- Joined
- Mar 2, 2019
- Location
- Reno, Nevada
I hope my questions aren't half-baked. I'm researching my gg-grandfather's experiences in the Civil War, and he says in his diary he's a member of the color guard of the 14th Iowa Infantry Volunteers. He was in Company C, and I have heard that the color guard usually or often was in Company C. I also understand the color guards were made up of sergeants and corporals. (My ancestor was promoted from private to eighth corporal shortly after mustering in, which I assume was the lowest rank in the guard.)
I'm getting to my question. I had noticed that there were sergeants and corporals in the other companies in the 14th too. I wondered if they could have those ranks and not be in the color guard without being in Company C. Then tonight I came across the death of a member of the color guard at Tupelo in 1864. He was a fifth corporal in Company D. Another man from the regiment's color guard was wounded "in the left thigh severely" in the same battle. (The Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers published in 1908 says he died in August of the wound to his RIGHT thigh.) He was an eighth corporal in Co. E.
I didn't count, but a search of the roster shows many corporals and sergeants throughout the regiment.
So--was it normal for the color guard to have members from various companies? And how big were the color guards, anyway?
Another question. My ancestor was promoted from eighth corporal to first sergeant. I have an idea of the duties (drilling others, carrying messages?), but would he still have been in the color guard?
Hope you all can shed some light on this for me.
I'm getting to my question. I had noticed that there were sergeants and corporals in the other companies in the 14th too. I wondered if they could have those ranks and not be in the color guard without being in Company C. Then tonight I came across the death of a member of the color guard at Tupelo in 1864. He was a fifth corporal in Company D. Another man from the regiment's color guard was wounded "in the left thigh severely" in the same battle. (The Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers published in 1908 says he died in August of the wound to his RIGHT thigh.) He was an eighth corporal in Co. E.
I didn't count, but a search of the roster shows many corporals and sergeants throughout the regiment.
So--was it normal for the color guard to have members from various companies? And how big were the color guards, anyway?
Another question. My ancestor was promoted from eighth corporal to first sergeant. I have an idea of the duties (drilling others, carrying messages?), but would he still have been in the color guard?
Hope you all can shed some light on this for me.