ABSTRACT
The General Courts Martial could issue death sentences to those convicted of desertion, so this trial of Edward Hall in North America on the eve of the revolution was serious, presided over by thirteen officers. The excerpt here contains only his testimony, because it offers insight into the commercial sex trade that often operated around camps and garrisons but left little historical record. Hall’s testimony is unusual; many soldiers claimed only to be drunk or gave no excuse at all for their absence from duty. This soldier is especially unique in hinting at the altruism that originally sparked his enlistment and alluding to most soldiers’ mercenary motives in joining the army. Hall provides a rare window into the illicit relationships that might spring up between soldiers and prostitutes. Though casual in nature, they might span a fairly lengthy period, and involve companionship as well as sex.
