Justice in Uniform: Judge Advocates Established for Army
William Tudor got the worst job in the Continental Army: prosecuting fellow soldiers while Britain still controlled Boston. Washington needed someone to handle courts-martial on July 29, 1775—desertion cases were piling up, discipline collapsing. Tudor, a Harvard-educated lawyer, became America's first Judge Advocate at $34 a month. He'd prosecute 32 cases in his first six months, including death penalty trials for men who'd fought beside him. Every army since has needed lawyers to judge its own.
July 29, 1775
251 years ago
What Else Happened on July 29
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