CIVIL War Maryland Spy Execution General Order

  
Isadore Leopold was a nationally known guerrilla, having enlisted in the 78th New York Volunteers, at NY City in January, 1862, deserted his post at Winchester, Virginia, after being captured and awaiting trial for desertion at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, and proving his loyalty to the South, served as a spy and guerilla partisan in the vicinity of Sharpsburg Maryland and Northern Virginia, killing at least 2 named citizens until recapture and, having papers on his body that proved his service as a Confederate spy, was court-martialed April, 1863 at Forty McHenry, but having escaped the Fort was sentenced to be shot to death my musketry upon recapture. Leopold was retaken and imprisoned in the Fort for a year until he was executed by hanging May 20, 1864 at Fort McHenry, while the men of the 144th Ohio witnessed, serving to prevent any attempts at escape. An Original Civil War Union Army General Order, issued at HQ, 8th Army Corp, Baltimore, Maryland, April 9, 1`863 detailing the charges against Leopold and naming his victims, and, notes that he has again escaped, sentences him to be shot to death with musketry'in the event of his recapture. The 2pp 8 x 5 ptd Order by General Schenck, is ink signed by Maxwell Woodhouse as Aide de camp.

Edge wear, age stains, 2 punch holes in left margin, Overall VG. Comes w bio info and also service date for Maxwell Van Zandt Woodhouse who rose to rank of brevet brigadier general. General & Special Orders were issued to communicate commands and information to the Army. Each order, issued in writing by a command, was then printed for distribution to each unit, either at an army department headquarter or by commanders at local headquarters, sometimes in the field on portable printing presses. The orders were then issued to regiments, often to be read aloud to the troops.

General Orders were printed as issued with date & location; at the end of a year the regimental adjutant might retain them loose or simply string bind them by punching holes and stringing on ¼" red cloth string tape (the source of the old expression "government red tape). Sometimes an officer or HQ clerk might take a group of orders to a local print shop or bookbinder and have an accumulation bound with leather or cloth covers. Usually, American Military Orders of the 19. Century including Civil War era were printed on an 8 x 5 sheet of quality rag paper.

NOTE: Any repair to a paper item is listed. I use only museum curator approved archival repair tape.

All items are unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic and in the condition as described. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\Civil War (1861-65)\Original Period Items\Documents".

The seller is "99counties" and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States.

• Conflict: Civil War (1861-65)
• Theme: Militaria
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
• Modified Item: No