Derick I would not be too quick to saddle this unit or these men with cowardice. First if someone is missing the company clerk has to write down the reason and desertion is a catch-all phrase. On the other hand several of these men joined the US Army so desertion seems appropriate for them. It depends a lot on the circumstances of the specific incident. Sometimes men were captured and reported as deserted. Sometimes captured men were given the choice of staying in a prison camp or joining the US Army and going out west to fight Indians. Sometimes men left camp to tend to their family or farms and then returned. Sometimes men were drafted into service who didn't want to fight and I suppose they could be called cowards. Men in the north with southern sympathies, men in the south with northern sympathies were sometimes forced into service and would desert to the other side and fight honorably. Sometimes the first taste of battle was too much. Maybe the unit commander was a jerk etc. These men came from Surry County and they were at Drewry's bluff so they were pretty close to home. I do not show action at Drewry's Bluff for November 10 although the following sites of action in Virginia on November 10, 1862 may be near to the area [from Dyer's Compendium: the Union units engaged are given in Dyer] Nov. 10 Action, Newby's Cross Roads, near Amissville NEW HAMPSHIRE--6th Infantry. NEW YORK--8th Cavalry. PENNSYLVANIA--3d and 8th Cavalry; 48th Infantry. UNITED STATES---6th Cavalry; Battery "M" 2d Arty. Nov. 10 Skirmishes, Markham Station and Barbee's Cross Roads ILLINOIS--8th Cavalry. Nov. 10 Skirmish, Gaines Cross Roads PENNSYLVANIA--4th Cavalry. Nov. 10-12 Operations on Orange & Alexandria R. R. MASSACHUSETTS---1st, 11th and 16th Infantry. NEW HAMPSHIRE--2d Infantry. NEW JERSEY--2d Battery Light Arty.; 11th Infantry. NEW YORK--11th Cavalry (Detachment); 70th, 71st, 72d, 73d, 74th and 120th Infantry. PENNSYLVANIA--26th Infantry. OHIO--6th Cavalry (Detachment). UNITED STATES--Battery "H" 1st Arty. and "K" 4th Arty. Mike Derick Hartshorn wrote: > While searching out the military record for a friend, I discovered a > remarkable fact regarding Company E, 53rd Regiment, NC Troops raised > in Surry County, NC. > On November 10, 1862, eleven men from this unit deserted to the enemy > at Drewry's Bluff, Va. While that may be unusual, the fact that > Company E was deeply infected with the disease of desertion. In all, > 23 men from this company deserted, a large number joining the Union army. > > Does anyone know of another unit with this degree of cowardice? > Does anyone know what event occurred on November 10, 1862 to cause so > many mass desertions? > > The following is a list of the cowards: > (Not included are those who actually deserted but returned to their > units. Otherwise, the list would have added another dozen names.) > > Adkins,Jerry - enlisted 1 Jan 1863, deserted 18 May 1863 > Allen,Joseph A. - enlisted 28 Feb 1863, deserted 21 Feb 1864, Joined US Army > Beasley,John H. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's Bluff > Colson,Charles H. - enlisted 17 Apr 1862, deserted 4 Oct 1863, Joined US Army > Cook,Alfred D. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's Bluff > Cook,Eli - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's Bluff > Cook,James M. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's Bluff > Cook,John T. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's Bluff > Cummings,Henry H. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 24 Dec 1863 > Doss,Matthew M. - enlisted 2 Apr 1862, deserted 15 Oct 1862, at > Drewry's Bluff (deserted twice) > Goins,William H. - enlisted 7 Apr 1862, deserted 1 Jul 1863 > Gordon,Nicholas W. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted (never reported for duty) > Gravelly,Hughes M. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 28 Mar 1862, Joined US Army > Gwyn,Johnson - enlisted 1 Mar 1863, deserted 12 Oct 1864, Joined US > Army (deserted twice) > Hawks,Daniel - enlisted 31 Mar 1862, deserted 9 Dec 1862 > Hicks,William H. - enlisted 13 May 1863, deserted 10 Aug 1863 > Hunter,Jeremiah - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's Bluff > Hunter,Lewis - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's Bluff > Jackson,Caleb - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 24 Dec 1863 > Jessup,Jacob - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 24 Dec 1863, at Drewry's Bluff > Jessup,Lee - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's Bluff > Jessup,Meshack - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at > Drewry's Bluff Joined US Army > Jessup,William S. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at > Drewry's Bluff > Linville,Newell H. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at > Drewry's Bluff (deserted twice) > McBride,William P. - enlisted 16 Apr 1862, deserted 15 May 1862, at Camp Mangum > Pell,Elijah - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 18 May 1863 > Simmons,Amos - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 15 Sep 1862, at Drewry's Bluff > Simpson,Sandy - enlisted 4 Mar 1863, deserted 18 May 1863 > Simpson,William - enlisted 1 Jan 1863, deserted 18 May 1863 > Tickle,James - enlisted 11 Jan 1864, deserted 12 Oct 1864, Joined US Army > Watson,John H. - enlisted 29 Mar 1862, deserted 15 Sep 1862, Joined US Army > Watson,William A. - enlisted 29 Mar 1862, deserted 27 Aug 1862 > Wilson,Enoch - enlisted 15 Apr 1862, deserted 1 May 1863 > > --Derick > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CIVIL-WAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Thank you, Mike. I was thinking along the lines of the fact that looking back we all have 20-20 vision, and, how can you really judge someone until you've walked a mile in their moccasins. The war ended 142 years ago. Why not let the dead rest in peace? Alice Gayley ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Ruddy" <mpruddy@gmail.com> To: <civil-war@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 4:27 PM Subject: Re: [CIVIL-WAR] Company E, 53rd Regiment, NC Troops - desertions > Derick > I would not be too quick to saddle this unit or these men with > cowardice. First if someone is missing the company clerk has to write > down the reason and desertion is a catch-all phrase. On the other hand > several of these men joined the US Army so desertion seems appropriate > for them. It depends a lot on the circumstances of the specific > incident. Sometimes men were captured and reported as deserted. > Sometimes captured men were given the choice of staying in a prison camp > or joining the US Army and going out west to fight Indians. Sometimes > men left camp to tend to their family or farms and then returned. > Sometimes men were drafted into service who didn't want to fight and I > suppose they could be called cowards. Men in the north with southern > sympathies, men in the south with northern sympathies were sometimes > forced into service and would desert to the other side and fight > honorably. Sometimes the first taste of battle was too much. Maybe the > unit commander was a jerk etc. These men came from Surry County and they > were at Drewry's bluff so they were pretty close to home. I do not show > action at Drewry's Bluff for November 10 although the following sites of > action in Virginia on November 10, 1862 may be near to the area [from > Dyer's Compendium: the Union units engaged are given in Dyer] > Nov. 10 Action, Newby's Cross Roads, near Amissville NEW > HAMPSHIRE--6th Infantry. NEW YORK--8th Cavalry. PENNSYLVANIA--3d and 8th > Cavalry; 48th Infantry. UNITED STATES---6th Cavalry; Battery "M" 2d Arty. > Nov. 10 Skirmishes, Markham Station and Barbee's Cross Roads > ILLINOIS--8th Cavalry. > Nov. 10 Skirmish, Gaines Cross Roads PENNSYLVANIA--4th Cavalry. > Nov. 10-12 Operations on Orange & Alexandria R. R. > MASSACHUSETTS---1st, 11th and 16th Infantry. NEW HAMPSHIRE--2d Infantry. > NEW JERSEY--2d Battery Light Arty.; 11th Infantry. NEW YORK--11th > Cavalry (Detachment); 70th, 71st, 72d, 73d, 74th and 120th Infantry. > PENNSYLVANIA--26th Infantry. OHIO--6th Cavalry (Detachment). UNITED > STATES--Battery "H" 1st Arty. and "K" 4th Arty. > Mike > > Derick Hartshorn wrote: >> While searching out the military record for a friend, I discovered a >> remarkable fact regarding Company E, 53rd Regiment, NC Troops raised >> in Surry County, NC. >> On November 10, 1862, eleven men from this unit deserted to the enemy >> at Drewry's Bluff, Va. While that may be unusual, the fact that >> Company E was deeply infected with the disease of desertion. In all, >> 23 men from this company deserted, a large number joining the Union army. >> >> Does anyone know of another unit with this degree of cowardice? >> Does anyone know what event occurred on November 10, 1862 to cause so >> many mass desertions? >> >> The following is a list of the cowards: >> (Not included are those who actually deserted but returned to their >> units. Otherwise, the list would have added another dozen names.) >> >> Adkins,Jerry - enlisted 1 Jan 1863, deserted 18 May 1863 >> Allen,Joseph A. - enlisted 28 Feb 1863, deserted 21 Feb 1864, Joined US >> Army >> Beasley,John H. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's >> Bluff >> Colson,Charles H. - enlisted 17 Apr 1862, deserted 4 Oct 1863, Joined US >> Army >> Cook,Alfred D. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's >> Bluff >> Cook,Eli - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's Bluff >> Cook,James M. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's >> Bluff >> Cook,John T. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's >> Bluff >> Cummings,Henry H. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 24 Dec 1863 >> Doss,Matthew M. - enlisted 2 Apr 1862, deserted 15 Oct 1862, at >> Drewry's Bluff (deserted twice) >> Goins,William H. - enlisted 7 Apr 1862, deserted 1 Jul 1863 >> Gordon,Nicholas W. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted (never reported for >> duty) >> Gravelly,Hughes M. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 28 Mar 1862, Joined >> US Army >> Gwyn,Johnson - enlisted 1 Mar 1863, deserted 12 Oct 1864, Joined US >> Army (deserted twice) >> Hawks,Daniel - enlisted 31 Mar 1862, deserted 9 Dec 1862 >> Hicks,William H. - enlisted 13 May 1863, deserted 10 Aug 1863 >> Hunter,Jeremiah - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's >> Bluff >> Hunter,Lewis - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's >> Bluff >> Jackson,Caleb - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 24 Dec 1863 >> Jessup,Jacob - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 24 Dec 1863, at Drewry's >> Bluff >> Jessup,Lee - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's >> Bluff >> Jessup,Meshack - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at >> Drewry's Bluff Joined US Army >> Jessup,William S. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at >> Drewry's Bluff >> Linville,Newell H. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at >> Drewry's Bluff (deserted twice) >> McBride,William P. - enlisted 16 Apr 1862, deserted 15 May 1862, at Camp >> Mangum >> Pell,Elijah - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 18 May 1863 >> Simmons,Amos - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 15 Sep 1862, at Drewry's >> Bluff >> Simpson,Sandy - enlisted 4 Mar 1863, deserted 18 May 1863 >> Simpson,William - enlisted 1 Jan 1863, deserted 18 May 1863 >> Tickle,James - enlisted 11 Jan 1864, deserted 12 Oct 1864, Joined US Army >> Watson,John H. - enlisted 29 Mar 1862, deserted 15 Sep 1862, Joined US >> Army >> Watson,William A. - enlisted 29 Mar 1862, deserted 27 Aug 1862 >> Wilson,Enoch - enlisted 15 Apr 1862, deserted 1 May 1863 >> >> --Derick >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> CIVIL-WAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > CIVIL-WAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Alice, if we let the dead rest in peace, we wouldn't be involved with genealogy, now, would we. As for the desertions, I am well aware of the circumstances that brought on being aware from a unit. They varied and not all, by any means, were based on cowardice. The reason many left their units was to return home to plant of harvest crops. I have several poignant stories and copies of letters on my web sites that illustrate the subject quite vividly. Please see: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nccatawm/lanier.htm and http://carolinakin.com/Letter-index.htm Many folks are not aware of the Indian battles that occurred out west during the time of 1861-65. There are lengthy records in the "War of the Rebellion" series. As for the Union units the deserters joined, I'm sure they didn't have a choice as to whether they would be faced with fighting against Confederates or Indians. The Nat. Park Service has one of the best sites on the web for locating men and units, both Union and Confederate. See: http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/index.html Click on SOLDIERS. For the example below, enter a last name from the list below of a soldier who joined the Union army. Click on UNION. Enter North Carolina. The response page will list the Regiment and a description can be found for that unit. You will note that nearly all regiments were organized in Eastern Tennessee and were part of the Division of General Stoneman. These regiments did to my area of North Carolina what Sherman did to Georgia. Our Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp is named for a young Lieutenant who was shot in the back by occupying yankee troops, ten days after the war ended! Owning and working with 15-volume set of individual NC Companies and Regiments "North Carolina Troops-A Roster 1861-1865," I have never personally seen a company that had a record of desertions to the degree of Co. E, 53rd Regiment. Within the accounts of that regiment are those of many men who deserted and returned to their unit. Those I did not list. We will likely never know the reason for these actions on an individual basis. Two families I have studied were the Cook and Jessup families, many of whom are listed below. They all joined on the same day and deserted on the same day. I do know that these families settled in Westfield Twp., Surry County in the early 1700's. The rest is a mystery. --Derick At 05:20 PM 11/30/2007, Alice Gayley wrote: >Thank you, Mike. I was thinking along the lines of the fact that looking >back we all have 20-20 vision, and, how can you really judge someone until >you've walked a mile in their moccasins. The war ended 142 years ago. Why >not let the dead rest in peace? > >Alice Gayley >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Mike Ruddy" <mpruddy@gmail.com> >To: <civil-war@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 4:27 PM >Subject: Re: [CIVIL-WAR] Company E, 53rd Regiment, NC Troops - desertions > > > > Derick > > I would not be too quick to saddle this unit or these men with > > cowardice. First if someone is missing the company clerk has to write > > down the reason and desertion is a catch-all phrase. On the other hand > > several of these men joined the US Army so desertion seems appropriate > > for them. It depends a lot on the circumstances of the specific > > incident. Sometimes men were captured and reported as deserted. > > Sometimes captured men were given the choice of staying in a prison camp > > or joining the US Army and going out west to fight Indians. Sometimes > > men left camp to tend to their family or farms and then returned. > > Sometimes men were drafted into service who didn't want to fight and I > > suppose they could be called cowards. Men in the north with southern > > sympathies, men in the south with northern sympathies were sometimes > > forced into service and would desert to the other side and fight > > honorably. Sometimes the first taste of battle was too much. Maybe the > > unit commander was a jerk etc. These men came from Surry County and they > > were at Drewry's bluff so they were pretty close to home. I do not show > > action at Drewry's Bluff for November 10 although the following sites of > > action in Virginia on November 10, 1862 may be near to the area [from > > Dyer's Compendium: the Union units engaged are given in Dyer] > > Nov. 10 Action, Newby's Cross Roads, near Amissville NEW > > HAMPSHIRE--6th Infantry. NEW YORK--8th Cavalry. PENNSYLVANIA--3d and 8th > > Cavalry; 48th Infantry. UNITED STATES---6th Cavalry; Battery "M" 2d Arty. > > Nov. 10 Skirmishes, Markham Station and Barbee's Cross Roads > > ILLINOIS--8th Cavalry. > > Nov. 10 Skirmish, Gaines Cross Roads PENNSYLVANIA--4th Cavalry. > > Nov. 10-12 Operations on Orange & Alexandria R. R. > > MASSACHUSETTS---1st, 11th and 16th Infantry. NEW HAMPSHIRE--2d Infantry. > > NEW JERSEY--2d Battery Light Arty.; 11th Infantry. NEW YORK--11th > > Cavalry (Detachment); 70th, 71st, 72d, 73d, 74th and 120th Infantry. > > PENNSYLVANIA--26th Infantry. OHIO--6th Cavalry (Detachment). UNITED > > STATES--Battery "H" 1st Arty. and "K" 4th Arty. > > Mike > > > > Derick Hartshorn wrote: > >> While searching out the military record for a friend, I discovered a > >> remarkable fact regarding Company E, 53rd Regiment, NC Troops raised > >> in Surry County, NC. > >> On November 10, 1862, eleven men from this unit deserted to the enemy > >> at Drewry's Bluff, Va. While that may be unusual, the fact that > >> Company E was deeply infected with the disease of desertion. In all, > >> 23 men from this company deserted, a large number joining the Union army. > >> > >> Does anyone know of another unit with this degree of cowardice? > >> Does anyone know what event occurred on November 10, 1862 to cause so > >> many mass desertions? > >> > >> The following is a list of the cowards: > >> (Not included are those who actually deserted but returned to their > >> units. Otherwise, the list would have added another dozen names.) > >> > >> Adkins,Jerry - enlisted 1 Jan 1863, deserted 18 May 1863 > >> Allen,Joseph A. - enlisted 28 Feb 1863, deserted 21 Feb 1864, Joined US > >> Army > >> Beasley,John H. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's > >> Bluff > >> Colson,Charles H. - enlisted 17 Apr 1862, deserted 4 Oct 1863, Joined US > >> Army > >> Cook,Alfred D. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's > >> Bluff > >> Cook,Eli - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's Bluff > >> Cook,James M. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's > >> Bluff > >> Cook,John T. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's > >> Bluff > >> Cummings,Henry H. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 24 Dec 1863 > >> Doss,Matthew M. - enlisted 2 Apr 1862, deserted 15 Oct 1862, at > >> Drewry's Bluff (deserted twice) > >> Goins,William H. - enlisted 7 Apr 1862, deserted 1 Jul 1863 > >> Gordon,Nicholas W. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted (never reported for > >> duty) > >> Gravelly,Hughes M. - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 28 Mar 1862, Joined > >> US Army > >> Gwyn,Johnson - enlisted 1 Mar 1863, deserted 12 Oct 1864, Joined US > >> Army (deserted twice) > >> Hawks,Daniel - enlisted 31 Mar 1862, deserted 9 Dec 1862 > >> Hicks,William H. - enlisted 13 May 1863, deserted 10 Aug 1863 > >> Hunter,Jeremiah - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's > >> Bluff > >> Hunter,Lewis - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's > >> Bluff > >> Jackson,Caleb - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 24 Dec 1863 > >> Jessup,Jacob - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 24 Dec 1863, at Drewry's > >> Bluff > >> Jessup,Lee - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at Drewry's > >> Bluff > >> Jessup,Meshack - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at > >> Drewry's Bluff Joined US Army > >> Jessup,William S. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at > >> Drewry's Bluff > >> Linville,Newell H. - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 10 Nov 1862, at > >> Drewry's Bluff (deserted twice) > >> McBride,William P. - enlisted 16 Apr 1862, deserted 15 May 1862, at Camp > >> Mangum > >> Pell,Elijah - enlisted 16 Oct 1862, deserted 18 May 1863 > >> Simmons,Amos - enlisted 27 Mar 1862, deserted 15 Sep 1862, at Drewry's > >> Bluff > >> Simpson,Sandy - enlisted 4 Mar 1863, deserted 18 May 1863 > >> Simpson,William - enlisted 1 Jan 1863, deserted 18 May 1863 > >> Tickle,James - enlisted 11 Jan 1864, deserted 12 Oct 1864, Joined US Army > >> Watson,John H. - enlisted 29 Mar 1862, deserted 15 Sep 1862, Joined US > >> Army > >> Watson,William A. - enlisted 29 Mar 1862, deserted 27 Aug 1862 > >> Wilson,Enoch - enlisted 15 Apr 1862, deserted 1 May 1863 > >> > >> --Derick