Service records of the 34th USCT: Artifacts of Hunter’s General Orders?

I’d intended to bring up another boorish post about cannon trunnions and some sandy berm erected outside Charleston. But, the discussion carried out in the comments from yesterday’s post brought me to some unexpected threads to follow. My intent was to follow through, after introducing General Orders 17 and 24 to serve as a foundation, to look further at military actions ordered by General David Hunter in the first week of June (as he was being relieved of the command). As Ron and Jimmy pointed out the legal aspects of those orders, I began wondering how those “drafts” or “enlistments” were recorded in the individual service records. Responding to that stimuli, I spent my allocated research and writing times looking through the records of the 34th United States Colored Troops (those of you who know why I chose that unit, please don’t spoil it for the others!).

What I looked for were individuals mustered in that regiment between March and June 1863. No order to my queries… rather just a “browse” through the records (as one might well do with Fold3 or any proper digital archive). More of an exploratory mode inquiry to see if detailed examination is warranted – a “wildcat” venture if you will. And with my original blogging inspiration in mind here, let me share what I found, not as conclusions, but rather as notes, hasty notes at that, for collective and collaborative review.

One of the first records I found that met the criteria was that of David Edwards, Company A, 34th USCT:

Edwards enlisted on May 18, 1863 at Beaufort, South Carolina. No mention of “drafted” here. But, keep in mind this is not the “primary” source of record, but rather an index card created to aid those pulling the records from the archives. So I would not put too much weight on the variations between “enlisted” and “drafted” here.

Colonel James Montgomery, who’s name should ring a bell, enlisted Edwards.

Colonel James Montgomery

Edwards’ service ended on May 26, 1864:

He drowned in the Ashepoo River during an engagement with Confederates. So there’s a “battle” thread to follow up. Maybe we’ll see this discharge paper again in a future post?

I next ran into several Fripps (surname Fripp or Fripps). Moses Fripp enlisted in Company E on April 10, 1863.

But he deserted later, with no date given.

And Dick Fripp, also with Company E and also enlisted on April 10, 1863:

And also later deserting. In fact, I might submit at least eight more “Fripp” or “Fripps” cards which show similar enlistments, all noting desertions.

And just to show the desertions were not just a pattern with Fripps and Company E, here’s Sam Wright, of Company D, who enlisted on March 24, 1863.

He deserted in February 1864.

I’m certain there are more stories behind the desertions. There always are. And for proper setting I need to follow up these in the pension records and other post-war documents.

Another theme I noticed was with troops enlisted in Key West. For example Henry Vickers of B Company, enlisted on February 12, 1863 – before the orders:

Vickers went on to make Sergeant.

Or Limus Parker, also of B Company:

Both Vickers and Parker were enlisted by Colonel Montgomery at Key West prior to the issue of the General Orders. Perhaps not “drafted” but “enlisted”? Again, there’s no indication within the cards.

Lastly, I found the record of Cyrus Gross most interesting.

Gross joined Company G, enlisted by Colonel Montgomery on June 1, 1863. He was later discharged for disability in June 1864. His age listed on the card was 44. But we also have his discharge papers.

The discharge papers list his age as “unknown.” A note on that sheet indicates “… he has done no duty since his enlistment,” complaining that Gross was an impediment on marches. Estimates placed his age at fifty-five. The reason for discharge is listed as:

Old age and broken down constitution. He is upwards of fifty and is utterly unfit for any of the duties of a soldier. He is unfit for the “Invalid Corps.”

Gross was outside the “able-bodied male negroes between the ages of eighteen and fifty” specified in General Orders No. 17. At a minimum, I’d offer Gross’ record as an artifact showing the implementation of Hunter’s orders.

Do these service cards represent an arc from the Emancipation Proclamation to general orders to a named individual? I think so. But I’d like to “firm up” those associations.

But why did I pick the 34th USCT?

In June 1863, the regiment was known as the 2nd South Carolina Volunteer Infantry. Montgomery was their commander. During the first days of that June, Montgomery led forces including the 2nd South Carolina on raids along the South Carolina and Georgia coast. On of those – Darien, Georgia – reached a level of notoriety equal to the burning of the Shenandoah and Sherman’s march.

Any level-headed discussion of events at Darien should, in my opinion, consider the context of Hunter’s orders. As those raids are the next “chapter” about operations outside Charleston and in the Low Country, I must also consider them before presenting the boorish “cannon stuff” about Morris Island. Who said military history is just military history?