115 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1886, by In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. Copyright, 1896, BY WILLIAM WINTHROP. 82284 ΤΟ HON. MARTIN F. MORRIS, ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AS A TRIBUTE TO HIS EMINENCE AS A LAWYER AND A JUDGE, AND AS AN EXPRESSION OF THE AUTHOR'S PERSONAL ATTACHMENT AND ADMIRATION, THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION OF 1886. In view of the absence and want of a comprehensive treatise on the science of Military Law, it has been for some years the purpose of the author-a member of the bar in the practice of his profession when, in April, 1861, he entered the military service to attempt to supply such want with a work, which, by reason of its extended plan and full presentation of principles and precedents, should constitute, not merely a text book for the army, but a law book adapted to the use of lawyers and judges. The present treatise was substantially completed in 1880, when the author was called upon to publish his annotated "Digest of Opinions of the Judge Advocates General," and some of the references embraced in the original work were inserted in the notes of that publication. Since its date certain unusually important military trials and investigations have been had, sundry valuable opinions upon questions of military law have been pronounced by the courts and other legal authorities, and our written military law-especially the Army Regulations-has been materially modified. Meanwhile also, in England, the time-honored Mutiny Act and Articles of War have wholly passed away and been succeeded by the new "Army Act" and "Rules of Procedure,"-a reform of great interest to the military student,—and this legislation, &c., has been copiously illustrated by the excellent official "Manual of Military Law" and a series of minor commentaries. In view of these changes, the present work has been revised, and in great part re-written, and the references have been brought down to the end of the year 1885. Apart from the views and conclusions of the author, the precedents, now first collected and considered, will, it is believed, be found to be val |