Hello and a question about discharge

[WriterWade]

First of all, I would like to say hello to all. I have had a passing interest in the Civil War for a long time, but now am getting more interested. I grew up in Virginia, and so have been to several battlefields, the Museum of the Confederacy, and the Confederate White House.

Secondly, I have a question: I can't seem to find any info on mustering out honorably discharged soldiers during/after the war. What process did they use? I'll tell you why I ask...I'm a writer, and I'm working on a story that does NOT take place during the Civil War, but in the future. Having never been in the military, I know nothing about it.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Welcome to CivilWarTalk.

I'm somewhat confused by your question:

I'm working on a story that does NOT take place during the Civil War, but in the future

Are you asking about discharges during the Civil War or honorable discharges from the modern military ?

 

[Patrick H]

Well, let me say hello right back to you, and welcome from out here in Missouri. I can't answer your question about mustering out, but I'll guarantee you there will be lots of useful answers to that question, and they will be headed your way momentarily!

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Howdy and Welcome!

 

[unicornforge]

Does this help?
http://www.lee.army.mil/hrd/out.processing.aspx

 

[Cumpston1862]

Expired Image Removed
This is a condensed and general answer but...

After their term of service a regiment would be sent to a military post that was closer to home but not always and several last items of business would be finalized. They would square their accounts to make sure they were paid in full less any monies owed for clothing or weapons they wished to keep. Than at some point they would be discharged and receive one of the documents as shown above.

 

[chellers]

Welcome from Texas.

 

[CMWinkler]

Welcome.

 

[DLShake]

Expired Image Removed
This is a condensed and general answer but...

After their term of service a regiment would be sent to a military post that was closer to home but not always and several last items of business would be finalized. They would square their accounts to make sure they were paid in full less any monies owed for clothing or weapons they wished to keep. Than at some point they would be discharged and receive one of the documents as shown above.

Was that the same at the end of the war when I would think whole Companies(or even Brigades.etc/) where mustered out all at once. How would I find out where they were processed out at and how long did the process take. Im trying to figure out if a certain soldier whose Muster out date was 8th Juned 1865 could be the father of a baby born 1st January, 1866. How can I find out how much before the actual muster out date the Company was back in the home area?

 

[John Hartwell]

Where was he just before his mustering-out? He could have been home on furlough until April, and returned to his regiment just in time to be discharged in June; or he might still have been at home when his regiment was discharged, his furlough extended, and he only rejoined them on the assigned date for mustering-out. Often a regiment would be transported home, and then furloughed until mustered out sometimes weeks later -- though I've never heard it to take as long as 3 months. Or, his wife might have had a very friendly grocer.

Cheers!
jno

 

[MajGenl.Meade]

Soldier's name and regiment is what.....?

 

[AndyHall]

m trying to figure out if a certain soldier whose Muster out date was 8th Juned 1865 could be the father of a baby born 1st January, 1866.

As John says, this could happen if he were home on furlough in late March 1865, assuming a full-term birth. Or perhaps his regiment was in a rear area at that time, and he was able to visit with his wife/girlfriend. You need to find a way to bring them together during the last week of March, while he's still officially in the service.

 

[E_just_E]

Hello from PA!

 

[Stony]

Welcome.

 

[ErnieMac]

Welcome from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

 

[Allie]

Was that the same at the end of the war when I would think whole Companies(or even Brigades.etc/) where mustered out all at once. How would I find out where they were processed out at and how long did the process take. Im trying to figure out if a certain soldier whose Muster out date was 8th Juned 1865 could be the father of a baby born 1st January, 1866. How can I find out how much before the actual muster out date the Company was back in the home area?

If you have a name and unit, it may be possible to find out exactly where he was.

Ordinarily a company would not be anywhere near home until they mustered out, which in the case of some of the USCTs I've been following means they spent up to a year in camp. But there are other options, as some have stated - furloughs, premature babies (although not that premature, at this date), wife traveling to be with him.

Given the relaxed attitude towards record keeping of babies' births in this era I would want to be very certain I had the right birth date. Even graves can be wrong. Family Bibles can be misread. People can lie on the census. Faced with this situation - and that the date you have just happens to be the first day of the year - my first guess would be that the baby was born sometime other than the 1st of January and that date was written down arbitrarily at some time when a specific birth date was needed.

 

[Poor Sharecropper's Son]

Good point with the January 1 birthdate, although I was born December 31 (really!)



Also wonder if WriterWade ever got the info for his writing project since he hasn't been back

 

[Cumpston1862]

Was that the same at the end of the war when I would think whole Companies(or even Brigades.etc/) where mustered out all at once. How would I find out where they were processed out at and how long did the process take. Im trying to figure out if a certain soldier whose Muster out date was 8th Juned 1865 could be the father of a baby born 1st January, 1866. How can I find out how much before the actual muster out date the Company was back in the home area?

DLShake-

In answer to your question. Yes. Each soldier would have received one of these discharge or mustering out papers. A soldier would have been issued one if he was in the service until the end of the war, getting mustered out after his three years of service or anywhere in between if his health necessitated his release from the service.

In order to find out where a regiment was mustered out you will need to do some research on the regiment. From there it will be necessary to confirm that the man you are doing the research on was mustered out in June of 1865. Individual soldiers were being mustered out on different dates from their regiment if they were sick or on detached service. So unless you know for sure that the soldier you are trying to find was mustered out in June of 1865 he could have been released from the service before than and certainly have fathered a child by January of 1866. Others have mentioned the possibility of him having been on furlough before June and that is certainly plausible too. And regretfully if nothing matches up the possibility that he is not the father of the child may be something to consider. BUT do not go down that route unless all other options are exhausted as 18th and 19th century records of births are often times inaccurate.

 

[Al Murray]

Welcome from West Virginia!

 

[Dave Wilma]

Im trying to figure out if a certain soldier whose Muster out date was 8th Juned 1865 could be the father of a baby born 1st January, 1866. How can I find out how much before the actual muster out date the Company was back in the home area?

Most regiments had their histories written after the war (these books automatically sold 500 to 1,000 copies) which detailed the unit movements and where they were mustered out and the colors retired. In the case of one of my relatives the process took months giving him the opportunity to be promoted sergeant just before mustering out. As posted above a soldier could have been on convalescent or regular leave when the baby was conceived. As for the baby's birth date see if there is other supporting evidence. My own great grandfather was born January 1, 1858 as sort of a default date.