Trials by Court Martial of Capt Samuel Watson, 2d, David Livermore..

1811. Military Discipline and Personal Liberty [Trials]. Watson, Samuel, Defendant. Livermore, David, Defendant. Kent, Daniel, Defendant. Prouty, William, Defendant. Trials by Court Martial of Capt. Samuel Watson, 2d, David Livermore, Daniel Kent, And William Prouty, of the 1st Reg. 1st Brig. and 7th Division of Massachusetts Militia, 1810. Worcester: Printed by Henry Rogers, 1811. 104 pp. Octavo (8-1/2" x 5-1/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlet, wrappers lacking, threads broken, a few leaves loose. Moderate toning, light foxing in a few places, light soiling to exterior, light wear to spine ends, corner folds to outside corners of some leaves at beginning and end of text block, section lacking from foot of final leaf with no loss to text, early owner annotation, Mass. Pamphs. Vol. 26, and signature, John W. Lincoln, to head of title page. $450. * Only edition. The defendants were acquitted of the charges of unmilitary conduct, neglect of duty and disobedience of orders. Their cases are interesting because they offer insights into the notable tension between military discipline and personal liberty that affected the institutional culture of the American military from the Revolution through the War of 1812. Lincoln, an ensign (second lieutenant), was the marshall of the court-martial. He belonged to a distinguished Massachusetts family that produced several militia officers, lawyers and politicians, including Levi Lincoln, Sr. and Levi Lincoln, Jr., who were governors of Massachusetts and members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Cohen, Bibliography of Early American Law 13627.