Featured Which State Would You Fight For During The Civil War?

[jay gale]

Yes, come, join us... we have cookies!

I'll bring the Ovaltine and hardtack

 

[damYankee]

My family were early settlers in the Mohawk River Valley, over the years descendants migrated west as new territory's opened up, by the 1860s they were spread from NY, to Pennsylvania, across the Iron Belt to Iowa and the Nebraska territory. So I'm thinking I would be itchy as I am allergic to wool.

 

[unionblue]

Very Boring life from what I read.

EVERY true soldier would rather spend months bored than excited for a few seconds being shot at by people who want to kill you.

 

[Desert Kid]

I have two options:

Sparsely populated New Mexico and sit it out.

Southwest Tennessee (Memphis) or Northeastern Texas (Collin County).

That put's me squarely somewhere in Cleburne's division!

 

[CTH]

I would most likely be in a regiment from my home state, Pennsylvania.

 

[hendrickms24]

EVERY true soldier would rather spend months bored than excited for a few seconds being shot at by people who want to kill you.

Sure but the best unit to sign up in would have been the Heavy Artillery regiments as an officer. You could hang out for 3 years in the DC area chasing women and the when the units were attached to the Army of Potomac resign your commission and go home. Just think about how lucky I was not to have to be in combat. My military life ended shortly after 9/11.

 

[MRB1863]

Interesting question! Deciding upon Civil War enlistment from a today's perspective, considering hindsight of history and the politics of the war may have an influence on my decision. Supposing this question was proposed to me had I lived at the time of the war, I would have chosen my native State of Pennsylvania. I presume the majority of folks would have enlisted near their home-town in a local unit, excepting those who did not agree with the political sanctions within their home state.

 

[JPinta]

I'll join the ranks of people who would have enlisted with their hometowns. I would have enlisted with the farm boys from Macon County, Illinois (the first county Lincoln lived in in the Prairie State), which quite likely would have had me end up in the Army of the Tennessee. Provided I could have steered clear of clashes with Cleburne's Division, I'd say there were worse places to end up .

 

[7thWisconsin]

At the time when I was 24, the average age of a Civil War soldier, I was an active duty officer. So, I would have been with the regulars.

 

[MRB1863]

At the time when I was 24, the average age of a Civil War soldier, I was an active duty officer. So, I would have been with the regulars.

Thank you and all other posters who served for doing so.

 

[Delhi Rangers]

Georgia in Toombs/ Benning's Brigade. Longstreet's Corps. ANV or Phillips Georgia Legion

 

[C.S.M 1861]

Ich würde stolz entlang Seite die anderen Unionsdeutschen von Pennsylvanien bekämpfen, gerade als mein Vorfahr tat.

Pennsylvania

 

[AUG]

I most likely would have been a Missouri Confederate given that my two closest relatives who were able to fight in the war were in the 3rd Missouri Confederate Infantry.

3rd Missouri Infantry of Cockrell's Missouri Brigade? One of my favorites!

Kentuckians were actual orphans, as were Texans, Arkansans and Louisianians who were East of the Mississippi River after it was closed to service.

In that regard, those of Cockrell's Missouri Brigade were "orphaned" from their state as well, fighting east of the Mississippi from late 1862 until the end of the war.

 

[bankerpapaw]

Arkansas.

 

[ErnieMac]

U.S. Navy on a blockading warship, safer then the army. Add to that there's no marching.

Very Boring life from what I read.

Until your out on a yard arm 100 feet above the deck trying to furl a sail before the storm hits.

 

[12th Missouri Yankee]

My ancestors were fighting for New York and Missouri. With all my Nebraska relatives fighting for Missouri I would fight for that state. However, if I knew our buddy 7th Mississippi back then I would have been torn not to join him!

 

[W. Richardson]

The Grand old state of North Carolina !!

"Your dispatch is received, and if genuine, which its extraordinary character leads me to doubt, I have to say in reply, that I regard the levy of troops made by the administration for the purpose of subjugating the states of the South, as a violation of the Constitution, and as a gross usurpation of power. I can be no party to this wicked violation of the laws of the country and to this war upon the liberties of a free people. You can get no troops from North Carolina."


Governor John Willis Ellis

Respectfully,

William

 

[Desert Kid]

Or alternatively.

Richard Taylor's Army of the Trans-Mississippi (as was my 4th Great Grandpa), or in the Rockcastle Home Guard (Union) in Kentucky.

 

[peteanddelmar]

My ancestors were all anti-slavery but from southern MO. I would have probably been like them...but more of a homeboy. I probably would have tried to join a Union sympathetic MO local militia. I don't know the name of any of these units but would have only tried to join a military unit, not a criminal one.

Maybe after not wanting to kill my neighbors I would have rode to ST Louis and joined the Union. My ancestors didn't join unitl well into 1862 so I would not have been killed at Wilson's Creek. If no bullet found me at Pea Ridge or Praire Grove I would have asked for detached service to the Texas theatre if I ended up in the 6th MO Cavalry (Union). That unit fought all over the place. For some reason I dislike the thought of fighting in Arkansas skirmishes for the next 2 or 3 years.

 

[1950lemans]

But a longer life expectancy.

Plus, if you were a blockader, you're always "chasing the dream" of getting money! I'd do that.