New York civil war muster roll abstracts 1861- 1900

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Oct 22, 2018
I recently came across an ancestor that served in 39th New York infantry, and I found him on a couple of documents it says he enlisted in may 17 1861 new York but for some reason his name is not on muster roll. I found his pension record, he is on the cw roster list, his name is in compiled service records, and he is in muster roll abstracts. But his name changed and had a couple aliases Antonio Lopez, john loppie, and john leverio Lopez his pension record shows his aliases. His wife is on his pension record.
But I was wondering why when I looked at his muster roll abstracts it sad he was discharged by order of secretary of war. Then it says M.R.s Apr 11 - Apr 31 present
I was wondering what does M.R.s mean? I was thinking military review but that a guess. And if any body knows do you also know if there is any documents related to the M.R.s Apr 11- Apr 31?
I was looking for the book Lincoln's foreign legion on kindle for some reason I cannot find it.
I've uploaded one document (pension record) but the muster roll abstract keep saying image to big and I'm on my phone right now. Any information would be greatly appreciated
 

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I recently came across an ancestor that served in 39th New York infantry, and I found him on a couple of documents it says he enlisted in may 17 1861 new York but for some reason his name is not on muster roll. I found his pension record, he is on the cw roster list, his name is in compiled service records, and he is in muster roll abstracts. But his name changed and had a couple aliases Antonio Lopez, john loppie, and john leverio Lopez his pension record shows his aliases. His wife is on his pension record.
But I was wondering why when I looked at his muster roll abstracts it sad he was discharged by order of secretary of war. Then it says M.R.s Apr 11 - Apr 31 present
I was wondering what does M.R.s mean? I was thinking military review but that a guess. And if any body knows do you also know if there is any documents related to the M.R.s Apr 11- Apr 31?
I was looking for the book Lincoln's foreign legion on kindle for some reason I cannot find it.
I've uploaded one document (pension record) but the muster roll abstract keep saying image to big and I'm on my phone right now. Any information would be greatly appreciated

I'd guess M.R. would be "muster roll", and he was present Apr 11-30. I'd also guess his 2- 2 & and a half year enlistment was up, so he was discharged, "by order of secretary of war".

New York: Report of the Adjutant-General 1893-1906 says he was discharged on 9/18/1863.
 
I was reading soldiers up for promotion was sent to military review before promotion. Also reading another man from co.c was discharged on same date 18 September 1863 actully two men from co.c and one of them it also said M.R. April 11 - apr 31 but it gave more details on them one was a cook but all were listed under Spain in book Lincoln's foreign legion. I totally agree muster roll make more sense but why would a muster roll take 20 days is that how it was they would give you 20 days to muster in. I always thought they have a muster on a day and if your not there you were listed as deserted. But this civil war history is all new to me so have very little knowledge. Thanks for your input great perspective much appreciated.
 
And he enlisted to serve 3 years 17 may 1861 his term would not end for almost another year if he was discharged 18 sept 1863 he still had 8 months left
 
Well, this is something I've never seen before (and I've dug through a lot of NY muster roll abstracts):
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"This man is a Negro, and illegally enlisted in 1861." It doesn't specifically indicate that this was the cause of Lopez's discharge, but it could very well be. In 1861, people of African descent were not yet allowed to enlist. When they finally were following the Emancipation Proclamation, they were relegated to segregated regiments. There may be a lot to unpackage here. Was Lopez "passing" as white? Was he mixed race and considered himself white but some higher up disagreed? What changed 2+ years into his enlistment?
 

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There was one other man in Co.c I seen and it said same thing "M.R. Apr 11 -Apr 31 present this man is a negro and illegally enlisted in 1861" but still trying to rap my head around it I'm completely puzzled. It seems that it was very rare why secretary of war would have them discharged. They must of had some kind of review to reveal that these men were negro if they can pass for Spanish or Italian. I was doing reading on Edward Stanton to see if I can get reason behind this. But nothing much. I found out that the leader of the regiment was enlisting fake men for extra provisions and things if that nature some men listed as deserted or no further record in that regiment was actually somebody he made up out of thin air
 
There was one other man in Co.c I seen and it said same thing "M.R. Apr 11 -Apr 31 present this man is a negro and illegally enlisted in 1861" but still trying to rap my head around it I'm completely puzzled. It seems that it was very rare why secretary of war would have them discharged. They must of had some kind of review to reveal that these men were negro if they can pass for Spanish or Italian. I was doing reading on Edward Stanton to see if I can get reason behind this. But nothing much. I found out that the leader of the regiment was enlisting fake men for extra provisions and things if that nature some men listed as deserted or no further record in that regiment was actually somebody he made up out of thin air
Where was Antonio Lopez born?
 
Th
Where was Antonio Lopez born
That is what I'm looking to find out in the book Lincoln's foreign legion it says his name under Spain but that could be any Spanish colonial or Spain. But on the muster roll abstracts 1861- 1900 it says " this man is a negro and illegally enlisted in 1861" I know his wife filed for pension in nova Scotia Canada he has been a puzzle to find anything on his other name is john laverio Lopez I'm about to dig threw census records again maybe missed something. The military records I found on him is not shedding no light I will have to order copies of compiled service records and widows pension application and hope that gives me something.
 
Here is your guy
 

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Well, this is something I've never seen before (and I've dug through a lot of NY muster roll abstracts):
VD1zcMP.png


"This man is a Negro, and illegally enlisted in 1861." It doesn't specifically indicate that this was the cause of Lopez's discharge, but it could very well be. In 1861, people of African descent were not yet allowed to enlist. When they finally were following the Emancipation Proclamation, they were relegated to segregated regiments. There may be a lot to unpackage here. Was Lopez "passing" as white? Was he mixed race and considered himself white but some higher up disagreed? What changed 2+ years into his enlistment?
@Angelicalopez Free black men were not allowed to enlist into the US Army until late 1862. If he was black, then by enlisting in May 1861, he had enlisted illegally, so he was discharged 8 months prior to the expiration of his enlistment. Although not specifically listed as the cause of his discharge, it is noted on this muster roll. Also, the 39th New York was not one of the segregated black regiments. Have you checked to see if he might have re-enlisted into one of those? @Andersonh1 @jgoodguy @leftyhunter @19thGeorgia this might be of interest to you all.
 

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So far I'm seeing four members of Co. C who were all discharged on 18 Sept. 1863: Antonio Lopez, Mauneis (or Maurius) Caballos, Jose Duarte, and Elia Perez. Three of the four (Lopez, Duarte, and Perez) have similar comments on their muster roll abstracts about being illegally enlisted due to being "Negroes." There may have been more. Of these four men, Lopez appears to be the only one with a pension file on record, but it doesn't indicate service in any other regiments. I wonder if there are any surviving records or correspondence from the War Department concerning these men that might shed more light.
 
I recently came across an ancestor that served in 39th New York infantry, and I found him on a couple of documents it says he enlisted in may 17 1861 new York but for some reason his name is not on muster roll. I found his pension record, he is on the cw roster list, his name is in compiled service records, and he is in muster roll abstracts. But his name changed and had a couple aliases Antonio Lopez, john loppie, and john leverio Lopez his pension record shows his aliases. His wife is on his pension record.
But I was wondering why when I looked at his muster roll abstracts it sad he was discharged by order of secretary of war. Then it says M.R.s Apr 11 - Apr 31 present
I was wondering what does M.R.s mean? I was thinking military review but that a guess. And if any body knows do you also know if there is any documents related to the M.R.s Apr 11- Apr 31?
I was looking for the book Lincoln's foreign legion on kindle for some reason I cannot find it.
I've uploaded one document (pension record) but the muster roll abstract keep saying image to big and I'm on my phone right now. Any information would be greatly appreciated
 
Hello Thsnk you for posting Antonio Lopez is great 5x grandfather. We were always under the impression from discussions with his great great grandson that Antonio came from Spain.This has shed a whole new light that he was Negro could he have been considered a Negro by being a Spaniard? We were told about Sara his wife being from New York who later moved to Nova Scotia We were also told he spoke another tongue as to what thst was we dont know always assumed it was Spanish
 
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