Union soldiers executed for rape or attempted rape, ( 1  )

 

  • "...It has come to the knowledge of the major-general commanding that some of the few men among us who are evilly disposed have attempted the commission of a crime which will justly draw upon the troops universal condemnation...The punishment for rape will be death, and any violence offered a female, white or colored, with the evident intent or purpose to commit rape will be considered as one and punished accordingly." (Gl order N°12, may 1862 by command of gl McDowell- OR S2 vol III)

During the war, rape is a capitale offense punished
by death - (Gl order N°100, april 1863, US War dpt
)

 

 


  •  

  • According to the "List of US soldiers executed by the United States military authorities during the late war" (established in 1885 - National Archives)  24 US soldiers were executed :

 

Execution of pvt William H.Johnson 23rd USCT
Petersburg, Va, probably 20 june 1864 for attempted rape (not on the official list !)

 

  • Bell John, 23 years old, born in Va, farmer, pvt, Co I, 2nd Ks Cav, hanged 11 july 1862 for the rape of Mrs Elizabeth Haywood, (a soldier's wife of  9th Ks vol.), near Iola (Ks) on 4 july night.
  • Callaghan (or Callahan) John, 18, b.Ireland, Pvt Co.H, 2nd NJ cav. / Snover Jacob F., b. NJ 1823, farmer, married, 4 children, pvt Co M, 2nd NJ cav./ Johnson Thomas, 22, b. England, saddler, pvt co.D, 2nd NJ Cav. all three shooted 10 june 1864 at Memphis (Tn) for the gang rape of Mrs Margaret J. Brooks (married, 2 young children) in the afternoon of 12 march on the road near Memphis.
  • Carroll (Carrol) John, 38, pvt, Co D, 20th Ws, shooted 11 november 1864 for attempt of rape on Mrs Mary Gidon (colored) and others crimes at Brownsville (Tx) 19 november 1863.
  • Dawson Thomas, 32, b.ireland, laborer, pvt, Co H, 20th Mass., hanged at Stevensburg (Va) 20 april 1864 for desertion and rape of Mrs Frances West (60) near Morrisville (Va)
  • Geary Daniel, 18, pvt, co G, 72nd NY Vol. / Gordon Ransom S. 23, pvt, Co E, 72nd NY vol. both hanged 15 july 1864  for the rape of Mrs Mary Stiles (b.1835, married, 2 children, seamstress) near Prince george Courthouse (Va) on the night of 18 june.
  • Preble James, 22, b.Batavia (NY), pvt, co K, 12 NY cav., shooted at Goldsboro (NC) 31 march 1865 for attempted rape on Mrs Rebecca Drake (23) and  Miss Louise Jane Bedard, her cousin (17) and rape of Miss Letitia Craft her aunt (58) near Kingston (NC) on the afternoon of 16 march 1865.
  • Sperry Charles, 29, b. Ireland, printer, sgt, co E, 13th NY cav., executed in Old Capitol prison, Washington DC, 3 march 1865 for attempted rape of Miss Annie Nelson (15) in Fairfax county (Va) in the night of 18 june 1864.
  • Catlett Alfred, 20, from Richmond (Va), farmer, pvt, co E, 1st heavy Art. USCT / Colwell Alexander, 26, farmer from NC, pvt same unit / Turner Charles, 18, farmer from Charleston (SC), pvt same unit / Washington Jackson, 22, farmer from NC, pvt co K same unit / The four was shooted at Asheville (NC) 6 may 1865 for the gang rape of "a young white woman" (in OR S1 vol XLIX part II).
  • Brooks Dandridge, 22, driver, b.Va, sgt, Co G, 38th USCT / Jackson William, 24, laborer, b Va, cpl co G, 38th USCT / Sheppard John, 20, laborer, b Va, cpl co I, 38th USCT / hanged at Brownsville (Tx) 30 july 1865 (Sheppard 13 october) for the gang rape of Miss Eliza Harriet Woodson (14) and Mrs Fannie Crawford near Richmond (Va) during the night of 11 april 1865. The 38th USCT was transfered to Texas where the three men was executed. A fourth was never seized.                                                                                                  See next page