Union two year enlistments?

[thomas aagaard]

I was under the impression that there where no use of two year contracts (until late in the war)
Clearly been too long since I saw Gettysburg...

Your information is incorrect. The Second Maine very famously had 2-year contracts, mustering in on May 28, 1861 and mustering out on June 9, 1863, with the exception of the men who had signed 3-year contracts and were moved to the 20th Maine.

I can conclude that the army don't know its own history...
(my lists are from "History of Military Mobilization in the United States Army 1775 – 1945" published by Center of military history United states army)

My question is then, under what authority where they mustered in for two years?

On may 3rd Lincoln expanded the regular army and called for 3 year volunteers.
(Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, ... do hereby call into the service of the United States 42,034 volunteers to serve for the period of three years, unless sooner discharged, and to be mustered into service as infantry and cavalry.)

So how and why where they signing two year contracts?
And how many soldiers signed them?

 

[67th Tigers]

So how and why where they signing two year contracts?
And how many soldiers signed them?

In the original call for 3 year volunteers (i.e. from April '61-April '62):
2,715 enlisted for 6 months
9,147 enlisted for 1 year
30,950 enlisted for 2 years
657,898 enlisted for 3 years

In May of 1862 with a crisis the militia were once again called out and 15,007 were enlisted for 3 months.

A lot of New York regiments were on shorter contracts than 3 years.

 

[rpkennedy]

The first 38 New York regiments recruited were initially enlisted as 2 year regiments. A couple reorganized before their enlistments expired (the 10th New York for example) but generally, in May 1863, those men went home. Interestingly enough, replacements in those regiments tended to be 3 year men and were folded into 3 year regiments that were staying on, rather than maintain their own unit identity. For example, 3 year men in the 16th New York were sent to the 121st New York to finish out their time. I'll look it up later under what authority this was done. In any case, the Army of the Potomac suffered a massive manpower loss just prior to the Gettysburg Campaign when 2 year enlistments and 9 month enlistments from the previous fall expired in May and June.

Ryan

 

[GELongstreet]

...In any case, the Army of the Potomac suffered a massive manpower loss just prior to the Gettysburg Campaign when 2 year enlistments and 9 month enlistments from the previous fall expired in May and June.

Which also included the 2nd Maine Infantry.

 

[rpkennedy]

On April 15th, 1861, with Lincoln's call for troops, New York was asked to provide 13,820 in 17 infantry regiments. On April 16th, the New York legislature allocated $3 million to recruit 30,000 men in 38 regiments for 2 years of service. I haven't been able to find why the legislature chose 2 year enlistments but will keep digging.

Ryan

 

[rpkennedy]

Here is a list of infantry units that the Army of the Potomac lost between Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.

Provost Guard (formerly of the First Corps): 21st, 23rd, 35th New York

First Corps: 22nd, 29th, 30th, 31st New Jersey; 22nd, 24th, 26th, 30th New York; 135th, 136th Pennsylvania

Second Corps: 24th, 28th New Jersey; 4th, 34th New York; 127th 130th, 132nd Pennsylvania

Third Corps: 1st, 2nd, 37th, 38th New York; 122nd Pennsylvania

Fifth Corps: 2nd Maine; 5th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 17th, 25th New York; 123rd, 126th, 129th, 131st, 133rd, 134th Pennsylvania

Sixth Corps: 21st, 23rd, 26th New Jersey; 16th, 18th, 20th, 27th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 36th New York

Eleventh Corps: 29th New York

Twelfth Corps: 28th New York; 124th, 125th, 128th Pennsylvania

That is a massive manpower loss, particularly among veteran units, some of whom had been fighting since the Peninsula Campaign the previous year. I'll try to put together a spreadsheet of numbers to get a better idea of how many men were lost due to expired enlistments.

Ryan

 

[thomas aagaard]

Thanks for the information all of you. Guess I learned something new today.
But please keep it going.

On April 15th, 1861, with Lincoln's call for troops, New York was asked to provide 13,820 in 17 infantry regiments. On April 16th, the New York legislature allocated $3 million to recruit 30,000 men in 38 regiments for 2 years of service. I haven't been able to find why the legislature chose 2 year enlistments but will keep digging.

Ryan

Maybe they realized that there was no way this would be over in 3 month and wanted to start working on raising a proper force? (why the 2 years and not 3 month)

But I do find it strange that when the president asked for 3 years... he got two in some cases.

 

[rpkennedy]

Thanks for the information all of you. Guess I learned something new today.
But please keep it going.


Maybe they realized that there was no way this would be over in 3 month and wanted to start working on raising a proper force? (why the 2 years and not 3 month)

But I do find it strange that when the president asked for 3 years... he got two in some cases.

New York did mobilize a number of their militia units for the initial 3 month/75,000 men call up (the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th, 25th, 28th, 69th, 71st, and 74th New York State Militia regiments, for example, all marched to Washington under this call for troops).

New York called for 38 regiments of 2 year soldiers prior to Lincoln's call for 3 year men on May 3rd. It's probable that New York decided to organize the 38 regiments called for under the 2 year terms with successive regiments (and replacements) enlisting under the federal call for 3 year men. I would be surprised if something similar didn't happen in Maine, as well.

Ryan

 

[ErnieMac]

Here is a list of infantry units that the Army of the Potomac lost between Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.

Provost Guard (formerly of the First Corps): 21st, 23rd, 35th New York

First Corps: 22nd, 29th, 30th, 31st New Jersey; 22nd, 24th, 26th, 30th New York; 135th, 136th Pennsylvania

Second Corps: 24th, 28th New Jersey; 4th, 34th New York; 127th 130th, 132nd Pennsylvania

Third Corps: 1st, 2nd, 37th, 38th New York; 122nd Pennsylvania

Fifth Corps: 2nd Maine; 5th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 17th, 25th New York; 123rd, 126th, 129th, 131st, 133rd, 134th Pennsylvania

Sixth Corps: 21st, 23rd, 26th New Jersey; 16th, 18th, 20th, 27th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 36th New York

Eleventh Corps: 29th New York

Twelfth Corps: 28th New York; 124th, 125th, 128th Pennsylvania

That is a massive manpower loss, particularly among veteran units, some of whom had been fighting since the Peninsula Campaign the previous year. I'll try to put together a spreadsheet of numbers to get a better idea of how many men were lost due to expired enlistments.

Ryan

The Pennsylvania regiments listed as mustering out about the time of Chancellorsville had been enrolled in the summer and autumn of 1862 to serve nine months. This situation arose during the Northern Virginia and Maryland Campaigns during what was perceived an emergency situation resulting from Lee's victories during that time.

 

[rpkennedy]

The Pennsylvania regiments listed as mustering out about the time of Chancellorsville had been enrolled in the summer and autumn of 1862 to serve nine months. This situation arose during the Northern Virginia and Maryland Campaigns during what what perceived an emergency situation resulting from Lee's victories during that time.

The New Jersey regiments as well.

Ryan

 

[rpkennedy]

The Pennsylvania regiments listed as mustering out about the time of Chancellorsville had been enrolled in the summer and autumn of 1862 to serve nine months. This situation arose during the Northern Virginia and Maryland Campaigns during what was perceived an emergency situation resulting from Lee's victories during that time.

Admittedly, I did expand the list to include the 9 month regiments that were also mustering out at the same time as the 2 year men.

Ryan

 

[rpkennedy]

New York did mobilize a number of their militia units for the initial 3 month/75,000 men call up (the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th, 25th 28th, 69th, 71st, and 74th New York State Militia regiments, for example, all marched to Washington under this call for troops).

New York called for 38 regiments of 2 year soldiers prior to Lincoln's call for 3 year men on May 3rd. It's probable that New York decided to organize the 38 regiments called for under the 2 year terms with successive regiments (and replacements) enlisting under the federal call for 3 year men. I would be surprised if something similar didn't happen in Maine, as well.

Ryan

I haven't found anything solid but the conclusion that I'm reaching is that the 2 year men were being mustered in under a state call with the federal call of 3 year men being done simultaneously. For example, the 32nd through 38th regiments were actually mustered in after the 39th New York.

Another interesting point is that replacements for the 2 year regiments were exclusively 3 year men who would be folded into 3 year regiments when their units were mustered out and went home.

Ryan

 

[rpkennedy]

I just did a very quick and rough back of the envelope estimate for the number of men lost due to expiring enlistments and came up with more than 23,000. To put that number in perspective, about as many men went home when their enlistments ran out as were lost at the battle of Gettysburg.

Ryan

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

The first 38 New York regiments recruited were initially enlisted as 2 year regiments. A couple reorganized before their enlistments expired (the 10th New York for example) but generally, in May 1863, those men went home. Interestingly enough, replacements I'm those regiments tended to be enjoying year men and were folded into 3 year regiments that were staying on, rather than maintain their own unit identity. For example, 3 year men in the 16th New York were sent to the 121st New York to finish out their time. I'll look it up later under what authority this was done. In any case, the Army of the Potomac suffered a massive manpower loss just prior to the Gettysburg Campaign when 2 year enlistments and 9 month enlistments from the previous fall expired in May and June.

Ryan

Except my 3 year 16th NY ancestor was captured at Salem Church, paroled, and went home instead of reporting to the 121st. He was reported as a deserter and actually arrested at one point. He reenlisted in 1864 with the 73rd OH and finished out the war as one of Sherman boys.
It caused some difficulty when he applied for his pension, claiming to be a two year man. It all got straightened out eventually until 150 years later when yours truly, his GG Grandson, tried to figure out what the heck happened!

 

[rpkennedy]

Except my 3 year 16th NY ancestor was captured at Salem Church, paroled, and went home instead of reporting to the 121st. He was reported as a deserter and actually arrested at one point. He reenlisted in 1864 with the 73rd OH and finished out the war as one of Sherman boys.
It caused some difficulty when he applied for his pension, claiming to be a two year man. It all got straightened out eventually until 150 years later when yours truly, his GG Grandson, tried to figure out what the heck happened!

That would definitely lead to some confusion. I had 3 relatives in the 16th New York, all of whom were 2 year men who went home with the regiment.

An interesting aspect of a lot of these 2 year men is that many of them turned around and reenlisted. Members of the 16th formed the core of the 13th New York Cavalry (they must have been sick of marching) and a good bunch joined several heavy artillery regiments.

Ryan

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

That would definitely lead to some confusion. I had 3 relatives in the 16th New York, all of whom were 2 year men who went home with the regiment.

An interesting aspect of a lot of these 2 year men is that many of them turned around and reenlisted. Members of the 16th formed the core of the 13th New York Cavalry (they must have been sick of marching) and a good bunch joined several heavy artillery regiments.

Ryan

The regiment had experienced two years of hard service and high casualties. The survivors could have stayed home with honor, having done their duty. Yet most reenlisted, exhibiting extraordinary devotion to country.
In the words of Lieut. William H Walling, Co. D, MOH:
The American people are not born warriors, but civilians and they only grasp the sword in the hour of our country's peril. They love to labor and cultivate the arts of peace. They also realize that they are the real kings of the earth, and are willing to lay aside their robes of royalty for a season that they may vindicate the cause and establish more firmly both at home and abroad the crown that was given them as a perpetual legacy from their Fathers.

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

Battle-stained, with decimated ranks, its Lieut.-Colonel wounded, and many noble spirits missing, the old Sixteenth regiment has undoubtedly before this time took its leave of the Army of the Potomac and commenced its journey homeward. It will probably arrive at Albany to-day or tomorrow, where it will be mustered out immediately, its term of service expiring on the latter day. No regiment that has gone forth from this State to fight for the freedom and maintenance of the laws of our Country, has endured more privations, or can show a nobler record of sanguinary conflicts with the enemy, than the brave Sixteenth-—the first regiment from Northern New York. ….

In fact, the old Sixteenth has had a hand in nearly every battle of consequence which the Potomac Army has been engaged, and has suffered as severely as rebel bullets could inflict.


Plattsburgh, NY Republican May 13, 1863