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