Civil War wounded soldiers CDV photos

[captaxe]

Yes-- the group photo is certainly post Civil War-- likely 1880's-90's. Great VRC photos, and yes, these guys were all mustered out of the Regular Service due to wounds or disability. They were, as you point out, originally called the Invalid Corps, but after considerable razzing from fit soldiers, who told them that the abbreviation for the Corps stood for "Inspected, Condemned" (a common inspectors mark during the war), they changed it to the Veteran Reserve Corps.

[Bob Hudson]

Yes-- the group photo is certainly post Civil War-- likely 1880's-90's.

 

For the most part they look a little young to be CW vets 20 years after the war. I can't find other photos of GAR vets dressed like that.

 

One of them has shoulder straps on his uniform which made me wonder if they were perhaps VRC? There were units from Ohio or New York who wore dark blue shell jackets with shoulder straps and 12 small brass buttons down the front.

 

Here's closeups of two similar jackets from this group photo:

 

 

And those light color VRC uniforms pants had stripes down the side and in the group photo we everyone has light trousers, some with stripes similar to ones in the CDV photos of VRC uniforms:

 

[captaxe]

No-- I do not believe they are vets. Looks to be an unrelated photo of US Volunteers from the 80's-90's. Someone very good on uniforms could pinpoint by the collar brass and striped trousers and eyelet lace-up boots, which were not used during the Civil War. Also, your 56th Pennsylvania guy was part of the 1st Corps, which was shot up badly on the first day near the Railroad cut as part of Lysander Cutler's brigade-- pretty good chance he was wounded there.

[Bob Hudson]

No-- I do not believe they are vets. Looks to be an unrelated photo of US Volunteers from the 80's-90's.

 

Because this all came from the same old Maine family I'm thinking it's the Maine Volunteer Militia.

[Patriot12]

Very nice photos with great research.

[Bob Hudson]

Fantastic photos Thanks for sharing

 

What's interesting is when some details of these men comes up. For instance, Josiah Brainard Hall of the 57th Massachusetts, wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864

 

 

The history of Worcester, Mass. has an extensive bio, with details of his Civil War and GAR service:

 

 

"Mr. Hall's military service began in the City Guards. In April, 1861. he enlisted

at Hartford, Connecticut, for the First Connecticut Infantry, but his father took him

home, after he had taken the oath. In the fall of that year Hon. Henry Wilson,

colonel of the Twenty-second Massachusetts Infantry, offered him a commission as

lieutenant and adjutant, but he was not allowed to accept it. In the summer of 1862

he ran away from home; was found in the camp of the Forty-sixth Massachusetts

Regiment, pen in hand for the purpose of enlistment ; was taken home again. He

finally enlisted, December 30, 1863, in this city, and was mustered in as corporal in

Company B, Fifty-seventh Infantry, January 4, 1864. His warrant as sergeant was

dated April 18, 1864, the day that his regiment left for service; arrived at Annapolis,

Maryland. April 20, and served with his regiment in Virginia. He was wounded. May

6, at the battle of the Wilderness. Virginia; shot through the body; was twice a

prisoner before he reached the Field Hospital ; when the army retired towards

Spottsylvania he was left between lines; a rescuing party came May 7; three times

he was a prisoner of war before Fredericksburg was reached. May 8 ; but his wound

was not dressed until May 13, the day after his father arrived. He recovered, how-

ever, and was on his way to join his regiment, September, 1864, when he was detained

at Washington, and after a medical examination was transferred to Company A,

Fourteenth Veteran Reserve Corps, for duty in the defenses of Washington. Early

in January, 1865, he was ordered to report to President Lincoln, who at once ordered

for him a commission as first lieutenant in a colored regiment. Secretary Stanton

stated to the president that the regulations required an examination. The surgeon-

general ordered Sergeant Hall discharged for disability. He was discharged. January

21, 1865. He was one of the early members of John A. Andrew Post, No. 15, Grand

Army of the Republic, of Boston, but for many years has been a member of George H.

Ward Post. No. 10, of this city. He is a charter member and has been adjutant,

quartermaster and colonel, commanding General William S. Lincoln Command, No.

18, Union Veteran's Union, of Worcester; was for two years adjutant general of the

Massachusetts command, and for one year chief of the pension and claim bureau of

the National command. He is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Prisoners

of War; the Society of The Army of the Potomac; an honorary member of the Old

Guard of Washington ; and a member of the Massachusetts Society, Sons of the

Revolution.

[Bob Hudson]

William K. Haviland started Company G of the 142nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and led them until he was wounded in the thigh at the battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862 and transferred to the 14th Veteran Reserve Corps.

 

 

 

Rocky Mountain News, Denver, Colo., 1/29/1915 Page 11, Includes Photo.

MAJ. HAVILAND DIES; KNEW LINCOLN WELL

Veteran, Wounded in Battle, Met Civil War President and Was Appointed to Post.

Major William King Haviland, a Civil War veteran and a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln, died yesterday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. H. E. Adams, 1700 Hudson Street. He was 84 years old.

Haviland was born in New York City in 1831. After his graduation from the Poughkeepsie, N. Y. University, he was admitted to the New York Bar. He entered the Army in 1861 as Captain of Company G., One Hundred and Forty-second regiment of the Pennsylvania volunteers. A serious wound received in the battle of Fredericksburg in 1862, required his removal to a hospital in Washington. It was during his convalesence in Washington that he met President Lincoln.

On his recovery he was made major of his company, and in 1863 was apponted as Judge Advocate in the military court of Annapolis by Lincoln. He was also a member of the military order of the Legion of Honor.

After the war, Haviland resumed his practice of law in Michigan. He was for several years prosecuting attorney of Barage County, Michigan.

[RustyCanteen]

WOW!

 

Those are nice, and very interesting as well. It's amazing how much history there is behind the photos, those last two men seem to have had quite a life.

[Bob Hudson]

WOW!

 

Those are nice, and very interesting as well. It's amazing how much history there is behind the photos, those last two men seem to have had quite a life.

 

ancestry.com and fold3.com have some pretty good CW info, but not a lot of details such as how and when a soldier was wounded. But if you take their info and use that to do some google searches (which in turn provide info to help you go back and search ancestry and fold3 some more) you might end up with something. I just spent two hours doing that to learn that this guy, David Myers, lost his leg (or use of it) at the June 1962 The Battle of Gaines's Mill, sometimes known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor.

 

 

[RustyCanteen]

 

ancestry.com and fold3.com have some pretty good CW info, but not a lot of details such as how and when a soldier was wounded. But if you take their info and use that to do some google searches (which in turn provide info to help you go back and search ancestry and fold3 some more) you might end up with something. I just spent two hours doing that to learn that this guy, David Myers, lost his leg (or use of it) at the June 1962 The Battle of Gaines's Mill, sometimes known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor.

 

 

 

Sounds like it was worth it, I'll have to look into it.

 

Very interesting.

[Scott Hann]

As a Gettysburg image collector I truly envy you! Thanks for sharing your incredible album. Can I assist you in any way?

[Scott Hann]

What a magnificient album. I'll gladly help you research your soldiers if you send me an email at [email protected].

[Bob Hudson]

What a magnificient album. I'll gladly help you research your soldiers if you send me an email at [email protected].

 

Thanks, but I was able to fill in the gaps.

[USCapturephotos]

Bob if you start to become seriously interested in Civil War images you should get a subscription to Military Images magazine which has a heavy focus on the American Civil War.

Paul

[Gumshoe]

I had wondered about the Veteran Reserve Corps. Based on what I have learned it sounds like many, if not most of these men in the 14th Reg VRC would have been wounded before being assigned to the VRC. Here's what one website says:

 

"The Veteran Reserve Corps was originally called the Invalid Corps from April 1863 until March 1864 and lasted until the end of the Civil War in 1865. The Corps was a military organization within the Union Army that gave light duty to partially disabled or otherwise infirm soldiers (or former soldiers). This allowed more able-bodied soldiers to serve in combat. About 60,000 men served in the Reserves. They performed guard duty, did patrol duty at Washington D.C., and enforced the draft.^"

 

The soldiers hated the name Invalid Corps and its "IC"acronym. The Cav used to brand their worn-out horses with the "IC" brand for "Inspected Condemned". I read somewhere, that's why they changed the name to Veteran Reserve Corps. Cheers!

 

Mark