"What was the etiquette for warfare during the American..." Topic
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Tango01 | 08 Dec 2018 12:41 p.m. PST |
…. Revolutionary War? How was it enforced? Interesting question… link Amicalement Armand |
crazycaptain | 18 Dec 2018 6:45 p.m. PST |
There is a growing body of research on the subject. It depends on the nationality and the irregular or regular nature of warfare. There is little to no etiquette present in the southern colonies, especially when the British get involved in South Carolina in 1780. The perceived virtue of European Warfare helped to create "fairness", but this was usually only seen in engagements where the opposite sides viewed each other as legitimate opponents. When one side viewed the other as illegitimate things could get out of hand. In terms of enforcement, or restraint, there were two official measures that all sides used to restrain troops and regulate warfare. Military law was important for formal bodies (British Army, Continental Army, etc.) and this provided guidelines to conduct military campaigns with proper restraint. Local law, usually more important for the militia, created an opportunity to provide restraint or regularity. However, it did not work very well for the most part. Militia, then, had the problem of usually (there are exceptions to this such as Francis Marion) not having any form of actual restraint. After the Siege of Charleston in 1780 the south lit aflame and violent behavior reigned supreme. However, at Kings Mountain, the adoption of civilian law to practice restraint occurred. Rather than executing suspicious captives, Col. Campbell and other militia officers present held trials under North Carolina law and nine loyalists were executed. The militia looked for, and won, legitimacy for Kings Mountain when they published a report to Congress. Congress praised the victory and ordered that the report from Kings Mountain to be posted to every command in the southern theater. So, a relationship of restraint and legitimacy dictated etiquette for the most part. This is a very deep and complex discussion. Wayne Lee has done the most groundbreaking work, Crowds and Soldiers in Revolutionary North Carolina: The Culture of Violence in Riot and War , but he focuses on the militia in North Carolina and fails to fully grasp the relationship that the regular armies had with the militia. I hope I can contribute to this topic in the future. |
Tango01 | 19 Dec 2018 11:25 a.m. PST |
Thanks!. Amicalement Armand
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