Abe Lincoln would have been the greatest Internet troll in history if he'd been born in the late 20th century. Check this action from the Second Inaugural Address:

Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged.

Burn.

AverageAmericanGuy: Shooting deserters is pretty farked up. They are deserting because they don't want to die. If you're giving them no choice, you could be forcing them into a corner and they could act out, much like in the case of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.

Let deserters go. They were worthless to you no matter what.

You shoot deserters because you want to make it clear to the other soldiers that advancing toward the enemy MAY get you shot, but running the other way CERTAINLY will. The reckless Heroic courage the Russian soldiers showed in defense of Stalingrad came less from patriotic zeal and more from squads of Zampolits (political officers) who would execute on the spot anyone who appeared to be retreating.

scottydoesntknow: Anyone know whether the guy survived the war? I've been looking online, but no luck.

Dude would be like in his 160's. I doubt he's online.