Description:

Emancipation Proclamation
New Orleans, LA, ca. April 25, 1863; December 24, 1863
Discharged for Criticizing the Emancipation! 1863 Court Martial, Restored and Promoted
Printed document
[EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.] Headquarters, Department of the Gulf, Printed Document, General Orders No. 33, April 25, 1863. 4 pp., 5.25" x 8". Disbound; some tears in margin, not affecting text; light toning; very good. With: Headquarters Department of the Gulf, Printed Document, General Orders No. 86, December 24, 1863, New Orleans, Louisiana. 4 pp. 5.25" x 8". Disbound; some small holes in margin, not affecting text; light toning; very good.

These two sets of orders include records of several courts-martial, including that of 2nd Lieutenant George D. Wiseburn of the 133rd New York Volunteer Infantry.

In February 1863, near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Wiseburn wrote a letter to his superior officer, resigning his commission. He wrote, "When I entered the Volunteer Army of the United States it was for the sole purpose of maintaining the Government and upholding the supremacy of the Law against Rebellion since then the Executive has seen proper to make it (the army) the Emancipation of the Negro Slaves which I do not concur in." Wiseburn added, "He has seen fit, by his recent proclamation, to say that all colored persons of good condition will be received into the armed service of the United States, thus making the negro my equal."

These statements led to Wiseburn's court martial in March 1863, either in Carrollton or Baton Rouge (the orders differ). The court-martial, of which Lt. Col. John A. Foster was the president, found Wiseburn guilty on three counts and sentenced him to receive a public reprimand and be sent to the military prison of Ship Island for two years.

In reviewing the sentence, Major General Nathaniel P. Banks found it "entirely disproportionate to the magnitude of the offense" and recommended to President Abraham Lincoln that Wiseburn simply be dismissed from the service. According to the second order here, President Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton approved the recommendation of Banks and ordered Wiseburn to be dismissed.

According to his service record, Wiseburn was dismissed on December 24, 1863, but that dismissal was revoked one month later, on January 23, 1864. Instead of being dismissed, Wiseburn was promoted to captain of another company within the 133rd New York, to date from January 8, 1864.

Excerpts
[General Orders No. 33:]
"Before a General Court Martial, convened at Carrollton, Louisiana, pursuant to General Orders No. 24, of 28th February, 1863, from the Headquarters Emory's Division, and of which Lieutenant Colonel James A. Foster, 175th New York Volunteers, is President, were arraigned and tried:..." (p1)
"2d Lieutenant George D. Wiseburne, 133d Regiment New York Volunteers.
"Charge 1st—‘Using contemptuous and disrespectful language against the President of the United States.'
"Specification—‘In this, that he, the said George D. Wiseburne, 2d Lieutenant 133d Regiment New York Volunteers, did use the following disrespectful words against the President of the United States, to wit: "The Executive has seen proper to make it (the army) the emancipation of the negro slaves." This at Baton Rouge, La., on or about the 4t day of February, 1863.'" (p3)
"After mature deliberation on the evidence adduced, the court finds the accused as follows:
"Of the specification to the 1st charge—‘Guilty.'
"Of the 1st charge—‘Guilty.'...
"And does therefore sentence him ‘to receive a public reprimand, to be published before the Army of the Gulf, and ordered to Ship Island for two years, upon such duty as the General Commanding the Department of the Gulf may direct.'" (p4)
"The proceedings and findings in the case of 2d Lieutenant George D. Wiseman, 133d Regiment New York Volunteers are confirmed. The sentence being entirely disproportionate to the magnitude of the offense, is disapproved, and this officer will be recommended to the President for dismissal from the service.
"By command of Major General Banks: Richard B. Irwin, Assistant Adjutant General." (p4)

[General Orders No. 86:]
"The proceedings of the Court in the case of Second Lieutenant George D. Wiseburn, 133d New York Volunteers, have been approved by the proper Commanders, and forwarded for the action of the President of the United States who, upon the recommendation of the Major General Commanding the Department of the Gulf, directs that Lieutenant Wiseburn be dismissed the service of the United States, from the 7th day of November, 1863.
"By order of the Secretary of War: E. D. Townsend, Assistant Adjutant General." (p4)

Historical Background
The 133rd New York Volunteer Infantry was mustered into federal service in September 1862 under the command of Colonel Leonard D. H. Currie. After spending a few months in the defense of Washington, D.C., the regiment was part of General Nathaniel P. Banks's New Orleans Expedition in December 1862 and remained in the Department of the Gulf through July 1864, when it joined the Army of the Shenandoah in Virginia.

George DuBois Wiseburn (1829-1894) was born in New York, New York, into a German immigrant family. In 1849, he married Elizabeth Lakin (1827-1898), and they had at least four children. In 1850, he was a butcher, and in 1855 and 1860, he was a policeman in the 8th Ward of New York City. He enlisted in August 1862 as a sergeant major in the 133rd New York Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted to second lieutenant in Company D, on December 3, 1862, but dismissed on December 24, 1863. His dismissal was revoked on January 23, 1864, and he mustered in as captain of Company B, to date from January 8, 1864. He mustered out with his company on June 6, 1865, in Washington, D.C. After the war, he returned to his occupation as a butcher in New York City, but by 1880, he was again serving as a policeman.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 5.25" x 8"
  • Medium: Printed document

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