Question about new recruits--1864

[18thVirginia]

I've been working for several years on some histories and some fictional stories about my husband's great-grandfathers who fought in the Civil War. The one we know the least about joined the 45th Pennsylvania Infantry in February 1964 and was mustered out in July, 1865.

When we were around WWII veterans, there was some talk about a dislike of replacement soldiers or officers. I was wondering how the new guy would have been accepted, would have adjusted to joining an existing unit in the Civil War. If there are some threads or books that anyone recommends, I'd appreciate it.

 

[leftyhunter]

Draftees were looked down upon by either side. On the other hand by 1864 their are only so many standing veterans left. I have a lot of memoirs I will see what I can do.
Leftyhunter

 

[Booner]

How old was he when he joined in Feb. of 1864? He may have not been very welcomed as perhaps he was drafted or joined and received a bounty for doing so. There are a lot of stories about men joining for the bounty, deserting, and joining again, (obviously a different unit), for the bounty. And from my own experience, a new guy in a unit is not welcomed with open arms. He's not been tested in battle, perhaps he's replaced one of your friends who's been killed, and he's yet to prove himself. There's a reason why we called them FNG's ( and I'll leave that to your imagination as to what FNG means)

 

[MajGenl.Meade]

Fresh New Guys?

 

[Booner]

Fresh New Guys?

Ah, close enough!

 

[18thVirginia]

How old was he when he joined in Feb. of 1864? He may have not been very welcomed as perhaps he was drafted or joined and received a bounty for doing so. There are a lot of stories about men joining for the bounty, deserting, and joining again, (obviously a different unit), for the bounty. And from my own experience, a new guy in a unit is not welcomed with open arms. He's not been tested in battle, perhaps he's replaced one of your friends who's been killed, and he's yet to prove himself. There's a reason why we called them FNG's ( and I'll leave that to your imagination as to what FNG means)

He would have been 18 at the time, living with his parents and siblings on a farm. Many of the veterans of the 45th Pa. had returned home and reenlisted in February 1864. According to some accounts, they'd returned to Annapolis with recruits.

We had a close friend who joined a platoon of WWII vets after Bastogne, but he was accepted by the group. We also heard the stories of another officer who wasn't.