Serving under an alias

[Allyn]

I've been looking over the 1890 veterans' census for Crawford Co., PA, and found a few curiosities that I thought I would pass on regarding a handful of men who reported having served under an alias.

George H. Shoppart, alias George Boggs, private, Co. M, 6 NY Art. Heav., 30 Mar. 1864 – 24 Aug. 1865; Cambridgeboro, inlisted unter assumed name

Martin C. Miner, alias Michael Miner, private, Co. I, 2 New Hamp. Vol., 9 May 1861 – 21 June 1864; Cambridgeboro; hernia? in left side and rheumatism, contracted in service

Michael Wilhelm, alias Michael Williams, private, Co. I, 8 US Inf., 25 Aug. 1857 – 29 May 1863; Cambridgeboro; reinlisted 3 times

Augustus R. Wolff, alias Augustus Rohlen, private, C, 3 Md., Inf., Oct. 1862 – July 1863; private, Co. C, 83 PA Inf., Aug. 1863 – June 22, 1865; Blooming Valley, wounded in hip; re-enlisted veteran, discharged in Interior Department

[WOLFF, Auguste Rohlen, res. Richmond Twp., Blooming Valley P. O.; Declaration of intent to become a citizen filed and naturalization granted , Crawford County, PA, Court of Common Pleas, 4 Oct. 1884. Born France; enlisted 12 Aug. 1863, infantry; hon. discharged 3 July 1865. Residing in U. S. as of 1 June 1860. Character witness, F. G. Prenatt, residing at Meadville]

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Two reasons I can think of that would be most likely for enlisting under an alias would be because the soldier was a bounty jumper, or a young boy who did not want his father to be able to track him down and take him out of the regiment.

But I'm sure there are other interesting reasons… perhaps men who didn't want their wives or families to know their whereabouts or criminals escaping from the law?

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Two reasons I can think of that would be most likely for enlisting under an alias would be because the soldier was a bounty jumper, or a young boy who did not want his father to be able to track him down and take him out of the regiment.

But I'm sure there are other interesting reasons… perhaps men who didn't want their wives or families to know their whereabouts or criminals escaping from the law?

A deserter might reenlist under a different name.

 

[John Winn]

I've found three men who enlisted under an alias. Two did so because they were underage and didn't want to get located by parents. One was French Canadian who didn't speak English when he enlisted so collectively those signing him up just essentially made up a name. He had to get written testimony from his commanding officer after the war when he applied for a pension and all of that was spelled out. A great story.

One of the two other guys was supposed to be a musician (i.e. drummer) but his regiment had all they needed so they just transferred him to another regiment who gave him a musket. He was fourteen. He was wounded in the war and after the war fought Indians in a regular army regiment where he was wounded again.

I'd bet if there were three guys in "my" cemetery way out here such a thing had to be quite common.

 

[CWdiaryPA]

Sign up under aliases, say 3, providing 3 different addresses in other states, get 3 separate pensions for yourself or your widow? I'd think if one were smart enough, they could game the system. But maybe not. I know my 2nd gmother had to get witnesses so she could prove a variety of things after her husband died in order to prove eligibility for access to his pension. I have reams of paperwork where she had people who'd known both she & her husband, those friends had to show up & attest to that.

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Females that enlisted.

Spies.

And I believe I've read there were instances of 'galvanized yankees' using an alias, thinking about their future should they want to return home.

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

There were ALOT of ACW veterans that used aliases and tried to fabricate entire family histories AFTER the war/around the turn of the century to try and defraud the federal government for land allotments when the Dawes Rolls were being populated.

 

[huskerblitz]

I've come across a few in my research of the 22nd Kentucky. One was because he was a minor and was then removed from service.

 

[lupaglupa]

I've seen a dozen or more soldiers who fought under an alias in my research. Almost all did so to hide prior service under another name, usually service that ended in a desertion.

 

[Story]

Another reason would be severely underaged (particularly early in the war)
and not wanting mommy to hunt them down and drag them home.

An example would be Cadet Drummer John Buford.

 

[Kurtlg]

My great great grandfather Mitchell LaBute served in the 39th NY. He was Canadian and his records show him as Mitchell LaBute .However , in family correspondence he was also called Michael Legree. I assumed the name change might have been because he was a bounty jumper. However he is in a newspaper photo with his fellow GAR members in Bad Axe , Michigan . In the description he is listening as " Mitchell LaBute ( Michael Legree)".So he was known as both and didn't try to hide it. Since he was French Canadian it is possible that his first name was actually Michael which I believe is pronounced Michelle in French. So I can understand a recruiter thinking his first name was Mitchell. As far as the last name I have no idea. He is buried as Mitchell LaBute.

 

[Stryker65]

The two most famous examples I know of:
- Col./Bvt. Brig. Gen. Llewellyn F. Haskell, 41st USCT, and brigade commander in XXV Corps. His real name was the much more ordinary, Thomas F. Haskell. IIRC, his father wrote (to the army or him, I can't remember), and requested that he change his name from Thomas to Llewellyn. No idea why...
- The famed Major Lionel F. Booth, Union commander at Fort Pillow, who was shot by a sniper before the massacre. His real name? George H. Dunning. Booth wrote in a statement that he changed his name in order to escape his parents, since he'd had a ... rough upbringing (reading between the lines, it looks like he meant child ab*se).

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

I've found three men who enlisted under an alias. Two did so because they were underage and didn't want to get located by parents. One was French Canadian who didn't speak English when he enlisted so collectively those signing him up just essentially made up a name. He had to get written testimony from his commanding officer after the war when he applied for a pension and all of that was spelled out. A great story.

One of the two other guys was supposed to be a musician (i.e. drummer) but his regiment had all they needed so they just transferred him to another regiment who gave him a musket. He was fourteen. He was wounded in the war and after the war fought Indians in a regular army regiment where he was wounded again.

I'd bet if there were three guys in "my" cemetery way out here such a thing had to be quite common.

You're certainly right @John Winn.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

The famed Major Lionel F. Booth, Union commander at Fort Pillow, who was shot by a sniper before the massacre. His real name? George H. Dunning. Booth wrote in a statement that he changed his name in order to escape his parents, since he'd had a ... rough upbringing (reading between the lines, it looks like he meant child ab*se).

Had to look that up - Is his real name really Dunning? Or maybe he had more than one alias?

Per Wikipedia :

George H. Lanning (1838 – April 12, 1864), also known by his alias Lionel F. Booth, was a battalion commander of the 6th U.S. Regiment Colored Heavy Artillery.[1] Lanning enrolled as a private in the 2nd Infantry Regiment, Company B.[2] He served in St. Louis, Missouri at Jefferson Barracks, where he met Lizzie Way, and married her in September 1861 – signing the marriage certificate as George H. Lanning.[3]

Although it is unknown what led Lanning to use an alias, aliases were common in the Civil War, often used to prevent people's families from finding them. Lanning was additionally estranged from a number of people in his family; in his widow's pension file, Lanning remarks to his aunt about his deceased parents in Iowa:

... had it not been for them and their father I might have been a different and a better man, but let it rest as it is. I forgive and with him let all his injuries and faults be buried with them that remain let their faults be buried in oblivion. I forgive them, it was them that caused me to be driven from the presence of those who needed my protection, and they knew it, that if they got me once out of the way they would have things their own way.[5][6]

Source:

Lionel F. Booth - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

I'm wondering as an aside if it would still be possible today to join the military using an alias in order to escape a past life. Guessing it would not be possible - or would be much, much harder than in 1860 because of the use of SS#, birth certificates, etc. not to mention computers

 

[Stryker65]

Had to look that up - Is his real name really Dunning? Or maybe he had more than one alias?

Per Wikipedia :

George H. Lanning (1838 – April 12, 1864), also known by his alias Lionel F. Booth, was a battalion commander of the 6th U.S. Regiment Colored Heavy Artillery.[1] Lanning enrolled as a private in the 2nd Infantry Regiment, Company B.[2] He served in St. Louis, Missouri at Jefferson Barracks, where he met Lizzie Way, and married her in September 1861 – signing the marriage certificate as George H. Lanning.[3]

Although it is unknown what led Lanning to use an alias, aliases were common in the Civil War, often used to prevent people's families from finding them. Lanning was additionally estranged from a number of people in his family; in his widow's pension file, Lanning remarks to his aunt about his deceased parents in Iowa:

... had it not been for them and their father I might have been a different and a better man, but let it rest as it is. I forgive and with him let all his injuries and faults be buried with them that remain let their faults be buried in oblivion. I forgive them, it was them that caused me to be driven from the presence of those who needed my protection, and they knew it, that if they got me once out of the way they would have things their own way.[5][6]

Source:

Lionel F. Booth - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Lanning, not Dunning. My mistake. Thank you.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Lanning, not Dunning. My mistake. Thank you.

In the vast amount of information you so generously share with us, you are entitled to a few minor mistakes. No worries.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

In the vast amount of information you so generously share with us, you are entitled to a few minor mistakes. No worries.

You are good to give a well-earned break to @Stryker65, But wait......I Mever Nake a mistake!

 

[lupaglupa]

I'm wondering as an aside if it would still be possible today to join the military using an alias in order to escape a past life. Guessing it would not be possible - or would be much, much harder than in 1860 because of the use of SS#, birth certificates, etc. not to mention computers

I would think they would catch it right away and then reject you just for trying.

 

[bayonet]

My GG Grandfather John S Cunningham joined the 1st DC Cavalry under an alias John Scott. I was told because he was too young to enlist in Connecticut. I didn't find that factual. He was kept out of the Official History maybe due to being arrested and imprisoned for 3 months missing Appomattox. Striped of his Sergeant stripes but got them back after being released. I have his pension records, service records, and the Court Martial paper work, etc. from the National Archives. Also the documentation to prove who he was signed by others in the unit. So never been able (and probably won't) to figure out why he served under an alias.