Missing translates into "Duh, I don't know!" It usually meant that there was no After Action debriefing yet that would provide a more certain definition of what had happened to the individual.
Most of the time the Missing eventually were resolved into captured, dead, or separated from their units. Separation happened easily, particularly when they were wounded. When the muster reports were submitted, the unit might not know where they were, but they could have been in the field hospital or attached themselves to another unit. One thing I haven't seen in the early records is "Additions" of individuals to a unit. I would guess that any that remained listed as missing at the end of the time would be those that died and were not (or could not be) identified or their bodies found and a small number that took off and never came back. What was that movie with Jody Foster and the soldier that wasn't her husband? Summersby?
In the '80's, when I submitted a muster report, I had to indicate the names of all exceptions, including leave, UA, in hospital and those temporarily attached. It contained a complete count of all service men with the unit, whether they had orders or not.
(Message edited by aggie80 on May 07, 2002)
(Message edited by aggie80 on May 07, 2002)
__________________
Mark W. Swarthout, Esq.
GGGrandson of Pvt. John W. Swarthout, Company E, 148th NYVI - Wounded at Cold Harbor.
GGGGrandson of Pvt. Henry Stephens, Company D, 137th NYVI - Wounded at Culp's Hill, Gettysburg.
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