an act establishing rules and articles for the government of the armies of the Confederate States without partiality, favor or affection, and if any doubt should arise not explained by said aritcles according to your conscience, the best of your understanding and the custom of war in like cases; and you do further swear that you will not divulge the sentence of the court-martial until it shall be published by proper authority; neither will you disclose or discover the vote or opinion of any particular member of the court-martial unless required to give evidence thereof as a witness in a court of justice in a due course of law; so help you God.

Lieutenant-Colonel Bateman then administered to major Campbell, the judge-advocate, the following oath:

You do swear that you will not disclose or discover the vote or opinion of any particular member of the court-martial unless required to give evidence thereof as a witness by a court of justice in due course of law, nor divulge the sentence of the court to any but the proper authority until it shall be duly disclosed by the same; so help you God.

Thereupon the judge-advocate read aloud in the hearing of the defendant the charges against him. Said charges are hereto attached as a part of this record. The charges being read the judge-advocate thus addressd the defendant: "Harrison Self, you have heard the charges against you; how say you, guilty or not guilty?" Thereupon the defendant by his counsel filled the following plea the judge-advocate waiving all objection to same arising out of its want of form or that it was not only sworn to:

The defendant, Harrison Self, for plea to the cahrges exhibited against him says that he is a citizen of the State of Tennessee and of the Confederate States of America and is entitled to the protection of the laws and the constitutions of both; and that he is not now and never has been connected with the army of the Confederate States or of the State of Tennessee in any way; that the crime imputed to him is treason and that he is alone amenable to civil authorities for the same, whereof he prays the judgment whether they will take cognizance of this case as he prays to be discharged, &c.

Argument being heard and the plea being fully considered by the court the same is dismissed and overruled. Thereupon the defendant by his counsel entered the plea of not guilty. The court proceeded to hear the evidence, and the witnesses were severally sworn and examined in the presence of the court, the judge-advocate and his counsel, and their testimony reduced to writing and signed by the deposing witnesses respectively and said testimony so taken is hereto appended as part of this record.

CHARGE I: Against Harrison Self for bridge-burning.

Specification 1. - For that on the 9th day of November, 1861, he the said Harrison Self with divers other persons did set [fire] to and cause to be burned down the railroad bridge across Lick Creek in the county of Greene, State of Tennessee, belonging to the said East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad Company, which said railroad bridge was in the use and employment of the Confederate States of America for the transportation of arms, munitions, army supplies, troops, &c., and the said Self did cause the same to be burned down for the purpose of cutting off and preventing said transportation of arms, &c., and thus to enable the enemies of said Confederate States to prevent the war against the same in the existing difficulty between said Confederate States and the United States of America.

CHARGE II: Being in arms against the Confederate States.

Specification 1. -For that on the 9th day of November, 1861, he the said Harrison Self with divers other persons did make an attack armed with guns, pistols and knives upon Azer Miller, Barding, Treexell, Pugh and others, soldiers in the C. S. Army, whilst stationed at Lick Creek bridge of the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad for the purpose of guarding the said bridge, and so the said Harrison Self is guilty of being in arms against said Confederate States.