According to a muster roll for the 158th PA, my ancestor Robert C. Harvey enlisted on October 16th, 1862 and deserted on November 4th before the company even moved out. I know the most likely scenario is that he was a substitute and that he took the money and ran.
However, if he was drafted, I wondered if he deserted because of pacifist beliefs. He married a woman who's father was a Brethren Reverend, and some of her brothers were also Reverends of that faith.
I have no way to prove the second option, but I could disprove it if I find out he was a substitute. I did find a website that has information pulled from compiled service records of Franklin County, PA, and I found my ancestor on that site. Unfortunately, on his file the space for "Conscript or Substitute" was left blank. Is there somewhere else I could look?
Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
However, if he was drafted, I wondered if he deserted because of pacifist beliefs. He married a woman who's father was a Brethren Reverend, and some of her brothers were also Reverends of that faith.
I have no way to prove the second option, but I could disprove it if I find out he was a substitute. I did find a website that has information pulled from compiled service records of Franklin County, PA, and I found my ancestor on that site. Unfortunately, on his file the space for "Conscript or Substitute" was left blank. Is there somewhere else I could look?
Thank you in advance for any suggestions.