Curses on Fold3!

[Sheltowee]

Thought I would take advantage of this free period for Fold3 Civil War documents. Ya' know, actually pull the CSRs and pension docs of kin that I knew were in the war- and a few that I suspected. Shed some light on my family story, and tidy things up with documentation.

Should have left the door closed.

I found the truth alright- thanks to Fold3. Seems I come from a long line of slackers, skulkers, malingerers, and deserters. It's pretty bad........ but at least my deserters actually returned to their units- after a short hiatus. And apparently reinstated with no penalty. Go figure.

Oh well- as dad says, "it is what it is".
Any of you fine folks with sterling CW lineage want to adopt me? I don't eat much!

 

[huskerblitz]

Oh well- as dad says, "it is what it is".
Any of you fine folks with sterling CW lineage want to adopt me? I don't eat much!

Ha! I'm not sure any of us have a sterling CW lineage. One of mine walked fallen limb on a night March and severely bruised his knee and was out of action for a while.

 

[scooter748driver]

We can't all have a Chamberlin or a Jackson for relatives. I suspect yours is closer to the majority than usually portrayed. My paternal ancestors were all just poor farmers from SW Virginia. Most left their units at one time or another, some several times. Of course being rural farmers if they didn't bring in the crops at harvest no one would.

 

[Tom Elmore]

Thought I would take advantage of this free period for Fold3 Civil War documents. Ya' know, actually pull the CSRs and pension docs of kin that I knew were in the war- and a few that I suspected. Shed some light on my family story, and tidy things up with documentation.

Should have left the door closed.

I found the truth alright- thanks to Fold3. Seems I come from a long line of slackers, skulkers, malingerers, and deserters. It's pretty bad........ but at least my deserters actually returned to their units- after a short hiatus. And apparently reinstated with no penalty. Go figure.

Oh well- as dad says, "it is what it is".
Any of you fine folks with sterling CW lineage want to adopt me? I don't eat much!

Plato said: "Every king springs from a race of slaves, and every slave has had kings among his ancestors." Put another way, everyone has both knaves and heroes among their ancestors, if it were possible to trace back far enough. Keep searching and you will likely find someone in your family tree who will make you proud. If not, you can take solace in another quote, from Voltaire: "He who serves his country well has no need of ancestors." Lincoln said something similar, when asked about his grandfather, he said: "I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be."

 

[bayouace]

My only verified ggf service was his enlisting in Sept 1861 as a 2nd Lt Commissary Officer in McCarver's 21st Arkansas at age 35, and being honorably discharged in July 1862, after turning 36, as a result of the CSA Conscription Act of April 1862. Not too glorious. Lol

 

[elmira64]

We can't all have a Chamberlin or a Jackson for relatives. I suspect yours is closer to the majority than usually portrayed. My paternal ancestors were all just poor farmers from SW Virginia. Most left their units at one time or another, some several times. Of course being rural farmers if they didn't bring in the crops at harvest no one would.

Well said. I have quite a few relatives that served in the Confederate Army. It appears most did take off at times. A good number of the folks in Virginia were tenant farmers, you don't produce your family has to move on. Most returned, some did not for whatever reason. What they saw and went through, old wounds, concern about family you name it. Among my folks there are a few that deserted to the enemy. One shot for taking off one time too many (previously he had always returned) One may have caused a self inflicted wound to buy some time. Sometimes it's not what we like or expect to find out. How well would we do in similar circumstances? Besides, if some gave their all, some of us would not be here.

 

[Gary Morgan]

Not everyone listed as a deserter actually deserted. I've seen a ton of CMSRs that list someone as having deserted for months, when in fact, the man had been captured by the enemy and was actually a POW somewhere. I usually just interpret "deserter" to mean that the person doing the bimonthly muster roll did not know where the man in question actually was.

 

[nc native]

It is not uncommon for soldiers in the Confederate ranks to be reported AWOL in the muster rolls from time to time and several of my direct ancestors took unauthorized leaves of absence only to come back to their unit later. Everyone needs time off from whatever occupation they work in from time to time and soldiers during the Civil War were no exception to the rule.

I have noticed that most of these absences were during the Winter months when campaigning and fighting were less likely to happen so that is a good indication that these men were not skirking their duties or deserting their cause and could be counted on when they were most needed. In the Army of Northern Virginia, soldiers from Virginia and North Carolina had the highest desertion rates and this is probably due to the close proximity to home compared to soldiers from the other Southern states.

 

[Biscoitos]

Thought I would take advantage of this free period for Fold3 Civil War documents. Ya' know, actually pull the CSRs and pension docs of kin that I knew were in the war- and a few that I suspected. Shed some light on my family story, and tidy things up with documentation.

Should have left the door closed.

I found the truth alright- thanks to Fold3. Seems I come from a long line of slackers, skulkers, malingerers, and deserters. It's pretty bad........ but at least my deserters actually returned to their units- after a short hiatus. And apparently reinstated with no penalty. Go figure.

Oh well- as dad says, "it is what it is".
Any of you fine folks with sterling CW lineage want to adopt me? I don't eat much!

Well, welcome to the club of people who tell the truth!

 

[19thGeorgia]

I've seen many with the notation "absent without leave" or even "deserted" and then return later receiving only a minor punishment (pay deduction) or in some cases no punishment. All I can figure is they must of had a good reason for their absence.

 

[danny]

But, they all "rode with Forrest"

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Thought I would take advantage of this free period for Fold3 Civil War documents. Ya' know, actually pull the CSRs and pension docs of kin that I knew were in the war- and a few that I suspected. Shed some light on my family story, and tidy things up with documentation.

Should have left the door closed.

I found the truth alright- thanks to Fold3. Seems I come from a long line of slackers, skulkers, malingerers, and deserters. It's pretty bad........ but at least my deserters actually returned to their units- after a short hiatus. And apparently reinstated with no penalty. Go figure.

Oh well- as dad says, "it is what it is".
Any of you fine folks with sterling CW lineage want to adopt me? I don't eat much!

A few of mine switched sides. Civil War versions of "Switch-Hitters"!

 

[Sheltowee]

A few of mine switched sides. Civil War versions of "Switch-Hitters"!

Well- I really only drill down to the grandfather and uncle level. I don't look too hard at 1st cousins 4x removed (though I do have a couple who died at Andersonville).

But I tell ya'- we filled out Co.A East Tennessee National Guards quite well- Get your service in and never leave the farm!

 

[danny]

Well- I really only drill down to the grandfather and uncle level. I don't look too hard at 1st cousins 4x removed (though I do have a couple who died at Andersonville).

But I tell ya'- we filled out Co.A East Tennessee National Guards quite well- Get your service in and never leave the farm!

If that's your thing

 

[Jerseyman]

Not everyone listed as a deserter actually deserted. I've seen a ton of CMSRs that list someone as having deserted for months, when in fact, the man had been captured by the enemy and was actually a POW somewhere. I usually just interpret "deserter" to mean that the person doing the bimonthly muster roll did not know where the man in question actually was.

Yeah, that seems often to be the case.
I have two ancestors who deserted (one of who was in the Excelsior Brigade, and missed Chancellorsvile and Gettysburg as a result!) and it's been a goal of mine to figure out if they had just taken unauthorized leave, got captured, or just plain deserted.

My guess is that if your ancestors got a pension then they almost certainly didn't actually desert (that's the case for the ancestor who wasn't in the Excelsior), which sounds like the case with OP's people given they seem like they have pension records

 

[Biscoitos]

Yeah, that seems often to be the case.
I have two ancestors who deserted (one of who was in the Excelsior Brigade, and missed Chancellorsvile and Gettysburg as a result!) and it's been a goal of mine to figure out if they had just taken unauthorized leave, got captured, or just plain deserted.

My guess is that if your ancestors got a pension then they almost certainly didn't actually desert (that's the case for the ancestor who wasn't in the Excelsior), which sounds like the case with OP's people given they seem like they have pension records

If they deserted and then voluntarily returned to the regiment, wouldn't they have qualified for a pension?
As has been pointed out, many so called desertions were actually men going home to plant crops, etc. These were sometimes "forgiven" or overlooked.
I thought that only a "permanent" desertion would disqualify a soldier?
Is this correct?
I wish to know the facts.

 

[Sheltowee]

If they deserted and then voluntarily returned to the regiment, wouldn't they have qualified for a pension?
As has been pointed out, many so called desertions were actually men going home to plant crops, etc. These were sometimes "forgiven" or overlooked.
I thought that only a "permanent" desertion would disqualify a soldier?
Is this correct?
I wish to know the facts.

In my observation- I have two that deserted, but appear to have voluntarily returned to same regiment.
They were reinstated- with one receiving a favorable written report about his service, after returning.
Both have pension applications visible in Fold3. I'm assuming they were granted? Not sure how to confirm.

 

[Discipulus]

I have three ancestors who were marked as "deserters." Two were mistakes, both had transferred to different regiments.

But the third was legit. It was a gg-uncle. He was active for a month then skedaddled. And the best I can figure he was also the most active in the GAR following the war. It takes all kinds.

 

[lupaglupa]

In my observation- I have two that deserted, but appear to have voluntarily returned to same regiment.
They were reinstated- with one receiving a favorable written report about his service, after returning.
Both have pension applications visible in Fold3. I'm assuming they were granted? Not sure how to confirm.

The pension index cards will have an application number for every person who applied - if the pension was approved there will be a certificate number as well (not that the index is perfect but for most men this will be the case).

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Don't feel bad. I found in my own family research so far that it is a dangerous thing to depend on ancestors to bestow self worth or pride. Along with all the people I'd be happy to brag about, there are some thieves, alcoholics and a possible cannibal situation
- the question is what have I done lately to make the world a better place, not what choices random relatives made a century and a half ago. It's no reflection on you one way or the other!