What does mustering in look like?

Keiri

Sergeant
Joined
Aug 11, 2015
To you awesome re-enactors!

I'd love to know what the first muster in a soldier does looks like. Is it just signing something saying you are there? If its more, could you post a video you know of? I'm struggling to find one.
 
The mustering in experience was not the same for each unit. This is particularly so for early War Regiments such as the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry in 1861 versus late War Regiments such as the 3rd Regiment Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry (Union) in 1864.

 
Interesting video. I think the sound cuts out at one point. I don't think I really understand the muster process though.
 
Several unit histories cover the mustering in process quite well. Is there a particular regiment which interests you?
 
Wisconsin. But even just a general idea would be a good way to start learning. I was surprised "Billy Yank" didn't cover it. But yes, for my book.
 
Here is a 1853 photo of the mustering of the Montgomery Blues. Notice the US Flag. Most State Militia's required a monthly meeting much like the current State National Guards do to this day. This photo is courtesy of the Alabama State Archives.
Drawing_of_the_Montgomery_True_Blues_at_Camp_Owen_near_old_Augusta_Alabama.jpg
 
Thank you, I had assumed they lined up and had to either repeat something or were sworn in or something like that.
 
I doubt this has much bearing on procedures in WI, but here's how it happened in a rural Virginia county:

“The more notable days in the history of Huntersville [the county seat] and of the county citizenship were the trainings and the general muster that would follow. For years after the organization of the 127th Regiment Brigade Inspector was Major John Alexander of Lexington. He would bring his drummer and fifer with him, two likely colored men uniformed in scarlet like British soldiers, and were the admiration and envy all the colored people...

When the militia regulations were modified the Colonel of the regiment would train the officers for three consecutive days before the regimental muster. These were usually seasons of much social hilarity, and the saloons reaped lucrative returns. The musters came off in May, just after corn planting. More animated scenes were never witnessed in our county, as the throngs passed into Huntersville from all sections.

About 11 o’clock the long roll of the drum heard. The colonel and his staff appeared at the of the street, and paraded the street preceded by fife and drum. On their return the colonel instructed the adjutant to have the regiment formed. The colonel and staff would then disappear and retire to headquarters. In the meantime the loud orders of the captains were heard for their men to fall into ranks, and when formed the adjutant placed them in position and then reported to the colonel that all was in readiness. The colonel and staff reappeared at the head of the regiment. Three beautiful silken flags were put in charge of the color guard. The rear rank of the regiment fell back a few paces in open order. A procession, formed of the colonel's staff and color guard, preceded by the band, reviewed the regiment, stationed the flags, and returned to the head of the regiment.

In stentorian tones the order was given to close ranks and form a column of twos, and soon the whole regiment would be on the march to a neighboring field selected for the evolutions... Two or three hours would be passed in the evolutions. The bugle would sound the retreat, the drum and fife take up “Bonaparte's Retreat from Moscow” and the whole column would prepare to leave the field and fall back on Huntersville in slow and regular order. Having formed in open order on the street the colonel and staff, preceded by the music, had another procession to collect the flags. The color guard was led to the head of the column, the colonel dismounted, received the flags one by one, and each was saluted by the roll of the drum, and placed away for safe keeping. After this the regiment was disbanded...”

-Wm. T. Price, “Historical Sketches of Pocahontas County”


In May, 1861 Colonel J.W. Matthews, then commanding, received instructions to assemble the militia and march to Philippi by 1 June. They were to receive arms when they reached the Staunton-Philippi road (instead they received only tin cups). The regiment assembled very early on 18 May, but because many of the companies wanted to join the cavalry they all split up. The infantry companies drew up lists of their men and officers which included equipment issues and costs. I don’t know if they took an oath at this point. They marched out at 10 AM, so probably little time was spent on evolutions and inspections, unlike the pre-war standard. They did not make good time for the first two days though, as every few miles they would stop and be given a speech or sermon.
 
It was different for everybody but at the same time the same. If that makes sense?
Read of one poor northern lad who enlisted in early 64. He enlisted and had a few days to get his effects in order. Returning at the appointed time, he was quickly thrown into a large stone warehouse where every disreputable type was held: bounty jumpers and those that wished to be bounty jumpers, awols, the whole deal. Just the bottom of the barrel. Constant armed guards he said.
After a day or two the doors were swung open and they were hearded out at the double out and onto a long peir. As they ran men were diving off the pier being shot and shot at. Under guard they went from boat to train to Brandy Ststion were once he detrained members of his new unit met him and he got out from being on guard. goodness
 
I only have information from Southern companies, but it will add to your knowledge.

At the start of the emergency, the local militia companies were called out and agreed to offer their services to the Governor. Since the units were mostly formed (there had been much such activity since John Brown's raid), organized, uniformed and fitted out (though frequently without weapons), they were often quickly accepted and transported away to be formed into larger units and sworn into Confederate Service.

After the initial militia rush, the procedure was thus: A citizen wrote to the Governor (later to the President or Secretary of War) for permission to raise a certain size and type of unit. When he received permission, he then did whatever was necessary to get men to sign up in his unit. When he had the required number of men, he wrote to the appropriate officer and got a Confederate Army officer to come to his unit and accept them into Confederate service (pay started at that moment). Since everyone had already signed up to join the unit, they did not sign a second time, but the Confederate Enrolling Officer received and forwarded the muster roll of the unit he had accepted into service.

Whatever details you want to put into my outline was probably true in at least one case, somewhere.
 
If you will all permit me this slight derailment: I expect mustering in looks a lot today as it did in the Vietnam years, the Korea or WWII years, the WWI years, the Civil War years, etc. I suspect the main thing is that the civilian fashions of the day change with the decade.

If I am WAAAY off base with this comment, I am pretty sure some genuine experts will chime in to correct my suspicions. I will willingly bow to their corrections. I hope they don't beat me up too badly when they chime in!!!
 
Well, what does it look like in those modern days, Patrick? Thanks to all for the answers thus far, very interesting!
 
Not sure why I didn't remember this. From Theodore Wolbach, 16th OVI:

Camp Tiffin--Mustered into Service--Incidents of Camp Life.

The companies that were to constitute the 16th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, had all gathered into camp, had their places assigned to them, and had settled down to the routines of camp life, with, perhaps a little more extravagance in the culinary department than was afterwards observed, and less of that self-reliance and individual independence that characterized the men of the regiment in later years. Discipline was established. The men were drilled by those that had a smattering of the tactics. During drill hours the woods and fields in the vicinity of camp resounded with the tramp of many feet and the commands of the officers.

During the month of October, at a time when the weather was very beautiful, a strange officer appeared in camp; the trainings of a course at West Point had left their marks upon him--a hard, severe countenance, keen blue eye, a walk and carriage of person that was faultless. It was Captain Belknap of the regular army, who had come to muster us into the service of Uncle Sam.

One company at a time was called into ranks. The mustering officer, surgeon and company officers took their position in front. The roll of the company was produced, and each man as his name was called passed up to the examining surgeon, raised his hands above his head, touching the palms, and stood in that position while the surgeon went through a process of feeling and sounding the person, examining the teeth, &c. The age of each man was put down as he gave it. If there was any deficiency detected, the man was ordered to step aside, and afterwards received an extra examination. When this part of the business was completed, the men being in line, the mustering officer in

a loud, clear voice, informed the men that he was about to administer to them an oath, that, if they lived, would be binding on them for three years, unless sooner discharged, and any man that did not wish to take the oath should advance three paces to front. After a slight pause, no one advancing, the right hands were raised, the oath administered, and the company marched to their quarters. In only one instance did any man take advantage of the mustering officer's proposition to step from the ranks before the final oath was administered, and that occurred while one of the Wayne county companies were being mustered. One individual stepped from the ranks, when, lo! The whole company broke ranks and chased him out of camp. The Drum Major, Jerry Owens, being near by, seized a drum and beat the Rogue's March during the stampede.
 
I'm very curious about this too. Not that the world needs yet another book, but I'm trying to put together something for my family regarding our ancestry and I'm very curious about the mustering in processes for the units of NC, specifically the 24th Co. E and 50th Co. C. I've looked through Clark's regimental histories but the specifics of what happened are interested in: where did they gather (courthouse, downtown, ?), what papers did they sign, did they go home after signing and return later to begin training, etc.

Does anyone know of any resources in which I might find this information? It would be helpful to have a direction in which to start looking.
 
The following book contains detailed descriptions of the mustering in of the Companies of the 6th Wisconsin.

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