1, 1865 | Desertion: (for nine months at Beaufort, S.C.) | N | Guilty: Of being absent without leave. No pay while gone, must make good the time, pay fine of $10 a month for 4 months. Accused can't read; received $214 bounty; accused sent surgeon's certificate as proof of medical condition |
| Goldsmith, Charles D. | Pvt. | I | Feb. 1, 1865 | Desertion (for one month) | N | Not guilty: Provided surgeon's certificate of debility |
| Knowles, Charles W. | Pvt. | I | Feb. 1, 1865 | Desertion: (for two months from a hospital furlough at Hilton Head, S.C.) | N | Guilty: Received no pay while gone, must make good the time. Accused received $25 bounty. Sent two surgeon's certificates to regiment to try to prove disability. |
| Patch, Elisha C. | Pvt. | I | Nov. 1, 1864 | Felony (tried to pass counterfeit $10 bill to sutler at Morris Island, S.C.) | N | Not guilty |
| Crandall, Joseph | Pvt. | K | Dec. 1, 1862 | Violation of 46th Article of War (slept on post) | N | Guilty: One month hard labor |
| Knox, Charles B. | Pvt. | K | Jan. 1, 1865 | Desertion (deserted five weeks) | N | Guilty: No pay while gone, fined $10 per month for rest of enlistment, must make good the time. Was paid $800 bounty. Prisoner said he was sick at home. A surgeon's certificate was sent but is missing. |
| Mondor, Alek (also Alexander) | Pvt. | K | Dec. 1, 1864 | Disobedience (was out of his quarters at 11 p.m. on Port Royal Island, S.C.); Conduct prejudicial (drunk; brought liquor into headquarters; took two horses without permission, rode drunk in Beaufort; passed the sentry) | Y | Guilty: Fined 1 month pay, must serve 1 week solitary confinement on bread and water |
| Alberts, Frederick W. | Sgt. | L | Jan. 1, 1865 | Conduct prejudicial (as a prison guard, confined a private in an iron collar for 33 hours at Beaufort, S.C., on July 4, 1864; confined a private in an iron collar for writing a letter to the provost marshal; confined a negro in an iron collar to force him to enlist in the army; threatened to shoot a private who was wearing an iron collar; refused to let a private go to the sink [latrine]) | N | Guilty: Of some offenses (not specified). Reduced to ranks. The review general was outraged by the findings of the court. |
| Hawkes (also Hawks), Henry A. | 2nd Lt. | L | Jan. 1, 1865 | Conduct prejudicial (as a prison guard, kept a private in jail for 26 days at Beaufort, S.C.; confined a private in an iron collar for 28 hours, injuring him; tortured a private; cursed a private); Conduct prejudicial (asked for a $100 bribe to let a man go) | N | Guilty: Of first charge only. Reprimanded. Court exercised leniency. The review general was outraged. Prisoner kept in irons and iron neck collar, refused to let him use the sink [latrine]; the victim "evacuated his bowels" in the jail cell and was not permitted to clean himself. Review general says the jail in Beaufort, S.C., for the soldiers is a "scandal." |
| Kellam, H.P. | Capt. | L | March 1, 1864 | Conduct prejudicial (at Beaufort, S.C., played cards with enlisted men) | N | Guilty: Reprimanded |
| Kennedy, Richard | Pvt. | L | June 1, 1864 | AWOL ( 2 hours at Beaufort, S.C.); Conduct prejudicial (broke into a colored person's house; encouraged three men to assault Betsy Landson, a colored woman; encouraged a private to rape her) | N | Guilty: Of first charge; no further punishment. The female victim testified that he was not the man who was there. A 13-year-old colored boy also testified. |
| McKoon (also McKeon), Horace W. | 2nd Lt. | L | Nov. 1, 1863 | Conduct prejudicial (AWOL overnight; gave a private liquor, got him drunk); Disobedience (gambled at Beaufort, S.C.) | Y | Guilty: Dismissed |
| Miller, John | Pvt. | ? | June 1, 1864 | Desertion( for 6 days at Beaufort, S.C.) | N | Guilty: 15 days' hard labor; prisoner said he was sick from eating vegetables; court exercised lenience because of "evident mental incapacity." |
| **Evans, Eli H. | 1st. Lt., adjutant | Field and Staff | ** | Charged with presenting and collecting false and fraudulent accounts against the government, drunkenness on duty, conduct prejudicial, breach of arrest | Y | Evans tendered his resignation while under charges and was dishonorably discharged Oct. 1, 1863 |
(Data provided by The Index Project Inc).
* Refers to date of court-martial, NOT date of alleged offense(s)
** Evans, who enrolled at Newburgh on July 31, 1861, was mustered in Sept. 1, 1861. He resigned his commission before a court-martial could take place. Details of the charges against him and news of his resignation were contained in an official announcement in the Oct. 10, 1863, issue of the "Army and Navy Journal." Information kindly provided by Civil War historian Mark D. Jaeger.
Text of court-martial of 1st Lt. Demmon Decker, Co. G
including his scathing newspaper attack on Col. Van Wyck
| Letters, papers, other neat stuff | Original flank marker flags | The presidential election of 1864 |
| More letters and papers | Letters of Pvt. Samuel Carr, Co. K | An unfortunate incident, 1865 |
| Typical day in the 56th in June 1863 | Wrong side of the law: Courts-martial in the 56th |