Tough old bird

[Baggage Handler #2]

Was looking into something related to something... you know how it goes.

Anyway, posted part of this in another thread, but came across a guy who at age 41 enlisted for 9 months in an infantry unit, which 30 days later assaulted the sunken road at Antietam. In December he charged Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg, and was discharged on a surgeon's certificate in January of '63.

By March of '64 he re-upped (at age 44) in a cavalry unit in which he served until discharged at age 45 in June of 1865.

I'd have thought that the combined experiences of the sunken lane and Marye's heights would have been enough to put anybody off soldiering on a volunteer basis.

 

[gary]

I've also read of folks who were medically discharged by the regimental surgeon as unfit-only to return home and reenlist into another unit. Medical standards do vary depending on the training of the surgeon (and desperation to raise a unit).

 

[timewalker]

The words "glutton for punishment" come to mind.