Detailed Men

[Longbranch 1]

All,
From Brig. Gen. James H. Lane's report on the surrender of his command at Appomattox;

"I am unable to give our exact loss at Petersburg. I surrendered at this point fifty six (56) officers, & four hundred & eighty four (484) men, many of the latter being detailed non arms bearing men, who were sent back to be surrendered with their Brigade."

Logically these "non arms bearing men " were QM, Medical Dept., Field Music.

Hoping someone can point me to a descriptive source and regulations concerning "Detailed" or "Extra Duty" men.

Thanks in advance,
Kevin Ellis,
26thNC

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Detailed Men

Check out the Confederate army regulations, pp. 89-90 here: http://books.google.com/googlebooks/...nsert_link.png These are pretty much the same as the US Regs, even to the point of stipulating different rates of extra duty pay depending on which side of the Rocky Mountains you're on.

As far as I know, your hunch is mostly right. Men were detailed to serve in different staff functions as clerks, nurses, laborers, and craftsmen. On the blue side at Appomattox, in my home company in the 16th Michigan, only about half the men were present for duty. Half the ones who weren't there were in hospital, the others on detail in such jobs as teamster, messenger, stretcher bearer, "brigade saddler" (this was an infantry unit, so he must have been helping the officers), and assistant to the commissary.

The only reason I say "mostly" is that I think musicians would have been rated and ranked as such, not extra duty men. On the other hand, the 34th Massachusetts kept a band by private arrangement after bands were disestablished in Federal regiments (see http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...+massachusetts).

See if your local library has a copy of J. Boone Bartholomees' "Buff Facings and Gilt Buttons," which specifically discusses staff work in the Army of Northern Virginia. In it you'll find a much more detailed discussion of the kinds of work done by extra-duty men in Chapter 8 "Headquarters and Headquarters Personnel."

[Longbranch 1]

Re: Detailed Men

Thanks Michael,

Can't get that first link to open, but I'll figure that out.
Oddly enough my interest started with 3 brothers in the 29thNC. '62 and '63, McCown's "
" Absent on detached duty, detailed as Drover"
Regards,
Kevin Ellis

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Detailed Men

Thanks Michael,

Can't get that first link to open, but I'll figure that out.
Oddly enough my interest started with 3 brothers in the 29thNC. '62 and '63, McCown's "
" Absent on detached duty, detailed as Drover"
Regards,
Kevin Ellis

Maybe this will work: http://books.google.com/books?id=cXo...page&q&f=false

"Drover" is a new one on me, but it makes perfect sense that the commissaries of subsistence would have men detailed to drive foraged or purchased meat on the hoof. Thanks for sharing that.

[WpnsMan]

Re: Detailed Men

In my experience researching CMSR's,

Detailed duty is "normally" a short term assignment and records of such usually have a notation of what duty they are performing such as; "Teamster" and/or "Regimental/Brigade Trains". These men were assigned to the wagons moving the organizational property of their command or quartermaster and commisary supplies while on campaign. To a lesser degree I have encountered notations of men detailed as Drovers as previously mentioned or Engineers.

Whereas Detached duty is more of a long term proposition where the individual, while maintained the rolls of his organization was assigned to duties outside of it such as a hospital steward or serving on recruiting duty.

Though you may find the terms used interchangeably and alternating in some records. Men will seem to be detailed for months on end and those who were detached will be present at the next muster.

YMMV,

[4vaadjutant]

Re: Detailed Men

“Customs of Service” also provides some information about the various duties of enlisted men. For instance, “extra duty” is where soldiers are detailed on some continuous duty or labor for ten days or longer, in the quartermaster, commissary, or some other department, where they are entitled to extra pay. They are most generally employed in the quartermaster’s department as mechanics, laborers, teamsters, &c., and are under the orders of, and paid by, the department in which they are employed. They are generally excused from all military duty, except Sunday inspections, reviews, and musters, but may be required to attend drills when their instruction is not complete.

Soldiers are on “detached service” when they are sent away from their companies, under orders to do duty elsewhere, from the post, camp, or garrison, and they are so accounted for. Where there is a possibility that the soldier may be detached for a long period, he should be accompanied by his descriptive roll and clothing account, in order that he may draw his pay, and such clothing as he may need during his absence.

I hope this helps.

Your obedient servant,
Tom Williams
4th Virginia Infantry, Indianapolis