Stosowanie kary śmierci w amerykańskiej Armii Kontynentalnej w latach 1775–1783

Abstract

All armies, both contemporary ones and those functioning in the past, have always functioned due to observance of inner discipline. It was also true about the Continental Army, which was created under the Continental Congress resolution of June 14, 1775. George Washington was nominated its Commander and he fulfilled this function throughout the period of the war. The aim of the first part of the article is to discuss military legal acts sanctioning death penalty, which were issued by colonists in the war years (1775–1783). Another goal is to answer the question where the patterns of regulations concerning crimes carrying a penalty of capital punishment, if these crimes were committed by military men, were taken from and how US policy changed in this respect during the war. The other part of the article analyses cases of death penalty issued by American military courts and recapitulates the catalogue of crimes carrying a death penalty which were committed by soldiers of the Continental Army. It is also indicated which crimes were the most frequently punished by the death penalty.