Relative Using Alias

[rbortega]

I recently came across an interesting document about a distant cousin in my family tree named Philip Pendleton Everhart. Philip was conscripted into the Confederate army, taken prisoner, released after signing a loyalty oath, enlisted in the Union army under a false name, deserted, and then sent to prison after his charade was exposed. I found this document in the Turner Files of the Civil War Subversion Investigations on Fold3.

Has anybody ever come across an ancestor or relative who pulled anything like this during the Civil War?

 

[Fairfield]

I'll bet that it happened a lot--but that it wasn't always so well documented.

 

[lupaglupa]

I've seen people serve under an alias and I've seen people desert but this is a new twist! Here's a fellow who really didn't want to serve - on either side!

 

[Story]

Per Bates, his time in Company A 19th Pennsylvania Cav.
Interesting that they made him a Corporal coming in right off the street - wonder what tale he spun to get those stripes.

19th Cavlary / 180th Sergeant Pennsylvania Volunteers, Company A Muster Roll

Charles P. Everett

Corporal

June 23, 1863

Deserted August 1, 1863

 

[bayonet]

My GG Grandfather did. He joined the 1st DC Cavalry under an alias. My ancestors said this was because he was under age to enlist but I debunked that by researching him and he was of age to enlist. So never know why, maybe he deserted an Infantry unit located away from DC to join the Cavalry. Guess better to ride a Horse than walk. Maybe he was a bounty jumper grabbing $100 from one State then deserting to join another unit. Maybe he got posted to boring garrison duty or stuck up on the Canadian Border so he deserted to get into the action. I'll never know the truth. I got all his documents from the National Archives and he went thru a lot of paperwork with witnesses statements to prove who he was so he could get his pension. Plus he was Court Martialed for telling off a Officer and threatening him. Lost his Sergeant stripes (but got them back after) and was placed in the brig for 3 months. I only wish he smacked that Officer after the War. He missed out on the Surrender at Appomattox. His unit apparently was lined up when Lee rode down the long line of Union Cavalry to Surrender. That would of been some nice Family history bragging rights. Oh well.

 

[DixieRifles]

There was a guerilla operating in the Memphis area who went by an alias. There is only one source that I've found that linked his alias to his real name.
But that wasn't a case of a soldier on the roles of a regiment.