How was rank determined when enlisting?

[laurenallyn]

Hello All,

I am new to this forum and looking forward to learning from you all. I have an ancestor, Stephen D. Smith, who fought as part of Company D, 14th Regiment, GA Volunteer Infantry. They were known at the time of organization as "Cherokee Brown Rangers" and most of the men who enlisted were from Cherokee County, GA and the surrounding areas. Stephen was likely present at some of the worst battles, and after being captured at the Battle of Spotsylvania he spent over a year in the prisoner camp at Elmira, NY. I have a copy of his compiled service records and his pension application.

I am trying to find out more about his early life and have been unable to locate him in any census prior to 1900. I have searched what information I have on him for clues about his early life, but am coming up empty handed so far. I know it is a long shot, but I wondered if his rank at enlistment could provide me with a clue. On the day he enlisted, it was as 4th corporal. How were ranks assigned? Why was he 4th corporal and not a private? What does the rank at enlistment say about that person?

Does it imply he was a little older than the others who enlisted? Could it mean that he knew how to read and write? Could it mean he knew the enlisting officer and was therefore granted a rank slightly above private? How were ranks assigned at the time of enlistment?

Thank you for any help! If this question should be asked in a different part of the site, please point me in that direction.

 

[Fairfield]

One of the local men I've been researching in Maine was a recruiting officer who was nearly court martialed for selling nco ranks to the men he was signing up. I don't know if this was standard practice. It seems that it may have been the recruiting officer who determined ranks (nco level) and, at least in this case, that decision may have been based on ability to pay.

Just about all the men from this town were literate (the school system was strong and most families enrolled their children). Older men were no more apt to be officers than younger man. Sometimes one family member went in as a corporal while another was a private. I think that it all came down to the recruiter.

 

[OldSarge79]

The normal early procedure in Confederate units was for the men to elect their officers and non-coms. Obviously this could easily become a popularity contest, but often, the more educated or wealthy men were thus elected, at least at the beginning. Later, when they had been tested in combat, the men could elect their officers based on merit.
If I remember correctly, in 1862, re-elections were ordered throughout the army.

My own great great grandfather is an example. When his unit formed in late spring, 1861, he was elected 5th Sgt. After he was captured and exchanged that summer, the men elected him as 2nd Lieutenant, much to the chagrin of the captain, who didn't like him. But the men made the decision.

 

[LSBusch]

I thought corporals were color bearers, and they assigned those titles to the taller men in the regiment.

 

[Snowbound]

my ancestor in the 60th Va was made 2nd Cpl upon enlistment. He was a 39 year old farmer with 4 children. I always assumed his rank was due to age/maturity. He was discharged after a year for rheumatism.

 

[lupaglupa]

I do think age and status counted - especially in places where the officers were chosen by election. It may be that your ancestor was well liked in the community and thus seen as officer material.

 

[lelliott19]

Stephen D. Smith, who fought as part of Company D, 14th Regiment, GA Volunteer Infantry.

Hello Lauren and welcome to CivilWarTalk - the best place on the internet for Civil War discussion! Here is the Stephen D Smith who has D/14th GA on his grave marker Find A Grave If this is the same Stephen D Smith that is your ancestor, he is listed as born 18 April 1819. The memorial lists two wives - Martha Ann Smith (b. 1823) and Hariette S Smith (b. 1831.) It also records one child Ernest Welcome Smith (b. 1856) Is this your ancestor? Knowing the names of his wife and/or children might make locating him in the census easier.

 

[thomas aagaard]

I thought corporals were color bearers, and they assigned those titles to the taller men in the regiment.

That is not the case.
7-8 corporals was used as the colorguard. And a sergeant carried the colors.
(that is before the shooting started, then anyone could end up with the flag)

Height was not a factor.

 

[thomas aagaard]

Does it imply he was a little older than the others who enlisted? Could it mean that he knew how to read and write? Could it mean he knew the enlisting officer and was therefore granted a rank slightly above private? How were ranks assigned at the time of enlistment?

When in combat a corporal would stand in the line and shoot at the enemy just like the privates.
(Unless part of the colorguard, then he was to defend the colors)

Since the corporals was posted at the edges of the company they where suppose to be very good at drill and they do an important job at keeping the formation,

They should be able to instruct a small group of men in basic drill and the manual of arms.

They lead small work parties. Like "take 5 men and get firewood"

And their most important job was arguably that of corporal of the guard.

To do the last he would need basic literate skills. Since he might need to make a list of who got guardduty when and similar.

So he might have been a bit older than most of the men or he might just have been popular.
Or maybe he was known to be calm in stress full situation.

If you want more information about what a corporal did, look i this pdf (page 46):

http://musket.dk/wp-content/uploads/1864-Kautz_NCOs.pdf

It is about the US army, but since the CSA just copied the US regulations the job description would have been the same for a corporal in a CSA unit
----

Did he keep this rank the entire war?

 

[rpkennedy]

Later, when they had been tested in combat, the men could elect their officers based on merit.
If I remember correctly, in 1862, re-elections were ordered throughout the army.

That was in the spring of 1862 when the Confederate army reorganized their forces from their initial enlistments to for the duration. The regiments were allowed a sort-of do-over and elections were conducted again.

Ryan

 

[laurenallyn]

Hello Lauren and welcome to CivilWarTalk - the best place on the internet for Civil War discussion! Here is the Stephen D Smith who has D/14th GA on his grave marker Find A Grave If this is the same Stephen D Smith that is your ancestor, he is listed as born 18 April 1819. The memorial lists two wives - Martha Ann Smith (b. 1823) and Hariette S Smith (b. 1831.) It also records one child Ernest Welcome Smith (b. 1856) Is this your ancestor? Knowing the names of his wife and/or children might make locating him in the census easier.

Thanks for the welcome! Unfortunately, this is not my ancestor, but I appreciate your help. I have run across this man several times in my research because of the shared name. Sadly, the unit inscription for this man is incorrect. I have the specifics in my notes somewhere, but he was actually part of a different unit. It's sad to me that this man's military service is remembered incorrectly. I'm searching for his descendants on Ancestry.com so that I can send them HIS actual compiled service record and pension file so that they can have the stone changed if they so wish. Currently, the stone reflects MY ancestor's service.

As to knowing the names of my ancestor's wife or children - therein lies the rub. I know the name of his wife (Rebecca) through whom I descend (and she is listed on the pension file), but they didn't marry until he was 46. Stephen was LIKELY married before, but his first wife's name and the names of their children together have been lost over the years. Therefore, I can find him in the 1900 census with Rebecca and their children, but have no clue about his earlier family. He has one son living with him in the 1900 census which I am sure was from his prior marriage, but they don't show up together on any other census, so that's no help.

Knowing that he enlisted in Cherokee County, GA on July 9, 1861 leads me to believe that he was from around there, or at least had relatives from there. However, over the past 10 years I have resorted to searching page by page through the 1860 census in Cherokee County and even the surrounding counties, and so far - no luck.

That's why I was wondering if his rank at enlistment meant anything. If it meant he was voted to that position by his peers, then it stands to reason that even though I am not finding him in the census, those men definitely knew him. If it meant that he could read and write, then I can search for all the Stephen Smiths in the 1860 census who were marked with that ability. If it meant that he likely knew the enlistment officer, then I am going to find that officer in the 1860 census and look through his neighbors. I'm grasping at straws to find him in the other censuses at this point. LOL! I have even built family trees for any Stephen Smith in that area and followed it forward to where they were in 1900 to determine if they were my Stephen or not. No luck.

Thanks for your help!

 

[laurenallyn]

Did he keep this rank the entire war?

Thank you for the link! No, Stephen didn't keep the rank for the entire war. When he was released from the Elmira prison camp, it was as a private.

 

[lupaglupa]

Therefore, I can find him in the 1900 census with Rebecca and their children, but have no clue about his earlier family. He has one son living with him in the 1900 census which I am sure was from his prior marriage, but they don't show up together on any other census, so that's no help.

This is where that dammed missing 1890 Census really hits you. I have several mysteries that I think I could pin down if we just didn't have that gap!

You may have already done this but just in case - I have been able to find some of my missing links by looking through old newspapers. It takes a lot of time but if your ancestor lived in an area where the papers had local news/gossip items the mentions in those columns can be amazingly helpful. Things like "Mrs Charles Porter spent a week in Peonia with her parents, the Tom Smithers family" have provided me with valuable family info.

 

[Fairfield]

This is where that dammed missing 1890 Census really hits you. I have several mysteries that I think I could pin down if we just didn't have that gap!

You may have already done this but just in case - I have been able to find some of my missing links by looking through old newspapers. It takes a lot of time but if your ancestor lived in an area where the papers had local news/gossip items the mentions in those columns can be amazingly helpful. Things like "Mrs Charles Porter spent a week in Peonia with her parents, the Tom Smithers family" have provided me with valuable family info.

My favorite ways around the missing census include the city directories. They frequently included information about occupations, deaths, marital status, etc. If you have Ancestry, try searching the directory on the address to see who else was there (often these people were kindred).

BTW...not all of the records of the 1890 census were destroyed. A few places opted to make their own copies; local historical societies and genealogy societies have often printed them. And, of course, there is the famous Veterans' Schedule.

 

[LSBusch]

That is not the case.
7-8 corporals was used as the colorguard. And a sergeant carried the colors.
(that is before the shooting started, then anyone could end up with the flag)

Height was not a factor.

Yes, I should have said color guard.

 

[LSBusch]

(Replacing a post with an error in it--can't figure out how to delete it.)

 

[redbob]

I've always wondered about rank, for example; my GGGrandfather was a blacksmith by trade and when the 27th Tennessee was formed he was named Quartermaster and I always figured that this was because he was fairly well educated and had a background in trade. Also, welcome to the group from middle Alabama.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

I thought the color guard were all sergeants...

 

[rpkennedy]

I've always wondered about rank, for example; my GGGrandfather was a blacksmith by trade and when the 27th Tennessee was formed he was named Quartermaster and I always figured that this was because he was fairly well educated and had a background in trade. Also, welcome to the group from middle Alabama.

That's probably true.

Ryan

 

[Fairfield]

Currently I am reading the ACW diary of Abner Small of the 16th Maine. When he enlisted, he was offered the rank of corporal (he wrote that his first inclination was to refuse it but a friend advised him to accept and "creep up". Which he did.