William Scott (The Sleeping Sentinel)
Encyclopedia
William Scott was a Union Army
soldier during the American Civil War
. He was the "Sleeping Sentinel"
who was pardoned by Abraham Lincoln
and memorialized by a poem and then a 1914 silent film
.
, in either 1839 or 1840.
He joined Company K, 3rd Vermont Infantry
. This was a company of militia
from St. Johnsbury
a nearby town.
When his unit was encamped at the Chain Bridge near Washington, D.C.
, Scott was found asleep at his post on August 31, 1861. He was subsequently court-martial
ed, and sentenced to be executed. In Scott's defense, he had volunteered to take the place of a comrade the night before and was himself exhausted. This fact were known to the court at the time and figured prominently in newspaper reports, appeals by his superiors for clemency, and his subsequent reprieve. On September 9, Scott was scheduled to be executed. During the proceedings, after the death sentence had been read, a pardon from President Lincoln was read, sparing his life.
Scott served faithfully with his regiment until the Battle at Lee's Mills where he was mortally wounded charging the "rifle pits" there. He was eventually interred in the national cemetery at Yorktown, Virginia
.
, not Lincoln.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
Washington, September 8.
Private William Scott, of Company K. of the Third regiment of Vermont volunteers, having been found guilty by court martial of sleeping on his post while a sentinel on picket guard, has been sentenced to be shot, and the sentence has been approved and ordered to be executed. The commanding officers of the brigade, the regiment and the company, of the command, together with many other privates and officers of his regiment, have earnestly appealed to the Major-General commanding, to spare the life of the offender, and the President of the United States has expressed a wish that as this is the first condemnation to death in this army for this crime, mercy may be extended to the criminal. This fact, viewed in connection with the inexperience of the condemned as a soldier, his previous good conduct and general good character, and the urgent entreaties made in his behalf, have determined the Major-General commanding to grant the pardon so earnestly prayed for. This act of clemency must not be understood as affording a precedent for any future case. The duty of a sentinel is of such a nature, that its neglect by sleeping upon or deserting his post may endanger the safety of a command, or even of the whole army, and all nations affix to the offence the penalty of death. Private William Scott of Co. K. of the Third regiment of Vermont volunteers, will be released from confinement and returned to duty.
By command of Maj.—General McClellan,
S. WILLIAMS, Asst. Adjt.-General.
Carl Sandburg
has performed the most exhaustive research into Scott's life and death. He had debunked the report of Scott's last dramatic words as improbable due to records which implied that Scott, mortally wounded by as many as five or six bullets, was in a coma before his death, and could not have uttered anything coherent. Nor did Lincoln ride to the camp to ensure his pardon was received in time.
However, recent research has indicated, contrary to Sandburg's findings, that Lincoln was indeed personally aware of the situation and did personally intervene on Scott's behalf.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
soldier during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He was the "Sleeping Sentinel"
The Sleeping Sentinel
The Sleeping Sentinel is a 1914 American black-and-white silent film that depicted President Abraham Lincoln pardoning a military sentry who had been sentenced to die for sleeping while on duty....
who was pardoned by Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
and memorialized by a poem and then a 1914 silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
.
Biography
Scott was born in Groton, VermontGroton, Vermont
Groton is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 876 at the 2000 census. It contains the places Groton Pond, Rickers Mills, Rickers and West Groton.-Geography:...
, in either 1839 or 1840.
He joined Company K, 3rd Vermont Infantry
3rd Vermont Infantry
The 3rd Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry was a three-years infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the eastern theater, predominantly in the VI Corps, Army of the Potomac, from July 1861 to July 1865...
. This was a company of militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
from St. Johnsbury
St. Johnsbury, Vermont
St. Johnsbury is the shire town of Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 7,571 at the 2000 census. St. Johnsbury is located approximately northwest of the Connecticut River and south of the Canadian border.St...
a nearby town.
When his unit was encamped at the Chain Bridge near Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Scott was found asleep at his post on August 31, 1861. He was subsequently court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
ed, and sentenced to be executed. In Scott's defense, he had volunteered to take the place of a comrade the night before and was himself exhausted. This fact were known to the court at the time and figured prominently in newspaper reports, appeals by his superiors for clemency, and his subsequent reprieve. On September 9, Scott was scheduled to be executed. During the proceedings, after the death sentence had been read, a pardon from President Lincoln was read, sparing his life.
Scott served faithfully with his regiment until the Battle at Lee's Mills where he was mortally wounded charging the "rifle pits" there. He was eventually interred in the national cemetery at Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
.
The pardon
The actual pardon was issued by McClellanGeorge B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
, not Lincoln.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
Washington, September 8.
Private William Scott, of Company K. of the Third regiment of Vermont volunteers, having been found guilty by court martial of sleeping on his post while a sentinel on picket guard, has been sentenced to be shot, and the sentence has been approved and ordered to be executed. The commanding officers of the brigade, the regiment and the company, of the command, together with many other privates and officers of his regiment, have earnestly appealed to the Major-General commanding, to spare the life of the offender, and the President of the United States has expressed a wish that as this is the first condemnation to death in this army for this crime, mercy may be extended to the criminal. This fact, viewed in connection with the inexperience of the condemned as a soldier, his previous good conduct and general good character, and the urgent entreaties made in his behalf, have determined the Major-General commanding to grant the pardon so earnestly prayed for. This act of clemency must not be understood as affording a precedent for any future case. The duty of a sentinel is of such a nature, that its neglect by sleeping upon or deserting his post may endanger the safety of a command, or even of the whole army, and all nations affix to the offence the penalty of death. Private William Scott of Co. K. of the Third regiment of Vermont volunteers, will be released from confinement and returned to duty.
By command of Maj.—General McClellan,
S. WILLIAMS, Asst. Adjt.-General.
Investigating his life and death
Several historians have reported the drama of his conviction, pardon and subsequent death during battle.Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg
Carl Sandburg was an American writer and editor, best known for his poetry. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for his poetry and another for a biography of Abraham Lincoln. H. L. Mencken called Carl Sandburg "indubitably an American in every pulse-beat."-Biography:Sandburg was born in Galesburg,...
has performed the most exhaustive research into Scott's life and death. He had debunked the report of Scott's last dramatic words as improbable due to records which implied that Scott, mortally wounded by as many as five or six bullets, was in a coma before his death, and could not have uttered anything coherent. Nor did Lincoln ride to the camp to ensure his pardon was received in time.
However, recent research has indicated, contrary to Sandburg's findings, that Lincoln was indeed personally aware of the situation and did personally intervene on Scott's behalf.