Military Base III

 

Discipline & Obedience

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Royal Army

5th Regiment 

Flogestone Base

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27th may

Mayor

Thomas Kenneth

Flogestone

Dear Sir!

 

First, please accept my apologies I had to cancel our meeting due to urgent duties. I was sure we'd see each other at the Harvest Festival.

I’m writing to share my problem hoping you will be able to help find a solution. I noticed a group of citizens meet near the base wall just to listen to the screams of convicts being punished. In the beginning, only a few people were gathering but now whippings attract citizens from all over the countryside.

 

A group of men organized a gambling contest based on the number of lashes my soldiers can withstand without screaming! The winner is a person, who gives the nearest number. Somehow civilians were able to infiltrate our base. They have knowledge of which soldiers are punished: date, order, amount of given lashes. The host who took bets even describes details of the convict's physique. I was told privates were offered money in exchange for information on how reluctant and tough particular convicts are to make better guesses.

 

During the formal part before the whipping citizens make noise in excitation throwing out numbers. While the whipping punishment is administrated, there is complete silence behind the wall. Everyone waits in suspense for the first significant moan. When the soldier begins to scream loud, uproar begins again in seconds. When the crowd can’t agree if groans are loud enough to call it a scream, they begin to argue.

 

My soldiers have to watch punishment in silence with respect, while people outside the base amuse themselves at the misfortune of my privates. As I explained in a previous letter, I can’t stop whipping my soldiers to prevent insubordination. I hope you can issue an order to halt reprehensible practices or to ban public assemblies near military base. I still hope to meet you soon.

Sincerely

Andrew Taft

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Previous correspondence:

<Andrew Taft to Thomas Kenneth>

<Thomas Kenneth to Andrew Taft>

Military Base II

 

Discipline & Obedience

26th April

Thomas Kenneth

Flogestone Mayor

I'm writing this letter in response to <your letter> received on 16 April. Please accept my apologies for my stubborn soldiers and the inconvenience they bring to your magnificent town. I fully understand your approach. However, we can not remove flogging punishment from our code. Discipline is crucial in the army and sometimes it needs to be enforced the hard way. Every insubordination must be severely punished. Flogging may be considered cruel, but my privates are strong men, and they can endure a lot. Screams and moans are only proof the whipping is delivered properly. Some soldiers must taste the hell of the whip on their muscular backs. It's necessary not only for them, for the army, but also to benefit the town. Nearly half of the cases court martial investigates deal with soldiers' behavior during the pass. I kindly remind you, the town council sent us a request to increase the severity of punishments due to the soldiers' outrageous behavior in their free time. The increased number of whippings we had lately, greater number of lashes, and higher severity is a response to the town petition. For example, last week 6 privates were flogged for getting drunk and having a fight in the pub. The whip on their muscular backs makes them remember to behave the next time they are outside the base. I won't accept any violence against civilians. I believe citizens prefer to listen to the soldiers' screams for a while rather than being frightened by undisciplined privates. To be honest, If I haven't heard screams of agony during punishment, I'd flog them myself again to make sure their suffering meets the needs to keep them in line. The number of lashes may be adjusted. The intensity is not. Full-force whipping is the only one I can accept.

I'm afraid we can not move the flogging to the other place. The whipping post is placed into the center of the base on purpose. Soldiers should witness corporal punishment to have its preventive effect. However, I ordered to abandon floggings during weekends and holidays to reduce inconvenience for the citizens. I also consider flogging men for minor offenses in the training camps located away from the buildings.

I hope we can meet next week and discuss the problem like a man to a man.

Sincerely

Colonel

Andrew Taft

Military Base

 Flogestone Mayor, City square 1 452042, Flogestone

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16th April, Flogestone

Andrew Taft

Colonel in the 5th regiment

I'm writing to you to formally complain about the noise coming from the military base. Town citizens living close to the barracks have reported to me that at least twice a week, sometimes more often, they can hear terrifying sounds of soldiers being punished. They can put up with the sound made by the drums and whips; however, the loud screams upset the residents. Each sharp whistle of the whip is followed by a loud crack and deep groans. The continuous, permanent and scary yelling full of agony is really horrifying. One of the citizens compared it to the "howls of wild animals burned alive".

When the wind blows from the north, carrying the noise of corporal punishment, the whip biting into the punished soldiers' flesh and making them moan can even be heard in the town hall. I do have to emphasize that, sometimes, this spectacle goes on for hours, allowing our ears to rest only when the convict is too exhausted to shout out in pain any more. Some people, who have tried to count the number of screams, feel that the punishment is too brutal. When a lady screams, it is something rather normal. But listening to strong male voices screaming desperately and in tears is something people are not used to.

The barracks are closed to the civilians and therefore a lot of gossip and rumors about what is happening there are spreading throughout the village. I suspect the boy who fell down from the roof last week had climbed up there secretly to watch the whipping procedure from the walls.

We were full of hope and pride when our town was chosen to establish the army base. I am fully aware that I have no right to interfere with the army rules. However, as the mayor and in order to protect the interests of the citizens, I consider that it is my duty to kindly ask for a reduction of the level of your soldiers' screams, for the benefit of the village I represent. Perhaps, there is a way to stop punishing soldiers so frequently or you may replace whipping with imprisonment. Should the above proposals be inappropriate, would you consider moving outdoor whipping into some secluded place or basement? I trust we can find a solution for the problem.

Sincerely

Thomas Kenneth