Newbe question

[donmiller]

Sorry for this but I kneed to know..If a certain GGrandfather was in the 16th Michigan Infantry, does that mean that he was from that area at the time of enlistment? 1861 and was a prisoner of war at Salisbury/Richmond for 4 years....My first post..please bear with me

Thanx

Don,
Welcome to the forum. I cannot answer about the recruitment of the 16th Michigan specifically but I can give some insight via my own Grandfather. He joined a Union Kentucky regiment. My grandfather was from here in Dickson County, Tennessee and joined up in Alabama. While it is likely the person you are referring to was recruited from localized area I'd guess it is not iron clad.
Sorry I cannot help more. I am sure others on the boards have better answers to Union infantry than I do.
Again, Welcome to the forum.

YMOS
tommy

[raywilson]

Don,
Welcome to the site! I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Generally, the soldiers who made up a unit came from the same general geographical area. However, as Aphillbilly pointed out, this was not always the case. Many states (and even counties and cities) offered bounties to men who would enlist in their units, and some men traveled considerable distances to take advantage of these opportunities.

But, as a general rule, they would be from the area in which the unit was formed. This also enhanced local pride, and many a soldier was motivated to perform well in battle to insure that he would not be a source of shame to those back home.

Perhaps, the Michigan state historical society or a local genealogical society could help you more.

Again, welcome.
Ray

[dan_curtis]

Mr. Miller,

Perhaps you can find out where that unit was from by finding out a nickname? Many units had nicknames and at times their nickname had something to do with where they were from.... No, it's not as helpful as the other ideas you've gotten, but it is another possibility.

Hoping this helps,
Dan

[max]

Don

Welcome to the group.

Max

[johan_steele]

Don,

I would suggest requesting a copy of the Unit's official history as provided in Michigans OR, this will usually include a roster and often where and when each individual Company was raised.

Here is the history of the 16th Michigan courtesy of Dyers Compendium

16th Regiment Infantry (Stockton's Independent Regiment)

Organized at Plymouth and Detroit, Mich., July to September, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., September 16, 1861. Attached to Butterfield's Brigade, Fitz John Porter's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to July, 1865.

SERVICE.---Camp at Hall's Hill, Defences of Washington, D.C., until March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10. Moved to the Virginia Peninsula March 22-24. Reconnoissance to Big Bethel March 30. Warwick Road April 5. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Reconnoissance up the Pamunkey May 10. Battle of Hanover Court House May 27. Operations about Hanover Court House May 27-29. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Mechanicsville June 26; Gaines' Mill June 27; Savage Station June 29; Turkey Bridge or Malvern Cliff June 30; Malvern Hill July 1. Duty at Harrison's Landing until August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 16-28. Battle of Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Shepherdstown Ford September 19. At Sharpsburg until October. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 17. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Expedition from Potomac Creek to Richards and Ellis Fords, Rappahannock River, December 29-30. "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth until April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Aldie June 17. Middleburg and Upperville June 21. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24. Duty at Warrenton, Beverly Ford and Culpeper until October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Veterans absent on furlough January 2 to February 17, 1864. At Bealeton Station until May. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna May 23-26. Jericho Mills May 23. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Six Mile House, Weldon Railroad, August 18-21, 1864. Poplar Springs Church, Peeble's Farm, September 29-October 2. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Warren's Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Junction of quaker and Boydton Roads and Lewis Farm near Gravelly Run March 29. White Oak Road March 30-31. Five Forks April 1. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Washington, D.C., May 3-12. Grand Review May 23. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June 16-22, thence to Jeffersonville, Ind. Mustered out July 8, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 12 Officers and 235 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 143 Enlisted men by disease. Total 390