Deserters

[BelleBlackburn]

I read a book about desertion in the Civil War and apparently the first year both sides were like a sieve because they felt like they were volunteers and free to leave and expected to only be gone a few months. They tightened up after that and began rounding up deserters. My question is - if a deserter went back, did he have to go back to the unit he left or could he have joined another one?

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

My ancestor mustered in to the 16th NY Infantry in August, 1862. This was a two year regiment whose term of enlistment ended in May, 1863. In that month he was captured at the Battle of Salem Church, held briefly at Richmond, exchanged, and paroled. Apparently he was expected to transfer to the 121st NY with the other "three year men" because he was soon arrested for desertion (and released) by the Provost Marshal on the streets of his home town in upstate NY. At various times GG Grandfather claimed his enlistment was for two years (not true) and that he was at home "awaiting orders" (that never came.) In February of 1864 he joined the 73rd OH and served in that unit until war's end. The fact that he traveled way out west to join another unit rather than show up at the 121st NY suggests he was maybe a little guilty and afraid. What would his comrades say? What would they do to him?
These events caused some confusion when he applied for a pension but it was finally resolved in his favor.
Did he desert? I think he was a just a homesick boy who saw an opportunity to take some time off from the army and the war but eventually did the right thing. Either way, I certainly wouldn't judge him.

 

[John Winn]

Well, in the Confederate army they were volunteers in the first year there being no draft yet so they could leave, so that wouldn't have technically been desertion. After the draft, they were in for the war.

I don't remember reading anything that specifically answered your question about a true deserter having to report back to his original unit but I'm going to venture a somewhat-educated guess that the short answer is 'yes.' How else would the army know he had returned ? His paperwork would still have him listed as deserter. Men sometimes ended up in a different unit for short periods if they got separated from their original unit but I'd think if one was listed as a deserter one would have remained a deserter even if he joined another unit. Whether the second unit would know of his previous service is questionable so I'm sure it happened (as Sergeant S has noted). I just don't think it would have been a generally accepted practice and, if caught, I think there might have been some bad repercussions.

Deserting and re-enlisting in a different unit was the tactic used by bounty jumpers later in the war so as to collect multiple bounties. That they could do that and generally get away with it says a lot about communication and records keeping of the day.

Just some thoughts on the matter that came to mind. I'm sure there's somebody here who knows for sure and likely has sources.