Union soldiers in Old South Meeting House recruiting station in Boston?

chubachus

First Sergeant
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Interior_of_Old_South_Church%2C_from_Robert_N._Dennis_collection_of_stereoscopic_views.jpg


Trying to figure out of this was taken during the Civil War when the Old South Meeting House was used as a recruiting station. Another strong possibility of when it was taken was after the Great Boston Fire of 1872 when the building was almost destroyed and troops were brought in to prevent looting and could have been billeted inside. Can someone identify what era the uniforms are from?
 
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Closer look at the uniforms, maybe one of the experts can ascertain whether this was during the war or later?

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If it was after the fire there's no sign this part of the church was damaged? @John Hartwell , your Massachusetts history is awesome, ideas?


Well the church sustained no damage during the fire so that would account to no fire damage. I've never seen that image before but it could possibly be from the recruiting station
 
Since they all seem to be wearing greatcoats, I suspect it would have been taken during the November 1872 fire.

Very well possibly could be. I've done a little research on the 1872 fire but I'm not sure how cold it was. If it was a recruiting office, it also would have operated year round.

Also, the fellow on the far left side of the photo sitting next to the pulpit, does he look African-American or is it just shadow?
 
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Trying to figure out of this was taken during the Civil War when the Old South Meeting House was used as a recruiting station. Another strong possibility of when it was taken was after the Great Boston Fire of 1872 when the building was almost destroyed and troops were brought in to prevent looting and could have been billeted inside. Can someone identify what era the uniforms are from?
i'd be interested on information about the Old South Meeting House as a recruiting station. When my ancestor enlisted he did so at an office on Boylston Street (his recruiter was James B. McPherson), but that was in a federal, not a Massachusetts, unit.
 
"During the early part of the war, that venerable historic edifice the Old South Meeting House, in Boston, was thrown open and used as a recruiting station for volunteers, and also as a rendezvous for the surgical examination of enlisted men, a fact not now generally known. It was in this building that the writer successfully passed the critical examination of the duly commissioned surgeon, and he rarely sees this sacred relic of the past without calling to mind that event. On that momentous occasion, standing in the august presence of the surgeon, with clothing almost entirely removed, he was subjected to a most rigid and thorough examination,-his heart and lungs tested, his teeth as to soundness, ears as to hearing, eyes as to sight, etc.; this was followed by numerous prescribed interrogatories, among which each recruit was asked if he was in the habit of drinking, and “if he had ever had the horrors.” As the writer had then only just arrived at the age of nineteen years, and had never drank a glass of intoxicating liquor, the latter question appeared to him at the time as one entirely unnecessary and uncalled for: all of the required facts were, however, carefully ascertained and filled into the blank form provided by the Government, and as the examination proved satisfactory to the surgeon, it was equivalent to an acceptance, and the certificate from that officer that the tests had been successfully passed, was received with much satisfaction The aforesaid surgeon's certificate is still carefully preserved, and also an old furlough, both of which are highly prized as souvenirs of those long-departed years. The certificate states that the “examination was made in the Old South Church by Chas. D. Homans, M. D., Inspecting Surgeon, authorized to examine recruits by the Surgeon General of Massachusetts,” and is dated Sept. 9, 1862; “rendezvous, the Old South Church.” As this historic relic of Revolutionary days has upon its tower a mural tablet, setting forth the fact that it was once desecrated by British troops, it would seem not only appropriate but eminently proper that another tablet, suitably inscribed, should be placed in some conspicuous position on the building, giving the information that the church was thrown open during the War of the Rebellion, and used for such patriotic and important purposes. It would seem that these facts should be made known to present and future generations of our citizens, and to strangers who pass by. This should be done by the city of Boston or the Commonwealth, in grateful recognition of the patriotic service thus rendered by the Old South Society at that eventful and important period of our country's history, as well as to commemorate the event. The recruits obtained subsequent to the emergency calls, and who had successfully passed the surgeon's examination, reported immediately to the captain or commanding officer of the company or organization in which they had enrolled their names, – usually at some military camp near by, where they were duly sworn into the service for the specified term of their enlistment, after which they were armed and equipped for military duty. During the early part of the war volunteers were allowed to furnish their own uniforms, under-clothing and foot-wear, and many of the men availed themselves of this privilege; they were thus enabled to secure a far better quality of goods than the Government supplied, and, as the former were usually made to order, a perfect fit. The low, coarse and unshapely brogans furnished by the War Department were particularly offensive to the artistic tastes of the men, and consequently they usually procured custom-made high-laced boots, or the old style legboots; but the first long march after reaching the seat of war demonstrated at least the comfort and utility of the “army brogan ” over other foot-wear for that service. As it was the duty of each Commissary to carry in stock, or procure from the Commissary Department, the necessary outfits—or any portion thereof—allowed by the Government for its soldiers, it was provided that articles not drawn by them, but to which they were entitled, should be credited in money value at the actual cost of the same, said sums to be added to their pay, which in the case of privates was thirteen dollars per month and rations. The following articles comprised the required outfit of each man: an overcoat and cape of light blue, – but some of the early Massachusetts regiments had black..."



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"During the early part of the war, that venerable historic edifice the Old South Meeting House, in Boston, was thrown open and used as a recruiting station for volunteers, and also as a rendezvous for the surgical examination of enlisted men, a fact not now generally known. It was in this building that the writer successfully passed the critical examination of the duly commissioned surgeon, and he rarely sees this sacred relic of the past without calling to mind that event. On that momentous occasion, standing in the august presence of the surgeon, with clothing almost entirely removed, he was subjected to a most rigid and thorough examination,-his heart and lungs tested, his teeth as to soundness, ears as to hearing, eyes as to sight, etc.; this was followed by numerous prescribed interrogatories, among which each recruit was asked if he was in the habit of drinking, and “if he had ever had the horrors.” As the writer had then only just arrived at the age of nineteen years, and had never drank a glass of intoxicating liquor, the latter question appeared to him at the time as one entirely unnecessary and uncalled for: all of the required facts were, however, carefully ascertained and filled into the blank form provided by the Government, and as the examination proved satisfactory to the surgeon, it was equivalent to an acceptance, and the certificate from that officer that the tests had been successfully passed, was received with much satisfaction The aforesaid surgeon's certificate is still carefully preserved, and also an old furlough, both of which are highly prized as souvenirs of those long-departed years. The certificate states that the “examination was made in the Old South Church by Chas. D. Homans, M. D., Inspecting Surgeon, authorized to examine recruits by the Surgeon General of Massachusetts,” and is dated Sept. 9, 1862; “rendezvous, the Old South Church.” As this historic relic of Revolutionary days has upon its tower a mural tablet, setting forth the fact that it was once desecrated by British troops, it would seem not only appropriate but eminently proper that another tablet, suitably inscribed, should be placed in some conspicuous position on the building, giving the information that the church was thrown open during the War of the Rebellion, and used for such patriotic and important purposes. It would seem that these facts should be made known to present and future generations of our citizens, and to strangers who pass by. This should be done by the city of Boston or the Commonwealth, in grateful recognition of the patriotic service thus rendered by the Old South Society at that eventful and important period of our country's history, as well as to commemorate the event. The recruits obtained subsequent to the emergency calls, and who had successfully passed the surgeon's examination, reported immediately to the captain or commanding officer of the company or organization in which they had enrolled their names, – usually at some military camp near by, where they were duly sworn into the service for the specified term of their enlistment, after which they were armed and equipped for military duty. During the early part of the war volunteers were allowed to furnish their own uniforms, under-clothing and foot-wear, and many of the men availed themselves of this privilege; they were thus enabled to secure a far better quality of goods than the Government supplied, and, as the former were usually made to order, a perfect fit. The low, coarse and unshapely brogans furnished by the War Department were particularly offensive to the artistic tastes of the men, and consequently they usually procured custom-made high-laced boots, or the old style legboots; but the first long march after reaching the seat of war demonstrated at least the comfort and utility of the “army brogan ” over other foot-wear for that service. As it was the duty of each Commissary to carry in stock, or procure from the Commissary Department, the necessary outfits—or any portion thereof—allowed by the Government for its soldiers, it was provided that articles not drawn by them, but to which they were entitled, should be credited in money value at the actual cost of the same, said sums to be added to their pay, which in the case of privates was thirteen dollars per month and rations. The following articles comprised the required outfit of each man: an overcoat and cape of light blue, – but some of the early Massachusetts regiments had black..."



View attachment 331183
Thanks
 
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