Enlistment Fraud

[Jafa]

To build my naval data base, I obtained the enlistment documents from the late 1850's to the end of 1865. There were several 'Rendezvous' sites, mostly along the north eastern coast. I'm a retired Federal Agent, so names will often stand out to me. I loaded the names from the Philadelphia rendezvous for September 1, 1864. About a week later I entered the names from the Camden, New Jersey, rendezvous. One of the names was Frank Cazasa. The name sounded familiar. I went back to the Philadelphia records and the name was Francis Cozaza. Unfortunately, the Navy did not record the date of birth of individuals, only their age at enlistment. I compared the two names, besides being Frank and Francis, both were 27, both were from Pennsylvania, both were 5 feet 5 inches and both had a cross tattooed on their right arm. Frank was from France and Francis was from Genoa. Camden was a very short distance from Philadelphia. The each received a $50 enlistment bonus. And each FTA'd, Failure to Appear. Neither came back into the service and the only thing I could find was the name F. Cazasa in a Catholic Church printout in Memphis, Tennessee, several years later. I am sure that this wasn't the only enlistment fraud that occurred.

 

[Lubliner]

I am sure that this wasn't the only enlistment fraud that occurred.

No, but you have definitely found the trail!
Lubliner.

 

[Story]

I'm a retired Federal Agent, so names will often stand out to me.

You're in the right place to exercise your professional skills, then.
And if your inner cynic is whispering in your ear that Frank's days probably ended in a pauper's grave, after getting shiv between his ribs, I'd tend to agree with you.
No hits for either spelling of that last name - https://www.findagrave.com/

 

[Story]

@Jafa
Enjoy - https://www.cnrs-scrn.org/northern_mariner/vol22/tnm_22_27-52.pdf