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- Aug 25, 2012
The Union recruited volunteers from Confederates held at Prisoner of War camps. With the man power shortages the Confederacy suffered from, was there any movement to recruit Confederate volunteers from Union prisoners they held?
Old thread, I know, but are there any examples of POWs from Massachusetts regiments who joined the Confederacy?
Louis Leo and Albert Wszelaki are definitely interesting. Thank you!Welcome! You may be interested in this: http://breckinridgegreys.org/galvanized1.html
Welcome! You may be interested in this: http://breckinridgegreys.org/galvanized1.html
One way or another over 115,000 Southern whites joined the Union Army. When this number is added to the number of escaped slaves who joined the USCT, then the role of southern born men was a major man power source for the Union Army. Without the Union Southerners, both black and white, the war would have been much more difficult for the Union to have won.
The Union recruited volunteers from Confederates held at Prisoner of War camps. With the man power shortages the Confederacy suffered from, was there any movement to recruit Confederate volunteers from Union prisoners they held?
@rebracer ,http://breckinridgegreys.org/galvanized1.html.This is an interesting site
Wow didn't know that, but I guess it makes sense they were Irish, they weren't treated very well.Yes. The US government reported that about 3,170 US prisoners joined the enemy. Most of them had come from Salisbury prison in NC. Many of them were Irish immigrants. Several battalions were formed including the 1st and 2nd Foreign Battalions.
They weren’t best pleased when they realized that they had signed 3 year enlistments rather than for the length of the war. Many of them deserted after the war was over. Those that were left were released.Unfortunately, most were sent west to fight in the union's indian eradication
Unfortunately, the union sent most west to fight that government’s Indian eradication wars.
On the other hand post ACW the US Army was small and not that many US troops were required to pacify the West.They weren’t best pleased when they realized that they had signed 3 year enlistments rather than for the length of the war. Many of them deserted after the war was over. Those that were left were released.
Small by European standards it was still some 57,000 strong post war compared to just 16,000 prior to the Civil War. The regular US Army did not start to downsize till about 1868.On the other hand post ACW the US Army was small and not that many US troops were required to pacify the West.
Leftyhunter
As Americans? Yes....that's why one should refer to them as Americans pursuing US policy. It's indeed what they were and the nation they represented.....Southeners were enthusiastic soldiers during the Mexican American War and Jefferson Davis among other prominent Confederate's eagerly led US troops . <Part of post edited as reply to deleted content>
Leftyhunter
I'm pretty sure U.S. Grant served in the Mexican war.Southeners were enthusiastic soldiers during the Mexican American War and Jefferson Davis among other prominent Confederate's eagerly led US troops .<Part of post edited as reply to deleted content>
Leftyhunter