The People resigned the war and went home. If one guy takes French leave, that's desertion. When the People in arms do it, that's going home, period. You still haven't read that Scarry law article yet, have you?
"If your tales be true...." -- that what you call my quoting seven pages of history? And rustbucket's links to his 2003 posted quotations and epitomes?
"If you can read," you might take a look yourself.
When I was in the military the technical term for that was 'desertion in the face of the enemy'. You know, cowardice.