Enlistment Places

[josh54739]

I was wondering where soldiers enlisted during the war. The most common one appears to be where theyd have rallies and men from the town would enlist. I was wondering if you could enlist between these, such as the Minnesota Adjutant Generals Report 1866, lists recruits joining units much later, and where you would enlist in the regular army.

 

[redbob]

Though many were recruited from rallies and people raising regiments, there were also recruiting offices in many towns and cities (especially the larger ones). And from what I have read, you could also just walk up to a unit and ask to join.

 

[Caswell Ranger]

I wonder how many posters still exist?

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

There are some neat recruitment posters on this thread,
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/we-remember-the-fallen-civil-war-posters.92807/

 

[M E Wolf]

I was wondering where soldiers enlisted during the war. The most common one appears to be where theyd have rallies and men from the town would enlist. I was wondering if you could enlist between these, such as the Minnesota Adjutant Generals Report 1866, lists recruits joining units much later, and where you would enlist in the regular army.

Frequently, the enlistments happened in voter's districts. Unlike our modern precincts they were often in the towns that had governmental offices, such as a court house with a court clerk. There would be Forts to enlist if held by the National Army aka Regular Army.

This document is authentic, owned by M. E. Weyraugh and posted with permission for study/education purposes.

The "Statement of Volunteer" would be one of the many documents generated in the "Enlistment" process.

M. E. Wolf

 

[M E Wolf]

Other side of the "Statement of Volunteer."

This would be considered the 'outside' to which the document is 3/4 size of a letter sized paper and folded in half to 'file.' The recording of this statement would be in the "Mustering & Discharge Officer's ledger."

M. E. Wolf

 

[TinCan]

My g-g-g-grandfather travelled from Hunt County, Texas to Ft. Smith, Arkansas in 1863 to join the Union Army.

 

[M E Wolf]

O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME VI, Chapter XVI [S# 6]
Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Events In West Florida, Southern Alabama, Southern Mississippi, And Louisiana From September 1, 1861, To May 12, 1862.
UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#1
ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, January 25, 1862.
To the Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR:
SIR: In compliance with your instructions of yesterday, I have the honor to report in reference to the expedition of Maj. Gen. B. F. Butler, U.S. volunteers, as follows:
It appears that on the 10th of September a general authority was given in the following terms:

WAR DEPARTMENT, September 10, 1861.
Maj. Gen. B. F. Butler is hereby authorized to raise, organize, arm, uniform, and equip a volunteer force for the war in the New England States, not exceeding six regiments of the maximum standard, of such arms, and in such proportions, and in such manner as he may judge expedient; and for this purpose his orders and requisitions on the Quartermaster's, Ordnance, and other staff departments of the Army are to be obeyed and answered, provided the cost of such recruitment, armament, and equipment does not exceed in the aggregate that of like troops now or hereafter raised for the service of the United States.

SIMON CAMERON,
Secretary of War.
This authority was extended, and an object for the expedition indicated by an order from the Secretary dated two days after, as follows:

WAR DEPARTMENT, September 12, 1861.
Major-General Butler is authorized to fit out and prepare such troops in New England as he may judge fit for the purpose, to make an expedition along the Eastern Shore of Virginia, via the railroad, from Wilmington, Del., to Salisbury, and thence through a portion of Maryland, Accomac and Northampton Counties, of Virginia, to Cape Charles.

Transportation agents, quartermasters, and commissaries of subsistence will answer General Butler's requisitions for this purpose.
SIMON CAMERON,
Secretary of War.
------------------
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME X/2 [S# 11]
Appendix -- Embracing communications received too late for insertion in proper sequence.
UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE OHIO,
Field of Shiloh, April 26, 1862.
Capt. N. H. McLEAN,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Department of the Mississippi:
SIR: Some plan of recruitment for the regiments now in service is rapidly becoming a matter of vital importance. Very many of the regiments in my command are already reduced by deaths, discharges, and sickness to not more than 500 effective men. Many of them have not 300 men for duty.
Your obedient servant,
D.C. BUELL,
Major-General, Commanding.
-----
Here are some Civil War era "Recruiting Posters" also known as "Broadsides" on E-bay, as of June 9, 2014:
NOTE: Be careful to read fully and make sure it isn't a replica verses the authentic copy of these Broadsides/Recruiting posters, IF YOU are going to collect.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...il+War+recruitment+posters&_sacat=0&_from=R40

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Civil-War-1...255?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e744f1757

This is a modern CD Rom that have recruiting posters samples:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Civil-War-R...222?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d0c8afd66

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CIVIL-WAR-4...450?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4845952882


http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Civil-War...968?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4180fe7108

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Civil-War-7...064?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f3755abc8

M. E. Wolf

 

[major bill]

Many regiments would send out recruiters along the rail lines. They would for example send a lieutenant to another local town to recruit. The 54th Massachusetts for example sent a recruiter to Detroit so slaves who had escaped to Canada could cross the boarder and join. Michiagn had to pass a law discouraging the recruiting of blacks form Michiang so the state could form its own black regiment. Irish and German regiments would send recruiters to other states as well.

 

[DixieRifles]

I'm sure that I've read of new recruits arriving to join a regiment as a replacement. I wasn't sure how this happened but this is how I understood the process based upon a diary of a soldier in the 17 Mississippi Regiment serving in Virginia.
I assume a man could enlist at his hometown or county seat. He would then be sent to either a specific regiment that needed more men, such as the 17 Miss. Or he would be sent to a brigade made up of several Mississippi regiments and he might be selected to go into either one of them. Of course later in the war and at desperate times, they would place men where they were most needed.
Is this accurate?

 

[frankconrad]

At times Men were sent home to recruit. My GGU was recruited in the 3 Iowa Inf on March 15 1862 by Captain Brown, at West union, Iowa and we believe at Shilo with Captain Brown for the battle.
He would have barely been handed a Musket before the battle.
Veterans going home on Veterans Leave also did considerable recruiting. How it was done I don't know.