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Recently, someone sent me images of an original Confederate Descriptive Book. The images are from the Rose Library of Emory University. I have compared it with an original federal descriptive book and found only minor discrepancies in type size and typefaces. The most glaring difference is the omission of U. S. from the right-hand page of the roster area.
For those that may not know what a descriptive book is, it contains a physical description of each soldier at the time of enlistment, including height, eye color, hair color, age, occupation, and location of enlistment. In the remarks column there is a description of what happened to the soldier (died, deserted, etc.). it is described in detail in paragraph 127 of the Revised U. S. Army Regulations, which states:127. The following books are allowed to each company: one descriptive book, one clothing book, one order book, one morning report book, each one quire, sixteen inches by ten. One page of the descriptive book will be appropriated to the list of officers; two to the non-commissioned officers; two to the register of men transferred; four to the register of men discharged; two to the register of deaths; four to register of deserters - the rest to the company description list. There is a similar description in paragraph of the Regulations of the Army of the Confederate States.
For those that may not know what a descriptive book is, it contains a physical description of each soldier at the time of enlistment, including height, eye color, hair color, age, occupation, and location of enlistment. In the remarks column there is a description of what happened to the soldier (died, deserted, etc.). it is described in detail in paragraph 127 of the Revised U. S. Army Regulations, which states:127. The following books are allowed to each company: one descriptive book, one clothing book, one order book, one morning report book, each one quire, sixteen inches by ten. One page of the descriptive book will be appropriated to the list of officers; two to the non-commissioned officers; two to the register of men transferred; four to the register of men discharged; two to the register of deaths; four to register of deserters - the rest to the company description list. There is a similar description in paragraph of the Regulations of the Army of the Confederate States.
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