ISO Galvanized Troop References

[OlszowyTM]

Folks-
I am looking to help out a fellow who is seeking to obtain a marker for a CW US soldier and is trying to put together his story.

Said soldier enlisted in the 5th NYHA, captured at Cedar Creek Oct 19, shuffled through CS POW system landing at Salisbury NC, where the record shows enlistment -"to avoid starvation"-in 8th CS Inf- no state affiliation noted. Soldier was recaptured, "taken in arms against the US" by US forces during Stoneman's raid on Salisbury. Subsequently transferred to US POW camp Nashville TN & released on oath of allegiance Jul 65. US service records show absent POW through Apr 65 with $100 US bounty paid and installments 3 & 4 due.

Any research referrals would be much appreciated, particularly those dealing with the former US troops interned as CS POW's at Nashville or 8 CS Inf.

[TGreene]

Re: ISO Galvanized Troop References

Not sure if it helps or not, but Gen. Zebulon York was assigned to recruit at the POW camp at Salisbury, NC. I don't have the source right now, but I remember reading a few years back that he was trying to recruit foreign born US troops in prison. I came across this researching an ancestor in the 14th LA who was captured at Salisbury. I never could figure out how he was captured there until I read this and realized that York had been Col. of the 14th LA and he must have been assigned to go with him as a Sgt. Major.

Tim Greene

[OlszowyTM]

Re: ISO Galvanized Troop References

Tim- Thanks --The reference would certainly be an aid. The soldier in question was indeed foreign born (Ireland), so it may be a good fit.

[ephraim_zook]

Re: ISO Galvanized Troop References

If you haven't done so already, check with your county veterans affairs office. Obtaining a marker might be easier than you think. Some years ago while I was looking for the graves of men from a specific regiment, I found a number which had no GAR marker. I told the vet affairs guy what I found and he just handed me a half dozen markers and flags and thanked me for rectifying the oversights.

Ron Myzie

[OlszowyTM]

Re: ISO Galvanized Troop References

Obtaining the marker is not an issue. It is in fact a done deal. What the gentleman is trying to do is fill out the "rest of the story" now that the skeletons are out of of the closet so to speak. The point of interest being a local US soldier who defected to the CS and was recaptured. Not a topic often encountered in small rural communities who are devoted to their servicemen & women regardless of the war in which they served.

[JohnTaylorCW]

Re: ISO Galvanized Troop References

Hi Terry,,

Dumb and obvious question, but have you contacted the MOC in Richmond about info on the 8th CS?

[OlszowyTM]

Re: ISO Galvanized Troop References

John-
I've got several info requests out but not MOC. Since I am really unfamiliar with CS troops (most of my research has been limited to NYS) I was really trying to determine if there was such a crittur as a non state affiliated regiment for the CS like the 1-6 US galvanized troops before hitting up too many places with really vague inquiries. After doing Internet searches for galvanized troops, one would think only CS troops went blue and not the reverse.

The Nashville Military Prison has now become the target of interest. The Zebulon York connection is looking like a really good starting point in NC as a result of digging thru Gee's trial records from Salisbury.

Any subject experts out there on CS prison recruiting practices?

[TGreene]

Re: ISO Galvanized Troop References

Terri,
I haven't come across my reference to York and recruiting foreign-born US soldiers yet, but from what I remember, it was geared more towards those of German descent. I'll see if I can find it. An internet search did come across a couple of places that may help you. One is the Salisbury Confederate Prison Association. Their website is http://www.salisburyprison.org/. . It may be worth while to check with them to see what kind of information they may have. Another website has a little bit of information and some pictures: http://www.gorowan.com/salisburyprison/. Another website talks about Stoneman's Raid and mentions "200 "galvanized" Irish recruited from the Federal prisoners" that participated in the Yadkin River Bridge battle: http://www.trading-ford.org/stoneman.html. This site gives various references that may help you track down your soldier. I hope some of this information has helped. It is an interesting subject and probably something that has gotten overlooked by many people.

Tim Greene

[KPavia]

Re: ISO Galvanized Troop References

In case this could be of interest, or of aid to anyone, here is a quote from the book "Sherman's March" by Burke Davis on pg. 112. This is referring to the siege of Savannah-

The South Carolina Capitain Vincent Martin moved warily along his trench, fearful of turning his back on his company, a collection of captured Union soldiers who had been forced into Confederate service, Irishmen, Germans, Italians and Spaniards, some of whom spoke little or no English. The men avoided Martin's eyes; they looked dangerous, he thought. Yesterday, they had joined a plot to kill their officers and desert to the enemy, and seven of their leaders had been shot, a midnight scene Martin would not forget: An inept firing squad of Georgia militia had merely maimed two of the condemned men, and as they raised "such wails and dismal cries as never were heard on the field of battle," the flustered executioners fired at random, tearing wounds in the arms and legs of the victims until the captain halted it and shot the two men in the head. The survivors were still openly defiant; Martin had heard one of them mutter, "Wait till Sherman comes, Johnny, we'll get you then."