Yes ,they draft 16 year olds,and Officers had their young boys as Ensigns.also 8-12 year olds were drum and fife and stretcher bearers.R ----- Original Message ----- From: "Veerle Foreman" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 20 18 PM Subject: Union "Enlistments" > Ladies and gentlemen: I sent this list to the Hardy site for the soul > purpose of letting > readers know of names of Hardy countians who were in the Union Army. I > stated they > were "enlistees" as this is how ALL who were listed for the entire state > were listed in teh AG report used. > . > Since my great grandfather, Benjamin F. Evans, was listed and I know he > joined at age 16 in December, 1861, I assumed he was an enlistee as I > don't think they were drafting 16 year olds at that date. > > I also did not post to convey an impression that West Virginians joined > only the Union Army. As Terry Gruber reported, Hardy County was a > bitterly divided county and I suspect more Hardy countians joined the > Confederate Army than the Union, but that is beside the point. I think I > have read 30,000 PLUS men from West Virginia served in the Union Army > and I listed those from Hardy County found in an official record simply > to help genealogy researchers for Hardy to perhaps locate a few lost > ancestors. > > I have received a few e-mails thanking me as I had helped them to locate > a missing ancestor. However, these pale when compared to those who > question whether those listed were enlistees or draftees and those who > think I am casting dispersions > on those from WV who served in the Confederate Army. > > Any by the way, until 1863, the WV Units were designated as VIRGINIA > UNITS > which has caused some resarchers to believe the units were Cofederate > Units. > Until WV officially became a state, that is why the units were > designated as Virginia units > and not WV. > > Mike Foreman > Winchester, VA > > > >

I have not any reseacrh as to the draft laws of the United States such as to dates of "first draft, age and health requirements and as to any changes over the course of the Civil War, War Between The States, War of The Rebellion, War of Norhern Agression, The Recent Unplesantness, or whatever anyone chooses to call it. People were drafted; people enlisted, people deserted, people were conscripted; people when captured switched sides, people hired substitutes, people lied about their age to enlist, some women posed as men and enlisted' some who served have no official record they served, some who never served were honored in their later years as grand heroes of one side or the other, people who never rose above the rank of private were later recognized as colonels or even generals. You name it, it probably happened. The list posted contained names of those who, according to the Adjutant General of West Virginia, had served in the Union Army sometime between 1861 and December 31, 1864 from the State of West Virginia and they were listed as having "enlisted at Greenland Gap, West Virginia, which, until 1866 was located in Hardy County, West Virginia. In 1866, once Grant County was formed, Greenland Gap became located in Grant County. Not all of the men listed may have been from Hardy County: they simply showed up there and "enlisted." This list was a state list complied from lists sent in by officers. It is possible someone enlisted, remained a few days and then went on back home so the officer removed his name from the list before he sent it to Wheeling. The officer compiling the list in the field may have sent another list to Washington that omitted a name or two that had gone on the Wheeling list and vice-versa. People joined one unit and later they transferred to another unit. The initial enlistments were for time periods of 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years. Some did not re-enlist once the initial enlistment ended. Other did re-enlist and may have been assigned to another regiment, company and they re-enlisted at a place that was different from the first so there would be two geographic locations given for the same person at two diffrent times. A change of name spelling or different initial could have occurred. This list is ONE list of many. I have no doubt it may be incomplete and it may have some erroneous information. If so, you'll have to blame the officers who compiled the list in 1864, the Adjutant General of West Virginia in 1864, your ancestor who was not quite sure as to how his name was spelled or perhaps the postal carrier who lost part of the list as he took it from Greenland Gap to Wheeling, but please, please don't blame me. If your ancestor is ommitted and you want to add him, please feel free. If your ancestor is not there but you know he was, add him. If you think he was on the other side, switch him. IF that makes you uncomfortable, switch him back. If he was a private but you want him a general, promote him. If he deserted or was AWOL at one roll call, and that embarrasses you, get some white-out or a good eraser. It is a free country, thanks to all of our ancestors, on either side who had in their time all we lack and they lacked all we now have. That is the great irony of history. Mike Foreman Roland Elliott wrote: > Yes ,they draft 16 year olds,and Officers had their young boys as > Ensigns.also 8-12 year olds were drum and fife and stretcher bearers.R > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Veerle Foreman" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 20 18 PM > Subject: Union "Enlistments" > > > Ladies and gentlemen: I sent this list to the Hardy site for the soul > > purpose of letting > > readers know of names of Hardy countians who were in the Union Army. I > > stated they > > were "enlistees" as this is how ALL who were listed for the entire state > > were listed in teh AG report used. > > . > > Since my great grandfather, Benjamin F. Evans, was listed and I know he > > joined at age 16 in December, 1861, I assumed he was an enlistee as I > > don't think they were drafting 16 year olds at that date. > > > > I also did not post to convey an impression that West Virginians joined > > only the Union Army. As Terry Gruber reported, Hardy County was a > > bitterly divided county and I suspect more Hardy countians joined the > > Confederate Army than the Union, but that is beside the point. I think I > > have read 30,000 PLUS men from West Virginia served in the Union Army > > and I listed those from Hardy County found in an official record simply > > to help genealogy researchers for Hardy to perhaps locate a few lost > > ancestors. > > > > I have received a few e-mails thanking me as I had helped them to locate > > a missing ancestor. However, these pale when compared to those who > > question whether those listed were enlistees or draftees and those who > > think I am casting dispersions > > on those from WV who served in the Confederate Army. > > > > Any by the way, until 1863, the WV Units were designated as VIRGINIA > > UNITS > > which has caused some resarchers to believe the units were Cofederate > > Units. > > Until WV officially became a state, that is why the units were > > designated as Virginia units > > and not WV. > > > > Mike Foreman > > Winchester, VA > > > > > > > >