July 14th, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011
Confederate imprint pertaining to the Court Martial of General J.B. Robertson, 1p. octavo, Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, Richmond, Virginia, February 25, 1864, being General Orders No. 24 and reads in part: "I. At a General Court Martial, convened at Russelville, Tennessee, by General Orders, No. 21, Adjutant and Inspector General's office, of January 26, 1864, was arraigned and tried: Brigadier General J.B. ROBERTSON, of the Provisional Army, on the charge of conduct highly prejudicial to good order and military discipline. Substance of Specification - The use of language (which is set out) calculated to discourage his regimental commanders, and weaken their confidence in certain movements then in progress, and to create distrust in the minds of the troops as to the result of the campaign in which they were engaged. II. Finding and Sentence of the Court. The court find the accused guilty of the Specification, with certain qualifications, but express the opinion that his language was not designed to weaken the confidence of the officers to whom it was addressed. They also find him guilty of the charge, except the word 'highly,' and sentence him to be reprimanded. III. The proceedings , findings and sentence are approved. The absence of a wrong intent does not change the obviously mischievous tendency of the remarks complained of. Officers cannot be too careful in the expression of their opinions on such occasions: and this caution is the more incumbent, in proportion to their rank and influence. Hence, while the department is gratified that the Court has felt warranted in acquitting Brigadier General Robertson of improper motives, it altogether disapproves of his conduct…." Slight ink stain at far right margin, else Fine. From the "Rebel Orders" captured by John P. DeMeritt, 2nd Lt. & Quartermaster, 29th Wisconsin Infantry. Jerome Bonaparte Robertson (1815 -1890) was a doctor, Indian fighter, Texas politician, and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was noted for his service in the famed Texas Brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia. In a prominent role during the Gettysburg Campaign Robertson led his brigade into Pennsylvania .. Hood's Division arrived too late for the first day's fighting during the Battle of Gettysburg, but they played a prominent role on the second day where Robertson led his brigade in a series of hard-hitting, but ultimately unsuccessful, attacks on Little Round Top. Those attacks culminated with the fight for Devil's Den, during which his 1st, 4th and 5th Texas regiments, as well as his 3rd Arkansas, took heavy casualties that ultimately resulted in their taking their objective, despite being greatly outnumbered by Union forces. Robertson was wounded along with several of his officers during that action, which he later described as "one of the hottest contests I have ever witnessed". In September, along with the rest of James Longstreet's corps, Robertson and the Texas Brigade were moved to Tennessee to reinforce the western army, fighting with distinction at Chickamauga. However, Robertson's performance in the subsequent East Tennessee campaign invoked the wrath of both Longstreet and division commander Micah Jenkins. Longstreet filed formal court-martial charges against General Robertson, alleging delinquency of duty and accusing him of pessimistic remarks. Robertson was reprimanded, replaced as commander of the Texas Brigade, and transferred to Texas, where he commanded the state reserve forces until the end of the war.
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