Month: July 2018

Services Performed by the Invalid Corps – 15th Regiment

Posted on July 30, 2018February 26, 2019 by Day

These posts are part of a larger series highlighting the contributions and accomplishments of the Invalid Corps/Veteran Reserve Corps during the Civil War. This post only captures some of the activities of individual regiments. Clearly, this is an area ripe for additional research.

15th Regiment

Organized October 10, 1863, by consolidation of the 21st, 24th, 25th, 68th, 70th, 75th, 94th, 105th, 107th and 120th Companies, 1st Battalion. Mustered out by detachments June 28 to November 25, 1865.

Commenced the official year at Camp Douglas, Chicago, in conjunction with Eighth Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps and Twenty-fourth Ohio Battery. Guarded Government property and patrolled Chicago; guarded and escorted stragglers, conscripts, substitutes, and rebel prisoners. Up to the close of the war the prisoners constantly on hand averaged from 9,000 to 13,000. Only thirteen escaped from camp and none during the transportation. The regiment aided in escorting 1,000 deserters and stragglers and between 2,000 and 3,000 substitutes and conscripts, of whom only six escaped while under charge of officers of the Fifteenth. Strength of garrison varied between 500 and 700. Men on guard every third day or every other day. The regiment aided in preventing the outbreak of the Chicago conspiracy. Officers constantly and closely employed, frequently on two or three lines of duty at once.

Camp Douglas was under the command of Benjamin Sweet. You can read his story and find out a lot more about the Chicago conspiracy here – Benjamin Sweet: Hero or Monster at https://invalidcorpsfilm.nrbrown.com/2017/09/04/invalid-corps-officer-benjamin-sweet-hero-or-monster/

Reference:

The War of the Rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate Armies – https://archive.org/details/warrebellionaco17offigoog/page/n576

Services Performed by the Invalid Corps – 14th Regiment

Posted on July 16, 2018February 26, 2019 by Day

14th Regiment

Organized October 10, 1863, by consolidation of the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 30th, 41st, 88th, 186th, 200th, 201st and 202nd Companies, 1st Battalion. Mustered out by detachments July 14 to November 27, 1865.

One company (K) has been stationed during the year on the Government farms. Camp Wadsworth, Va. The remainder of the regiment has done duty at Camp Distribution, at Alexandria, Va., and in Washington, D. C., as garrison. Daily number of recruits, conscripts, convalescents, and deserters at Camp Distribution waiting escort to the front varied from 2,000 to 10,000. Duty very severe, the camp being large, the posts numerous, the winter uncommonly cold, and many of the men suffering from recent wounds. Sentinels frequently relieved from post and sent to hospital by order of the surgeon. In Alexandria and Washington the regiment has guarded or aided in guarding Government corrals, large depots of public stores, Washington Street Prison (500 rebel prisoners). Old Capitol and Carroll Prisons, and the Arsenal while used as a place of confinement for the assassins of President Lincoln.

In addition to their ordinary duties, the officers have performed a vast amount of special duty and detached service, thirteen being detailed at one time. They have made sixty-seven trips in charge of convalescents, recruits, conscripts, and deserters, escorting a total of 14,793, with a total loss of 325. When it is considered that this service covered in all a period of 317 days, and that thousands of the men guarded were professional bounty jumpers or similarly desperate characters, this loss will not appear surprising.

Reference:

The War of the Rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate Armies – https://archive.org/details/warrebellionaco17offigoog/page/n576

Services Performed by the Invalid Corps – 13th Regiment

Posted on July 2, 2018February 26, 2019 by Day

13th Regiment

Organized October 10, 1863, by consolidation of the 7th, 9th, 11th, 27th, 32nd, 55th, 231st, 234th, 235th and 236th Companies, 1st Battalion. Mustered out by detachments July 1 to December 4, 1865.

Guard duty at various posts in New England; forwarded by detachment at headquarters (Gallupe’s Island, Boston, Mass.), recruits, 7,819; conscripts, 2,106; convalescents, 926; prisoners, 21; total, 10,882; escapes, 145. Of the 12,024 men at the camp or rendezvous between November 1, 1864, and June 1, 1865, only three escaped; losses in transportation generally owing to circumstances beyond the control of the guards. This service very severe; men constantly on duty for many days and nights consecutively; large bribes offered by bounty jumpers and refused. Twenty-seven volunteer organizations, numbering 7,920 men, mustered out at this post.

At Beach Street Barracks 18,721 men have passed through and been rationed under the supervision of Companies B and C. At Readville, Mass., 3,468 volunteers have been mustered out under supervision of Company B. From Camp Gilmore Companies F and H have forwarded to the field 1,009 recruits, 817 substitutes, 2 conscripts, and 48 deserters, being a total of 1,876, with 31 escapes. In addition a patrol of sixty men per day; ordinary guard duty every other day, frequently for several days in succession. From November 1, 1864, to June 11, 1865, Company D was the only force on duty at the State draft rendezvous, guarding an unknown but very large number of recruits, substitutes, &e. The officers of the regiment have been occupied as closely as the men; they have performed their company duties and special duties at the same time; also a great deal of important detached service.

Reference:

The War of the Rebellion: a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate Armies – https://archive.org/details/warrebellionaco17offigoog/page/n576