Helen, FYI - Merriam-Webster [at http:www.m-w.com] shows "muster" can be both a verb and a noun, with both meaning collecting or assembling, and usually used as "muster in" or " muster into". "muster out" has a separate definition, and should refer to a discharge. No specific type is mentioned. Mark Bennett Lisle, IL > -----Original Message----- > From: HZMagida@aol.com [mailto:HZMagida@aol.com] > Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2000 12:20 PM > To: NY-Military-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [NY-Mil] Significance of "mustered out" and "desertion" > > > In reading data from ancestry.com civil war database - the term "muster" > seems to be used in different ways - it suggests a transfer or transition > between military units or a type of discharge. > > One possible relative was "mustered out" about six weeks after enlistment - > before his unit was sent on any military missions. Can anyone comment on > what that means? Voluntary discharge? medically unfit? > > > --Helen Magida > Baltimore, MD >