The Enlistment of John Marr

MackCW

Private
Joined
Aug 30, 2020
While researching my Civil War Ancestry I came upon this story concerning my GGGGparents and my GGGUncle. I have provided a transcription or as near as I can tell from this record in the National Archives. I have broken up the huge block text for easier reading.

State of Vermont

Orange County, VT


On this 19th​ day of November A.D 1862, personally appeared before the undersigned a matter in (can’t make out), Mrs. Marr wife of Patrick Marr of Roxbury, and on oath (can’t make out) that on the 21st​ day of last June, Elbridge Babbit, pretending (just a guess) to have recruiting orders for the 17th​ United States Infantry, came to their home in Roxbury, and wished for their son John Marr to enlist. He wished for the said Patrick Marr to give consent to the enlistment. Mrs. Marr then said that their son John was a minor (to Babbit) and our primary (can’t make out) to do work on the place as her husband’s health is poor. Babbit responded and before my husband, that John would be entitled to a $40 dollar bounty and $16 dollar a month pay, and that the $40 dollar bounty and one month’s pay would be paid when John arrived at White River Junction where Cole (best guess) Sweet had his headquarters. And then John would bring the same to (can’t make out) by next Tuesday.

On these apparency (best guess) my husband gave his consent. John was sent to W.R Junction and then immediately sent to Fort Preble in Portland. We have not received the $40 dollar bounty, and we have not received the month’s pay. We have not received any money or pay. We are certain the said Babbit deceived us, and on the consent of the enlistment was obtained by fraud and deceit we want to have John discharged and sent home to us. My said husband has previously made an affidavit like above which has been sent on to Washington by Governor Holbrook.



Margaret Marr made her mark with an X and this sworn before Edmund Weston (who I am guessing is Captain Edmund Weston of the 1st​ U.S Sharpshooters).

1599494903351.png


Postscript.

We are acquainted with Mrs. Marr, wife of Patrick Marr and believe her to be a person of good moral character and believe her word is reliable and faithful. Her husband Patrick Marr has poor health and they have five children under the age of twelve years. They need the support of their son John to support the family



Signed

A.Kendrick
E. Weston
Jos. Tiffany
F.B Salisbury
Belcher Salisbury
J.L Moses
C.C Sturgis
M.A Tenksbury
 
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PrivateJohn Marr, Co. A, 1th U.S. Infantry received a disability pension in 1869. Following his death in 1872, at the age of 29, his mother applied for and wasgranted a Survivor's pension (she apparently relied on him for support).
Company A.jpg

Their pension files may contain clues as to the above.

See: https://vermontcivilwar.org/get.php?input=78016
Also: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29381683/john-marr

What persuasion Elbidge Babbit might have used to get this enlistment I do not know, but in 1862, had young John Marr enlisted in a Vermont Volunteer regiment, his combined Federal, state, and local bounties would surely have amounted to the hundreds of dollars. I don't know what bounties were actually being offered for U.S. Army enlistments -- but a mere $40 would appear to be disincentive to enlistment.

According to Hemmenway's Vermont Historical Gazetteer (1871):

ELBRIDGE H. BABBITT, a son of S.A. Babbitt, of West Randolph, while at school at Norwich University, enlisted June 7, 1862, in the U.S. 17th Infantry, as Sergeant, with headquarters at Portland Fort Preble, Me.

He soon went with his regiment to the Army of the Potomac, Harrison's Landing, Va., was at the Battle of Fredericksburg, and in the skirmishes of that campaign; was seriously wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863, sent to the hospital at Philadelphia.

March 5, 1864, he was transferred to the N. C. (Union) Vols., as 2d Lieut, thereby joining a brother, the surgeon of the regiment, whose memoirs have been furnished for publication in this volume.

He was, most of the time, acting adjutant until mustering out of the regiment, June 27, 1865, at the close of the war. He is now residing in the West.​
________
Babbitt, Elbridge Harris:
Birth: 01/23/1844, Bethel, VT
Death: 01/24/1920
Burial: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
 
I'm thinking it's Capt't (captain) Sweet. The next bit is "and John would bring the same to Randolph" then "on these assurances (using an "f" for one "s" as was sometimes done).

It's not clear to me that there was a deception, though it does seem clear that the parents did not understand how the whole situation was going to proceed. A man came and made them promises that seemed like a good idea at the time - likely they needed money. Then when their son was gone they missed him and to have him both gone and no money seemed a great insult! So they tried to get him sent home. I can't blame the mother for that. But I don't know if I would say for certain that Babbit cheated or deceived them.
 
I'm thinking it's Capt't (captain) Sweet. The next bit is "and John would bring the same to Randolph" then "on these assurances (using an "f" for one "s" as was sometimes done).

It's not clear to me that there was a deception, though it does seem clear that the parents did not understand how the whole situation was going to proceed. A man came and made them promises that seemed like a good idea at the time - likely they needed money. Then when their son was gone they missed him and to have him both gone and no money seemed a great insult! So they tried to get him sent home. I can't blame the mother for that. But I don't know if I would say for certain that Babbit cheated or deceived them.

I think once @John Hartwell pretty much identified who Babbit was, it threw that idea out the window. I'm going to re-title the post 🤣
 
It may not be a real deception - but it does tell a story. This was a family in tough circumstances. The father was ill, most of the children were to young to really help on the farm. And honestly, I've been in that part of Vermont. Beautiful scenery but I wouldn't want to try and subsist on what I could grow there. A soldier came and spun a tale of bounties and patriotism that caught them all up. Then when their son - their best worker! - was gone and the money didn't appear they had real regrets.Who could blame Margaret for wanting her son back? It's very sad when you think it through.
 
Yes, Babbitt, himself a newly-minted sergeant, likely had no official recruiting authority, but talked it up in such a way that John Marr's parents asssumed he did. Besides, unless specific arrangements were made tothe contrary, the bounty and advance pay would have been given to the soldier upon enlistment, not sent to his parents, and it would have been his duty to "send it home." I assume he did not actually enroll until he reached the rendez-vous point in Maine.

I think Babbitt's enthusiasm combined with the Marrs' lack of sophistication to create the whole misunderstanding.
 
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It may not be a real deception - but it does tell a story. This was a family in tough circumstances. The father was ill, most of the children were to young to really help on the farm. And honestly, I've been in that part of Vermont. Beautiful scenery but I wouldn't want to try and subsist on what I could grow there. A soldier came and spun a tale of bounties and patriotism that caught them all up. Then when their son - their best worker! - was gone and the money didn't appear they had real regrets.Who could blame Margaret for wanting her son back? It's very sad when you think it through.

His only brother, Patrick, was only two months into his enlistment with the 16th Vermont. It's conjecture but it's possible they saw the lack of pay as a way to get help back home. I can't confirm that they let him go however (still working on that end). I always relied on the family oral history that he was wounded in the back at Gettysburg (John) but that could of been misinterpreted as well.
 
I think the first questioned phrase is "Master in Chancery", which is how the "undersigned" actually designated himself at the bottom. A Master in Chancery would be a court official, and I would expect, authorized to administer an oath pursuant to which a person would give an affidavit. Presumably the affidavit was intended to support an appeal to the War Department to discharge young John. Obviously, no state court official would have any such authority.
Later, you were not sure about the word "primary". I think it reads "principal", but the meaning does not change.
Fascinating post!
 
I think the first questioned phrase is "Master in Chancery", which is how the "undersigned" actually designated himself at the bottom. A Master in Chancery would be a court official, and I would expect, authorized to administer an oath pursuant to which a person would give an affidavit. Presumably the affidavit was intended to support an appeal to the War Department to discharge young John. Obviously, no state court official would have any such authority.
Later, you were not sure about the word "primary". I think it reads "principal", but the meaning does not change.
Fascinating post!

Appreciate the insight! @lupaglupa and you both taught me something I didn't know. So glad I found this forum.
 
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