SPECIAL ORDER TUPELO, JUNE 18,1862

    A general court martial is hereby ordered to meet at Columbus, Miss on the 20 th day of June 1862 or as soon thereafter as practicable for the trial of or such other prisoners as may be brought before it.

   FOR THE COURT

Col. John W. Portis  42 Ala Regt.
Lt. Col. O.S. Holland(Orlando) 37 Miss Regt.
Alex Greene   37 Ala Regt.
James Goodson   42 Miss Regt.
Major  A. Yates (Alexander)  36 Miss Regt
Capt. W.W. Wier    37 Miss Regt.
W.C. Turner   37 Miss Regt
H.H. Longstool   Batt Ala 32 Arty
C.S. Rogers     Moore,Miss
T.C. Mitchell   42 Ala Regt
 J.A. Fields    42 Ala Regt
 J.H. White    42 Ala Regt
Lt. W. P. White    37 Miss Regt

No one other than the above named officers can assembled without manifest injury to the service.
By command of Gen. Beauregart
Geo. W. Bramm, Army Chief of Staff

Col.    John W. Portis  42 Al
Lt. Col. O.S. Holland  37 Miss
Alex Greene  37 Al
James Gorden  42 Miss
Major A. Yates   36 Miss
Capt.  W.W. Wier   37 Miss
W.C. Turner  37 Miss
T.C. Mitchell  42 Al
C.S. Rogers  Moore, Miss
J.A. Fields   42 Al
Lt.  M.P.Bramm   37 Miss

    JUDGE ADVOCATE
It appeared by said call that corporals Singleton and White were absent, cause unknown to the court.  There being a quorum present, the court organized for the purpose of considering the charge and specification
preferred against Alonza Wood, a private in Co. C, 37th Regt. Ala. Vols.

The accused being present, the Judge Advocate, after reading the order
convening the court, read aloud the charge as follows;

   CHARGE  VS  ALONZA  WOOD

    Charge
    Violation of the 46th article of war. Specification is this, that Alonza Wood did, on the night of the 18th of January, 1862, go to sleep on post at Bluct's Bridge when placed there as a sentinal.
      (Signed) Marion Searcy
      Officer of the day

The prisoner was then asked if he had any cause or reason to object or challenge any member present;  whereupon he (the prisoner) entered in writing the following objection to Lt. Col. Alex Greene; because he has formed and expressed an opinion as to his (the prisoner) guilt or innocence, and consequently cannot stand impartial between the government and the prisoner.
      (Signed) Alonza Wood

Upon the court being cleared and the objection heard and understood, it was determined by this court, that the said Lt. Col. Greene, be excused from sitting on the case.  No other member of the court being objected to; the court was (then) duly sworn by the Judge Advocate and the Judge Advocate was duly sworn by the President.  The court being sworn, the
prisoner asked and obtained leave to introduce Isham Harrison as his council.  When the charges were again read to him (the prisoner) by the Judge Advocate, and he (the accused) was asked, how say you, guilty or not guilty.  Whereupon he plead not guilty.

     The Judge Advocate then questioned Capt. Marion Seracy- who testifies as follows--

QUESTION...... Do you know the defendant (Alonza Wood)

ANSWER......... I know him when I see him

QUESTION...... Did you see him on or about the 18th of June, if so, state where did you see him and all that
 took place on that occasion  concerning with defendant

ANSWER......... I saw the prisoner on the 18th of June on his post as sentinal, at the far end of Bluct's Bridge.  I had occasion to cross the bridge and found the sentinal and supposed  him to be asleep.  He was sitting in a leaning posture
against the bridge.  I didn't stop to wake him up-supposed him to be asleep.  I had a candle with me, the defendant didn't halt me as I passed over first, as I returned he halted me.  The strongest  reason that I had that Defendant was asleep was that there was an order issued that day that no sentinal was to sit on his post, The strongest reason that I had that defendant was asleep was that he was still and noiseless.  There were three of us walking together over the bridge making the usual noise that is made by that many persons walking over a plank bridge.  It was a regular guard post and sentinal was placed there by my order as officer of the day.

     CROSS

QUESTION...... Did you speak to him or those with you at the time of your first passing over the bridge, did you and those
with you not move as noiselessly as possible.  Under the duty isn't it upon you to visit sentinals to ascertain what  was the real manner in which they were discharging their duties.

ANSWER......... None of us spoke to him. No sir, I walked as I commonly walk and I suppose those who were with me did the same thing.

QUESTION...... Was the defendant a raw recruit

ANSWER......... He was

QUESTION...... Was not your office that night as much to instruct the sentinals as well  as to ascertain their fault and did
 you instruct him and drill him in his duties

ANSWER......... It was my duty to instruct the sentinals as well as to see that they did their duty, I did not say a word to him when I passed him either time.

QUESTION...... Is the defendant not a mere lad under 18 years of of age- look at him and tell

ANSWER........ I suppose him to be under 18 years of age

QUESTION..... Do you know the young man's character in the company or regiment to which he belongs for subordination and fidelity as a soldier

ANSWER........ His officers say he discharges all his duties faithfully as well or better than any man in the company

QUESTION..... Don't you know, if so, state whether this young man had not been very sick with measles or something else just before that time and was not able to perform sentinal duty at night.  What hour of the night did his relief come on and when was he relieved.

ANSWER........ I do not know of it of my knowledge.  His relief came on the hourof 10 o'clock at night and was taken off at 12 o'clock.
 

THE JUDGE ADVOCATE THEN INTRODUCED PRIVATE G.W. RICHARDS
CO. H, 37th ALA., WHO AFTER BEING DULY SWORN, TESTIFIED AS FOLLOWS.

QUESTION.... Do you know the defendant

ANSWER....... I know him when I see him

QUESTION.... Did you see him on or about the 18th of June, if so, state where he was and what he was doing at the time.

ANSWER....... I did, he was at his post on the opposite side of Bluck's Bridge as sentinal  We passed by him going to the spring on the opposite side of the river and found him sitting with his head leaning against the side of the bridge as
though he was asleep.  As we passed he did not halt us, as we returned,having been absent about fivea minutes, he was up standing in the center of the bridge at his post.  This time he halted us.  Three of us crossed together and  made no more noise than is usually made by the same number of persons crossing a bridge covered as that was with dust.

     CROSS

QUESTION.... Did you speak to defendant as you passed him first and had he a gun

ANSWER....... I did not speak to him nor had he a gun

QUESTION .... Did you consider it your duty to make yourself astute  to catch young sentinals in fault or rather to visit them as raw recruits and instruct them in their duties and make soldiers of them

ANSWER...... I did not consider it my duty to catch him or any other sentinal in fault.  I think it was my duty to instruct him

QUESTION.... Was there any thing said by you or your party when passing him at either time

ANSWER....... Nothing said

THE JUDGE ADVOCATE THEN INTRODUCED SERGEANT JAMES M.
SANDERS CO. A, 37th ALA. WHO AFTER BEING DULY SWORN TESTIFIED
AS FOLLOWS

QUESTION.... Do you know the defendant

ANSWER....... I do

QUESTION.... Do you know whether or not the defendant was regularly detailed from Co. A for guard duty on the 18th of June, 1862

ANSWER....... The orderly Sergeant told me that he was, and asked me if he was able to do duty.  I told him that he had  fever on him at the time and was not, and I am pretty certain this was the 18th of June

   CROSS

QUESTION.... Was he able to do duty at that time

ANSWER....... I give it as my testimony being his physician that he was not

QUESTION.... How many days has he been imprisioned  (by a member of the court)

ANSWER...... Twelve days

The Judge Advocate then announced he had no further testimony on behalf of the government and the prisoner by his council announcing he had none.  The court was cleared for deliberation and having maturely considered the evidence, we find the accused Private Alonza Wood of the specification to the charge, not guilty and of the charge , not guilty
in manner and fairness as alleged against him, but find him guilty of negligence in the discharge of his duty and find him guilty of carelessness but shall consider the exculpating circumstances of sickness.  It is therefore considered by the court that the defendant shall be jubicaly reprimanded by the president in open court  in the severest manner known to the
court and being a raw recruit, that  the president be requested to instruct him fully as to his duties as a sentinal and state fully the penalty of a neglect or violation of such duty and that the limits of the arrest of said accussed are hereby extended with directions to report back to his command.

More being, no further hearings before the court, it adjourned
8 o'clock PM
    J.W. PORTIS, COL. COM.
    42nd REGT. A.V. PRESIDENT COURT

 The findings and sentence are disapproved.  That part of the
sentence releasing the prisoner is an assumption which it is
difficult to conceive a court could seriously make

    Braxton Bragg
    Gen. Comdg.