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A Proper Sense of Honor: Service and Sacrifice in George Washington's Army
Starting with the decision by patriot leaders to create a corps of officers who were gentlemen and a body of soldiers who were not, Caroline Cox examines the great gap that existed in the conditions of service of soldiers and officers in the Continental army. She looks particularly at disparities between soldiers' and officers' living conditions, punishments, medical care, burial, and treatment as prisoners of war. Using pension records, memoirs, and contemporary correspondence, Cox illuminates not only the persistence of hierarchy in Revolutionary America but also the ways in which soldiers contested their low status.
Intriguingly, Cox notes that even as the army reinforced the lines of social hierarchy in many ways, it also united soldiers and officers by promoting similar conceptions of personal honor and the meaning of rank. In fact, she argues, the army fostered social mobility by encouraging ambitious men to separate themselves from the lowest levels of society and giving them the means to enact that separation. At a time when existing social arrangements were increasingly challenged by war and by political rhetoric that embraced the equal rights of men, Cox shows that change crept slowly into American military life.
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Armies are the product of the societies that create them. In 1775, when patriot leaders formed the Continental army, they were informed by their own experiences and their knowledge of the British army. Thus, the Continental Congress created a corps of officers who were gentlemen and a body of soldiers who were not. Caroline Cox shows that, following this decision, a great gap existed in the conditions of service between soldiers and officers of the Continental army. Her study of daily military life, punishment and military justice, medical care and burial rituals illuminates the social world of the Continental army and shows how every aspect of life reinforced the distinctions of rank. At a time when existing social arrangements were increasingly challenged by war and political rhetoric that embraced the equal rights of men, Cox shows that change crept slowly into American military life.
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Intriguingly, Cox notes that even as the army reinforced the lines of social hierarchy in many ways, it also united soldiers and officers by promoting similar conceptions of personal honor and the meaning of rank. In fact, she argues, the army fostered social mobility by encouraging ambitious men to separate themselves from the lowest levels of society and giving them the means to enact that separation. At a time when existing social arrangements were increasingly challenged by war and by political rhetoric that embraced the equal rights of men, Cox shows that change crept slowly into American military life.
<!--copy for pb
Armies are the product of the societies that create them. In 1775, when patriot leaders formed the Continental army, they were informed by their own experiences and their knowledge of the British army. Thus, the Continental Congress created a corps of officers who were gentlemen and a body of soldiers who were not. Caroline Cox shows that, following this decision, a great gap existed in the conditions of service between soldiers and officers of the Continental army. Her study of daily military life, punishment and military justice, medical care and burial rituals illuminates the social world of the Continental army and shows how every aspect of life reinforced the distinctions of rank. At a time when existing social arrangements were increasingly challenged by war and political rhetoric that embraced the equal rights of men, Cox shows that change crept slowly into American military life.
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- GenresHistory
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
34 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Cox
4 booksCaroline Cox (1954-2014) was professor of History at the University of the Pacific.
There are multiple authors with this name in the data base. This one is Caroline^^^Cox.
There are multiple authors with this name in the data base. This one is Caroline^^^Cox.
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October 4, 20172008-02 - A Proper Sense of Honor: Service and Sacrifice in George Washington's Army by Caroline Cox. 2007. 368 pages.
Everyone now and then you read a book which perfectly dovetails with other things you are thinking about, a book which takes you by surprise and wallops you. This book did that for me.
The book is much more than a study in colonial class relations. This book is a study in organizational formation and structure. The author has chosen as the core of the book the human body. All of the chapters generally revolve around how the human body is viewed and treated. The chapters look at the human body in terms of existing societal norms, evolving societal norms and the formation, promulgation and memory of service in the Continental Army.
The author takes us through the formation of the army in 1775 with its necessary hierarchy and how it was imposed using existing models both Colonial and European. It also discusses how the notions of rank, prerogatives, and duty and obligation were viewed, imposed and evolved.
The third chapter was a very informative if uncomfortable chapter as it covered the issues of law and order, punishment and reform. It provides a very quickly understandable view of the concepts of honor and deferment in 18th century society. It also provides a greater understanding of the society from which the Continental Army was formed from and formed to protect. Though the methodologies of the time, this is before the notion of penitentiary and reform had influenced practices, were brutal it did show the degree of leniency that the Continental Army practiced when compared to other armies of the time. Three interesting observations though can be made. The first observation is that Colonial society outside of the military had very few punishment options between whipping and capital punishment. Executions for even repeat petty criminals were quite common. This lack of degrees was a constant complaint of George Washington and yet he was as tied to traditions of the times as most.
The issue of whippings or floggings presents an interesting notion of societal structure. Officers were not whipped and NCO’s rarely so. Officers were generally saved the hangman’s noose and could expect, if they transgressed to be either reprimanded or cashiered. To 21st century norms and values this seems grossly unfair in terms of the weight of punishment for similar transgressions being ameliorated by social standing. This is where the whole notion of honor enters into the picture. At the bottom rungs of society a person had no reputation and no property to lose or risk, essentially all they had was their own flesh and so in order to impact them you had to impact their flesh. Moving up to middle class you had a degree of reputation and a greater degree of real property or wealth which could be leveraged by fines or confiscation or through public reprimand the reputation could be sullied to the point where the person would be unable to conduct business. In the upper reaches honor and reputation had a huge degree of face to it. The anguish caused by the loss of face or honor was societally equivalent to a whipping for someone who had nothing else. It is a tale of hitting a transgressor where it hurts the most. A very illuminating study in relations and values.
The third issue is how Washington most often dealt with his men. Reading his letters and edicts you quickly get the sense of 18th century notions of humility and honor when dealing with subordinates. Washington repeatedly admonished his men to their better natures. He attempted to impart honor and value by the way he formed his displeasure. Rather relying totally on fear and negation i.e. don’t do this, this is forbidden, do this and you will pay etc... .Washington most often tried to tell his men not what he did not want but rather what he wanted. Instead of saying don’t do this he would implore them to be good soldiers, remember their honor and do this. He did not spend his time telling them what he did not want but rather what he wanted. This methodology is also the methodology behind the androgogy practiced by von Steuben.
The book also covers the issues of medical treatment, funerals, and prisoners of war. These issues cover the thoughts and reasons behind the structures and methods as well as how they were carried out and the impact that they had on the participants. This book is a well written, well researched, and well thought out text. The book provides valuable context into understanding societal and military structures and, operations, and aspirations. To the even the casual reader it will provide valuable insight into our structures and operations at work, church, civil society and even or families. It is a very thought provoking and deep, but easily digestible tome.
Everyone now and then you read a book which perfectly dovetails with other things you are thinking about, a book which takes you by surprise and wallops you. This book did that for me.
The book is much more than a study in colonial class relations. This book is a study in organizational formation and structure. The author has chosen as the core of the book the human body. All of the chapters generally revolve around how the human body is viewed and treated. The chapters look at the human body in terms of existing societal norms, evolving societal norms and the formation, promulgation and memory of service in the Continental Army.
The author takes us through the formation of the army in 1775 with its necessary hierarchy and how it was imposed using existing models both Colonial and European. It also discusses how the notions of rank, prerogatives, and duty and obligation were viewed, imposed and evolved.
The third chapter was a very informative if uncomfortable chapter as it covered the issues of law and order, punishment and reform. It provides a very quickly understandable view of the concepts of honor and deferment in 18th century society. It also provides a greater understanding of the society from which the Continental Army was formed from and formed to protect. Though the methodologies of the time, this is before the notion of penitentiary and reform had influenced practices, were brutal it did show the degree of leniency that the Continental Army practiced when compared to other armies of the time. Three interesting observations though can be made. The first observation is that Colonial society outside of the military had very few punishment options between whipping and capital punishment. Executions for even repeat petty criminals were quite common. This lack of degrees was a constant complaint of George Washington and yet he was as tied to traditions of the times as most.
The issue of whippings or floggings presents an interesting notion of societal structure. Officers were not whipped and NCO’s rarely so. Officers were generally saved the hangman’s noose and could expect, if they transgressed to be either reprimanded or cashiered. To 21st century norms and values this seems grossly unfair in terms of the weight of punishment for similar transgressions being ameliorated by social standing. This is where the whole notion of honor enters into the picture. At the bottom rungs of society a person had no reputation and no property to lose or risk, essentially all they had was their own flesh and so in order to impact them you had to impact their flesh. Moving up to middle class you had a degree of reputation and a greater degree of real property or wealth which could be leveraged by fines or confiscation or through public reprimand the reputation could be sullied to the point where the person would be unable to conduct business. In the upper reaches honor and reputation had a huge degree of face to it. The anguish caused by the loss of face or honor was societally equivalent to a whipping for someone who had nothing else. It is a tale of hitting a transgressor where it hurts the most. A very illuminating study in relations and values.
The third issue is how Washington most often dealt with his men. Reading his letters and edicts you quickly get the sense of 18th century notions of humility and honor when dealing with subordinates. Washington repeatedly admonished his men to their better natures. He attempted to impart honor and value by the way he formed his displeasure. Rather relying totally on fear and negation i.e. don’t do this, this is forbidden, do this and you will pay etc... .Washington most often tried to tell his men not what he did not want but rather what he wanted. Instead of saying don’t do this he would implore them to be good soldiers, remember their honor and do this. He did not spend his time telling them what he did not want but rather what he wanted. This methodology is also the methodology behind the androgogy practiced by von Steuben.
The book also covers the issues of medical treatment, funerals, and prisoners of war. These issues cover the thoughts and reasons behind the structures and methods as well as how they were carried out and the impact that they had on the participants. This book is a well written, well researched, and well thought out text. The book provides valuable context into understanding societal and military structures and, operations, and aspirations. To the even the casual reader it will provide valuable insight into our structures and operations at work, church, civil society and even or families. It is a very thought provoking and deep, but easily digestible tome.
May 9, 2024
Read for school. It was very interesting to learn a lot about the different social statuses in the Colonial army. While we hear a lot about officers from the American Revolution, it seems as if many of the everyday men were forgotten.
October 10, 2009
The first few chapter she sticks very closely to her thesis, but the later chapters she kind of gets away from it. Instead of discussing the differences between soldiers and officers, in one chapter she mostly discusses medicine, instead of the differences in medical practices between officers and privates. I learned a lot, but it could have used some tightening.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews