General Court Martial By Order of General James Wilkinson
Document 1798Andrew Anderson, a soldier at Fort Sargent, is condemned to hang, for desertion, helping two guarded prisoners escape, and losing his arms & accoutrements.
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[Endorsement on verso: Sentence of a Court Martial / [undecipherable] / Death hanging]
A General Court Martial held at Fort [undecipherable]
On Thursday the Twenty second day of November 1798 [undecipherable]
Order of Genl James Wilkinson Commander in Chief of the [undecipherable]
Western Armies, for the trial of such prisoners as may [undecipherable]
be brought before it
Capt Heth President
Lieut Pope } { Lieut Gragg
Lieut Butler } Members { Ensn Glen
Quarter Master Evans Judge Advocate
The Court being duly sworn proceeded to the trial
of Andrew Anderson, Soldier, of Capt Pikes Company,
Charged with deserting of his post on the night of the 31
of October 1798 and aiding and assisting two prisoners to [undecipherable]
their escape from under Confinement at Fort Sargent when
he was a Sentinel and had Charge of them, And loosing
his Arms and Accoutrements
The prisoner [undecipherable] Guilty of deserting
from his post, Going away with them and loosing his
Arms and Accoutrements, but not Guilty of aiding and
Assisting the escape of them, from the place of their Con-
finement
Lieut Gregg being sworn saith that on the
Morning of the 1st of November 1798 the Corporal of the Fort
Guard, came to him a little before day and informed him
that one of the Iron bars to the window of the Block House
was broke off, and two prisoners then from had Escaped
and that the Sentry was also gone and have deserted [undecipherable]
[undecipherable]
[undecipherable] have been broke Open without
[undecipherable] or the knowledge of the Sentry
Answer, The prisoners could not of made [undecipherable]
Escape without the Sentinel on his post being
Accessary to it
Question by the Court, Was the pris[undecipherable]
Sober the night on which you posted him on his p[undecipherable]
Answer, he was perfectly sober and
appeared Alert when I posted him
The prisoner Anderson sayth in his defence that when
he discovered the prisoners who Escaped had broke out
of their Confinement, he was alarmed and went
of with them
The Court on due deliberation from
the evidence adduced against the prisoner find him
Guilty of breach of Article Sixth Section of the Rules
and Articles of War and Sentence him to be [undecipherable]
by the neck [undecipherable] two thirds of the court con-
curring therein.
The Court Adjourns Sine Die
Edw Evans [undecipherable]
[undecipherable]
Judge Advocate President of the Court
Type
Document Signed
Description
Andrew Anderson, a soldier at Fort Sargent, is condemned to hang, for desertion, helping two guarded prisoners escape, and losing his arms & accoutrements.
Date
11/22/1798
Author
Repository
Collection
Document number
1798112290101
Page start
10
Note
Enclosed in McHenry to Adams, 04/11/1799.
Notable persons
Captain Heth
Lieutenant Pope
Lieutenant Butler
Lieutenant Gregg
Ensign Glen
Quarter Master Evans
Judge Advocate
Andrew Anderson
Captain Zebulon Pike
company
prisoners
General James Wilkinson
commander in chief
western army
sentry
corporal of the guard
3rd US Regiment
Notable locations
Fort Sargent
Notable items
trial
court martial
guilty
desertion
arms
accoutrements
hanging
death penalty

