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Punishment was severe even for minor offenses and many officers believed that every violation committed deserved some infliction of bodily pain. It was also believed by hardcore, veteran officers that such brutality would instill fear into the men, and by this fear, they would be more controllable. However, this was not always the case. As the pattern of harsh punishments continued, a higher rate of desertions followed. Gambling, insubordination, absence from garrison without a pass, being unruly after taps, drunkenness, theft and tardiness at roll call were all considered to be serious violations of military discipline.

If a soldier was caught stealing government selling or destroying government property, he was certain to be “bucked and gagged.” The man would be seated on the ground, fleet flat and knees up. His wrists were bound in front, somewhat hugging his knees. A short pole was then thrust across the bend of his arms and beneath the knees, rendering him helpless. Finally he was gagged with a piece of soap or scrap wood and then left for a period of from four to six hours.

A soldier might be condemned to be “on the chimes.” This required the man to balance on the edge of a wooden barrel for half a day. One false move and the soldier might find himself sprawling on the ground with damage to leg or knee, or heaped within the barrel, wedged like a sardine. Close by, a guard would be posted to insure that the condemned soldier would fully serve out his sentence.

Wearing a “wooden overcoat” was another method of punishment. The bottom of a barrel was knocked out and hole was cut into the top, just large enough to slip over a man’s head. The victim would then be paraded around post in this manner for the duration of the day.

Another common method of punishment in the infantry was “knapsack drill,” in which the soldier carried heavy stones in his backpack, marching to the beat of a guard for several hours. In the cavalry, the helpless trooper would be forces to carry his saddle, with full field equipment, strapped to his back. In the artillery, the gunner would endure “isolation on a platform,” where he would be ties spread-eagled to a wagon wheel for twenty-four hours.

Carrying a twenty-five or thirty-pound log on one’s shoulder and “walking the ring” for the day was a common punishment for minor offenses. All of these punishments would carried out on the parade ground, regardless of heavy rains, scorching sun or subfreezing weather.

For leaving post without proper authorization, failure to salute an officer, being seated while on duty, or reporting without proper equipment, a man might be committed to “double guard”. Instead of the customary two hours on guard and four hours off, it was reversed to four hour on guard and two hours off.

Policing the camp, cleaning about the picket lines where the horses were tied, or digging new latrines were punishments assessed for the least offenses. If a soldier could keep off the black-list in his company, he would often be exempt from these less agreeable jobs due to a lengthy list of sentenced offenders.

Company punishment for being drunk and disorderly generally meant being bucked and gagged, but this only gave the solider a bad taste and sore arms and legs. Further punishment involved digging a hole ten feet square and ten feet deep would restore the drunk to sobriety by the time the hole had been dug and then filled back in. If a soldier was found with a bottle in his possession, he would dug such a hole, and then bury the bottle in it. If the soldier had managed to truly enrage his first sergeant, he would often be sentenced to digging and filling such a hole, with a spoon.

If a soldier was punish for stealing, he was often punished by having one-half of his hair, mustache and beard being shaved off, being stripped to the waist and had to wear a large board tied to his back marked in large letters, “I AM A THIEF,” he would be paraded around the garrison for the day without any food or drink. At the end of the day, he would report to his company commander for a harsh lecture and then would be sent back to his quarters to face his comrades, who had been waiting for his return to welcome him back with a sound thrashing.

Once a soldier was caught and branded a thief, the shame was endured by the whole company. In many cases, the accused would desert within a few months, mainly because of the humiliation heaped on him by his officers or by the severity of the punishment for a small offense. Many veterans who had witnessed severe punishments handed out for incidental offenses urged for the formation of a “Company Q,” where a offender might serve and after a period of time of good behavior, reinstate himself. Many punishments were often handled out in violation of existing orders, but in only a few cases were any steps taken to cause their discontinuance.

Flogging was abolished in 1861 by the Army, although some officers continued to use this method of punishment for some time, the last known occurrence being in 1867.

Discharging a soldier for desertion was not a punishment at all. To the individual, it meant a little humiliation and embarrassment, being drummed out of camp before his comrades, but with his dishonorable discharge, he was finally free and rid of the Army for good. Forfeiture of all pay and allowances, except for the just dues of the company’s laundress and the sutler, were the only things that seemed to concern him. Having his head shaved and his left hip branded with a two-inch letter “D” (later replaced by an indelible ink stamping that took many washings to erase), only hurt his pride.
Punishments given out by courts did not seem to have the slightly effect in preventing desertions. The number of desertions were so high that it was almost impossible to make the soldiers look upon desertion as a serious crime.