German draftee

[Allyn]

Henry Baierle, born about 1840 in Penna. of German immigrant parents, was living in Vernon Twp., Crawford Co., PA, when he showed up on a list of local draftees in late August of 1863 (Crawford Journal, Meadville, PA, 25 Aug. 1863). I haven't been able to discern if he actually served or not. Part of the problem is his name, or at least the multiple variations of his name. Baierle morphed to Byerly, Bierly, Bauerly, Byrely, and even Barley and Burley.

Also, did a draftee have the option of joining a regiment of his choice, or was he simply assigned somewhere? If he could choose, I would think that he would have opted for a relatively local unit.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[RedRover]

Henry Baierle, born about 1840 in Penna. of German immigrant parents, was living in Vernon Twp., Crawford Co., PA, when he showed up on a list of local draftees in late August of 1863 (Crawford Journal, Meadville, PA, 25 Aug. 1863). I haven't been able to discern if he actually served or not. Part of the problem is his name, or at least the multiple variations of his name. Baierle morphed to Byerly, Bierly, Bauerly, Byrely, and even Barley and Burley.

Also, did a draftee have the option of joining a regiment of his choice, or was he simply assigned somewhere? If he could choose, I would think that he would have opted for a relatively local unit.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Draftees under the US National Draft who were not inclined to enter service could pay a 300 dollar commutation in lieu of service, or provide for a substitute to serve in his place.

Most of the men drafted in 1863-65 chose one of the above options.

 

[Lampasas Bill]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that each state was expected to provide an assigned number of draftees. I assume that if a person was drafted to fill the Pennsylvania quota he would be assigned to a PA unit, either a new organization or as a replacement in an existing one.

 

[RedRover]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that each state was expected to provide an assigned number of draftees. I assume that if a person was drafted to fill the Pennsylvania quota he would be assigned to a PA unit, either a new organization or as a replacement in an existing one.

I believe you are correct.

The US national draft was a means of the general government aiding the States in meeting their quotas. From the rendezvous and camp of instruction they were assigned and forwarded to units from their State in federal service.

My grandfather Frost was drafted in 1865, in Maine, and assigned as a replacement to a Maine regiment in Virginia.

 

[lupaglupa]

There is a Phillip Baierle in the 75th PA; is he kin?

I put Baierle in the Pennsylvania database of draftees and it didn't return a hit. What spelling does the newspaper article have?

 

[PKnierman]

Very interesting. Henry and his family were the next door neighbors to my relatives in Vernon Township.

Like you said- pretty tough to find the family with all the name variations. If Henry actually did serve as a draftee (and not buy his way out, purchase a substitute, or just leave the area to escape the draft....), he could have ended up anywhere in a Pennsylvania unit. They didn't get to choose. Once drafted and enrolled, there were sent to distribution point, where various detachments were formed and sent with officers appointed to receive draftees for regiments.

Do you have any additional info on Henry? Where did he live after the war? Where is he buried? I see his parents are buried in the St John's church cemetery- the same as several of my relatives.

 

[Allyn]

Oh, that's kind of funny! Small world. If you have any need, I have abstracts of three Knier---- naturalizations, passenger list, and a batch of Knier--- women who show up married to German Catholics. I've done a fair amount of research into the local German immigrant population, but only recently realized that I had a connection to the Baierles. Henry was my gr-gr-grandfather's younger half-brother. In 1870, he was a farm laborer in Vernon Twp., but by 1874 he had changed careers and was a saloon keeper in Meadville. Eventually he and two unmarried sibs relocate to Erie, where he died in 1919. Just wanted to track down his military career, if he had one.