Flogging was carried out
in front of the man's comrades by the drummers
of the regiment. The number of strokes that
could be given was gradually reduced until
it was abolished in 1881. Field punishment
was also very public; the man was tied to a
standing gun carriage or wagon wheel.
Although civil branding
was abolished in 1829 the practice of branding
deserters (with a D) or soldiers of bad character
(with a BC) was not abolished until 1871. It
was done with a crude form of tattooing and was
feared more than flogging as the soldier took
the mark to his grave. |