Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 6 [Dec. 13, 1862-Nov. 3, 1863].

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June 18, 1863

Sentence mitigated to a severe reprimand, in accordance with the Judge Advocate General's recommendation, to be published in General Orders by the War Department. A. LINCOLN

June 18, 1863.

Annotation

[1]   ES, DNA WR RG 153, Judge Advocate General, MM 575. On April 22, 1863, Surgeon Alfred Wynkoop was sentenced to dismissal by a court-martial for communicating information concerning troop movements to William Pollock of Virginia, known to be friendly to the enemy. AGO General Orders No. 281, August 11, 1863, remitted the sentence with a reprimand as follows: ``The President, in reviewing the record, is willing to believe there was less intentional criminality than there was indiscretion in the conduct of Surgeon Wynkoop; but he does not find any excuse for so grave an offence in the fact that the information conveyed by him was not proved to have been put to an improper use. Surgeon Wynkoop was visiting professionally a family residing near the rebel lines, when he conversed with them in reference to the movements of the United States troops. An officer who justly appreciates his military obligations would require no reminder that such indiscretion, admitting it to be nothing worse, is reprehensible in the highest degree, and might have caused serious disaster to the Army.

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``In order that Surgeon Wynkoop may have an opportunity to justify the opinion of the members of the Court as to his loyalty, and to retrieve what he has lost in the estimation of his fellow officers by reason of his culpable disregard of the confidential trust belonging to his official position, the President directs that his sentence be remitted with this reprimand.''