[21twelve]

Interesting. Awhile ago I was researching the word “decimate”. In modern writing it is used to describe severe destruction; and is correct in that modern usage.

However, the term was originally used in the punishment of a group of Roman soldiers. For crimes such as desertion and cowardness, 1 out of 10 soldiers would be picked out in a company using lots and then they would be executed. (10% = decimate).

[mylife]

Yet “blanket parties” live on

[wny]

It’s Congress that needs to be flogged

[TheDandyMan]

In 1846 a British soldier was flogged to death and that incident brought about a lot of negative attention to flogging as a form of discipline.

The US Army abolished flogging completely in 1861 after reserving exclusively for desertion in 1833, and the Navy in 1850 as noted, but the British Army and Navy didn’t abolish flogging until 1879 and 1881 IIRC.

[whitney69]

Whatever happened to walk the plank or keelhauling? Same end to the means with a lot less exercise.

wy69

[ComputerGuy]

What about women around midnight?

[rlmorel]

Darn! There goes Rum and the Lash! (I suspect if there are 20 posts here, at least 18 of them will be along these lines!)

[moovova]

“1850: Flogging of sailors in the Navy and Merchant Marine is outlawed by act of Congress.”

BIG mistake.

[linMcHlp]

“1850: Flogging of sailors in the Navy and Merchant Marine is outlawed by act of Congress.”

Good.