The Battle Against Desertion in the Army of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw

Abstract

The problem of desertion in the army of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw was extremely essential due to its size, reaching ca. 14% of the number of the army. Various steps were taken. The least effective were the legal acts against society and civil administration. This followed basically from the fact that the acts were not clear, and there were no executive regulations. The principal role in diminishing this plague was played by several amnesties. The Prince of Warsaw, Frederick August, signed also a convention with Alexander I, the tsar of Russia, of mutual extradition of refugees. The basic role, however, was played by military jurisdiction established in 1808, the military penal code, and the implementation of those regulations.