How and where did Northern men go to enlist in United States Regular units?

martz507

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Jan 21, 2020
I have wondered how did a Northerner enlist in the Regular US Army as opposed to enlisting in a state unit. Where did he go for this task? Where was Regular Army training held? What were the age demographics of Regulars?
 
I can put forth a few places:

Arkansas--Helena, Fayetteville, Fort Smith (after it's recapture in 1863).

Missouri--Benton Barracks, volunteers training and US and USCT Regulars, Pre war, early in war, and post war at Jefferson Barracks,
(During the war it was mostly a hospital site), and at Springfield.

Massachusetts--Boston-- Camp Meigs: 54th and 55th Mass. Inf. Regts. were organized and trained there.

Illinois--Chicago recruitment center of the 29th USCT, maybe at Camp Douglas, Ill. organized at Quincy, Ill.

Pennsylvania--Carlisle Barracks, home of the mounted recruiting service. It recruited and trained enlisted men and officers for the cavalry.

The Mounted Recruiting Service had centers in 19 cities across the US. They were: Boston, Mass. (1861-63), Cincinnatti, Oh. (1861-65), New York City, Ny. (1861-65), Wheeling, Va. (62-63), Buffalo, Ny. (1862-63), Norristown, Pa. (1862), Cleveland, Oh. (1862-65), Indianapolis, Ind. (1862-63), Baltimore, Md. (62 and 65), Pittsburg, Pa. (1862-65), Philadelphia, Pa. (1862-65), Chicago, Ill. (1862), Detroit, Mi. (1862-63), Elmira, Ny. (1862-63), Washington, D.C. (1862-63), Harrisburg, Pa. (1863-65), Madison, Wis. (1864), Rochester, Ny. (1864-65), and St. Louis, Mo. (1864). Some of these were only open for months. There were also other recruitment centers opened locally by the Cavalry Regiments 1st--6th,where ever they might be stationed.

The US Regular Artillery was also recruited by the MRS at Carlisle.

US Regular Infantry Recruitment was carried out from October to December 1862 at Washington D.C., Harper's Ferry near Md., and near Nashville, Tenn. There is also information that says US Regular Infantry Regiments were recruited in small towns, such as the 16th near Rouse's Point, NY. It was mustered in at Albany, NY. It was originally called the 1st NY Northern Infantry. Evidently the recruitment of US Regular Infantry was a problem. One sees recruiting of various regiments during the war in different cities, like the 15th US Infantry Regiment at Philadelphia. There were usually bounties of $100., offered for joining up during the war.
 
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I can put forth a few places:

Arkansas--Helena, Fayetteville, Fort Smith (after it's recapture in 1863).

Missouri--Benton Barracks, volunteers training and US and USCT Regulars, Pre war, early in war, and post war at Jefferson Barracks,
(During the war it was mostly a hospital site), and at Springfield.

Massachusetts--Boston-- Camp Meigs: 54th and 55th Mass. Inf. Regts. were organized and trained there.

Illinois--Chicago recruitment center of the 29th USCT, maybe at Camp Douglas, Ill. organized at Quincy, Ill.

Pennsylvania--Carlisle Barracks, home of the mounted recruiting service. It recruited and trained enlisted men and officers for the cavalry.

The Mounted Recruiting Service had centers in 19 cities across the US. They were: Boston, Mass. (1861-63), Cincinnatti, Oh. (1861-65), New York City, Ny. (1861-65), Wheeling, Va. (62-63), Buffalo, Ny. (1862-63), Norristown, Pa. (1862), Cleveland, Oh. (1862-65), Indianapolis, Ind. (1862-63), Baltimore, Md. (62 and 65), Pittsburg, Pa. (1862-65), Philadelphia, Pa. (1862-65), Chicago, Ill. (1862), Detroit, Mi. (1862-63), Elmira, Ny. (1862-63), Washington, D.C. (1862-63), Harrisburg, Pa. (1863-65), Madison, Wis. (1864), Rochester, Ny. (1864-65), and St. Louis, Mo. (1864). Some of these were only open for months. There were also other recruitment centers opened locally by the Cavalry Regiments 1st--6th,where ever they might be stationed.

The US Regular Artillery was also recruited by the MRS at Carlisle.

US Regular Infantry Recruitment was carried out from October to December 1862 at Washington D.C., Harper's Ferry near Md., and near Nashville, Tenn. There is also information that says US Regular Infantry Regiments were recruited in small towns, such as the 16th near Rouse's Point, NY. It was mustered in at Albany, NY. It was originally called the 1st NY Northern Infantry. Evidently the recruitment of US Regular Infantry was a problem. One sees recruiting of various regiments during the war in different cities, like the 15th US Infantry Regiment at Philadelphia. There were usually bounties of $100., offered for joining up during the war.
The US Engineers recruited in downtown Boston (Boylston Street) in October 1861 and the recruiting officer was one Captain James B. McPherson (he signed up my direct ancestor). I believe that the Regular Infantry also had a recruiting station in Boston.
 
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I would imagine that most major cities would have had a recruiting station for the Regulars.

One thing that I've never seen and that I'm curious about is whether or not Regulars enlistments counted towards state manpower quotas since they weren't technically state enlistees. And if they did not count, I would imagine that the enlistees would not be eligible for the state bounties.

Ryan
 
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From 61 to 65 the Federal Government along with states and localities paid about 750,000,000 in recruitment bounties. In 1861, Congress authorized a bounty of $100 in July 1861 to those enlisting three years. In March of 1863 those enlisting for three years were to get $300, and those enlisting for five years were to receive $400, which was to be paid in monthly installments, not all at once. The system soon became corrupt with bounty jumpers.
 
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From 61 to 65 the Federal Government along with states and localities paid about 750,000,000 in recruitment bounties. In 1861, Congress authorized a bounty of $100 in July 1861 to those enlisting three years. In March of 1863 those enlisting for three years were to get $300, and those enlisting for five years were to receive $400, which was to be paid in monthly installments, not all at once. The system soon became corrupt with bounty jumpers.
If I recall correctly, there was a General Order issued in 1864 which credited to the state quotas enlistments in the Regular units retroactively from September 1862.
 
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