Regimental Recrutments?

[FiremarshalBill]

I've got a question about new or replacement recruits. After a regiment had been in service for a while, they would have undoubtedly lost met to disease, battlefield casualties, medical discharges, end of enlistment periods, etc. so that eventually their regimental numbers would have dropped significantly from their 1,000-man authorized strength. My question is... did any, some, or most, regiments have recruitment offices back home to recruit and enlist replacement members for the regiment? How effective were these efforts? How small could a regiment actually become before it was absorbed by another regiment or disbanded completely?

 

[Bruce Vail]

I believe the system in use in NC was that each county had a recruitment office that enforced the conscription law and accepted volunteers.

 

[JohnW.]

I think when regiments fell below a certain strength what was left was consolidated and redistributed to regiments from the same state??? Anybody???

 

[lelliott19]

I cant answer for all regiments, but I do know that a lot of Confederate regiments were under-strength for most of the war. I can only give you numbers for the 16th Georgia.....at Gettysburg, they had about 270 enlisted men. In Aug 1864 the 16th Georgia was sent to the Shenandoah Valley as part of Kershaw's Division to reinforce Jubal Early's forces. At that time, the entire of Kershaws Division (4 brigades; 21 regiments) numbered 2700 so about 129 per regiment.

 

[rpkennedy]

In the North, regiments would send a couple officers back to their home state to recruit new members when units would be reduced to such a level that their combat effectiveness was severely limited. The problem is that Northern states preferred to make new regiments because it allowed the governor to dole out commissions as political capital. So, most regiments' recruiting drives were pretty limited.

But regiments could get pretty small. For example, the Irish Brigade had been reduced to 532 men by the time of Gettysburg. The 3 New York regiments had been reduced to less than 100 men each, the 116th Pennsylvania had fewer than 75, with the balance coming from the 28th Massachusetts. The brigade was built back up in the summer of 1863, numbering some 1600 men by the Mine Run campaign. In their case, the recruiting drive was very effective.

Ryan

 

[Bruce Vail]

I cant answer for all regiments, but I do know that a lot of Confederate regiments were under-strength for most of the war. I can only give you numbers for the 16th Georgia.....at Gettysburg, they had about 270 enlisted men. In Aug 1864 the 16th Georgia was sent to the Shenandoah Valley as part of Kershaw's Division to reinforce Jubal Early's forces. At that time, the entire of Kershaws Division (4 brigades; 21 regiments) numbered 2700 so about 129 per regiment.

All regiments in the Army of Northern Virginia shrank in size over time, especially in the final phase of the war. My own reading on the 3rd NC Infantry, for example, shows that it started out with about 1,100 men and was about half that size at the battle of Antietam. There were heavy losses at Gettysburg and then a disaster at Spotsylvania, when most of the regiment was killed, wounded or captured. There were only about 60 officers and men when they surrendered at Appomattox.

 

[AUG]

My understanding is that either an officer(s) from a regiment was sent back home to act as a recruiting officer or else it was done by the county recruiting office. I believe that was true for both the North and South.

Even with recruiting efforts, many regiments on either side were under strength as the war went on. The South tended to consolidate regiments - not so much in the ANV but often the case in the AoT. The North did tend to raise new regiments; however, when a regiment's three-year term of service expired they could reenlist as a "veteran volunteer" regiment if enough men reenlisted. If not then it was disbanded and the remaining men were consolidated with another unit.

 

[rpkennedy]

My understanding is that either an officer(s) from a regiment was sent back home to act as a recruiting officer or else it was done by the county recruiting office. I believe that was true for both the North and South.

Even with recruiting efforts, many regiments on either side were under strength as the war went on. The South tended to consolidate regiments - not so much in the ANV but often the case in the AoT. The North did tend to raise new regiments; however, when a regiment's three-year term of service expired they could reenlist as a "veteran volunteer" regiment if enough men reenlisted. If not then it was disbanded and the remaining men were consolidated with another unit.

The AoNV tended to consolidate brigades rather than individual regiments. For example, after Spotsylvania, the two Louisiana Brigades were consolidated into one containing 10 regiments and Colonel William Terry commanded a brigade of 14 Virginia regiments.

Ryan

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Part of the service of the Confederate Home Guard was to see that conscripts arrived at Camps of Instruction, and to track down deserters.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/colonel-land-and-the-deserter.91405/#post-741590

 

[Bruce Vail]

The AoNV tended to consolidate brigades rather than individual regiments. For example, after Spotsylvania, the two Louisiana Brigades were consolidated into one containing 10 regiments and Colonel William Terry commanded a brigade of 14 Virginia regiments.

Ryan

Yes. In the case of the 3rd NC, it went through the first part of the war in a brigade with four regiments, which was increased to five in 1863. When the regiment fought at the Battle of Monocacy in 1864, there were six regiments in the brigade.

 

[amweiner]

I will do a little research later today, but recall reading in Mr. Lincoln's Army by Catton that Wisconsin actively focused on providing reinforcements to active regiments rather than creating new ones. Sorry to post sans citation, promise to get one as time allows.

Okay, found this citation but not entirely sure it proves the point about Wisconsin reinforcements: https://books.google.com/books?id=2...ge&q=wisconsin civil war replacements&f=false

This one seems a little better. Check out page 102 for the information: http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/104/104-9/CMH_Pub_104-9.pdf

 

[AUG]

The AoNV tended to consolidate brigades rather than individual regiments. For example, after Spotsylvania, the two Louisiana Brigades were consolidated into one containing 10 regiments and Colonel William Terry commanded a brigade of 14 Virginia regiments.

Ryan

I wouldn't really say that was the norm, since, IIRC, those were the only two consolidated brigades in the army. The majority of the brigades in the ANV remained intact up until Appomattox, although a few later had regiments or battalions added in 1864 or 65 to increase their strength. For example, the 1st and 3rd NC being added to Ramseur's North Carolina Brigade after Spotsylvania. In late 64-65 the Texas Brigade was so under strength that there was fear of consolidation with another command in Field's Division, however that never took place, even though they were down to some 600 men.

 

[leftyhunter]

I've got a question about new or replacement recruits. After a regiment had been in service for a while, they would have undoubtedly lost met to disease, battlefield casualties, medical discharges, end of enlistment periods, etc. so that eventually their regimental numbers would have dropped significantly from their 1,000-man authorized strength. My question is... did any, some, or most, regiments have recruitment offices back home to recruit and enlist replacement members for the regiment? How effective were these efforts? How small could a regiment actually become before it was absorbed by another regiment or disbanded completely?

Richard Current's book " Lincoln's Loyalists Union Soldiers from the Confederacy" has many examples of Union regiments recruiting local Southerners. In addition states sent recruiting officers to the South to recruit local Southerners to meet their state quotas.The 2nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry Union and the 2nd Florida Cavalry Union actively recruited Confederate deserters.
Leftyhunter

 

[leftyhunter]

I think when regiments fell below a certain strength what was left was consolidated and redistributed to regiments from the same state??? Anybody???

Per Dyers Compendium all the time on both sides.
Leftyhunter

 

[leftyhunter]

Part of the service of the Confederate Home Guard was see that conscripts arrived at Camps of Instruction, and to track down deserters.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/colonel-land-and-the-deserter.91405/#post-741590

Not always a duty that had no risks.
Leftyhunter

 

[leftyhunter]

I've got a question about new or replacement recruits. After a regiment had been in service for a while, they would have undoubtedly lost met to disease, battlefield casualties, medical discharges, end of enlistment periods, etc. so that eventually their regimental numbers would have dropped significantly from their 1,000-man authorized strength. My question is... did any, some, or most, regiments have recruitment offices back home to recruit and enlist replacement members for the regiment? How effective were these efforts? How small could a regiment actually become before it was absorbed by another regiment or disbanded completely?

Union regiments often recruited men out of state. Per the diary of Sergeant Pomoroy of the 7th Kansas some companies were raised out of state especially Illinois. Even the Missouri State Militia recruited out of state.
Leftyhunter

 

[rpkennedy]

I wouldn't really say that was the norm, since, IIRC, those were the only two consolidated brigades in the army. The majority of the brigades in the ANV remained intact up until Appomattox, although a few later had regiments or battalions added in 1864 or 65 to increase their strength. For example, the 1st and 3rd NC being added to Ramseur's North Carolina Brigade after Spotsylvania. In late 64-65 the Texas Brigade was so under strength that there was fear of consolidation with another command in Field's Division, however that never took place, even though they were down to some 600 men.

I can think of a few more brigades that were consolidated but you are correct, it was definitely the exception rather than the rule.

Ryan

 

[huskerblitz]

The regiment I research sent back soldiers (officers mainly) to recruit back home. Their CSR have documentation to that effect for a period of time. Very few soldiers have been recruits from the places they were stationed.

 

[leftyhunter]

The regiment I research sent back soldiers (officers mainly) to recruit back home. Their CSR have documentation to that effect for a period of time. Very few soldiers have been recruits from the places they were stationed.

I don't know about that. Colonel Abel Stright commanding 51st Indiana Volunteer Infantry brought in 400 Alabamans recruits into to the 51st Indiana. See p. 104 of Current"Lincoln's Loyalists Union Soldiers from the Confederacy" for details.
Leftyhunter

 

[huskerblitz]

I don't know about that. Colonel Abel Stright commanding 51st Indiana Volunteer Infantry brought in 400 Alabamans recruits into to the 51st Indiana. See p. 104 of Current"Lincoln's Loyalists Union Soldiers from the Confederacy" for details.
Leftyhunter

You know more about the regiment I've been researching for TWO years...you went through their entire CSR to see when and where they recruited???

I only gave the answer from the perspective of that regiment as an example.