U.S. Army/Navy enlisted southerns

[RotatingTurret]

You hear a lot about Southern U.S. Army and U.S. Navy officers who resigned their commissions in order to pitch in with the Confederacy, but what about the regular Army & Navy southern enlisted men? If you were enlisted in U.S. forces, but felt sympathy for the South, you couldn't just resign like the officers and walk off the job. What, if anything could they do to end they obligation to the U.S. Army/Navy? Outright desertion is the only thing I can think off. Anyone know of any specific examples?

[tompritchett]

There was a thread on this subject probably six months to a year ago. I remember that while there was considerable data on regular Army officers from both the North and South who resigned their commissions, many to then join the Confederate Army, there did not appear to be similar numbers of enlisted men that left, probably for the reasons that you discussed. If anyone can find it using the Search function, it would be appropriate to post a link to it in this thread.

[Regular3]

Desertion was a constant in the Regular Army, although documented cases of desertion of enlisted soldiers to the enemy are few and far between.

Part of the reason for this is that the majority of the Regular regiments did their recruting in the large cities of the Northeast and Midwest - For instance, the Third Infantry recruited in New York City and Upstate (Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, etc) Boston, and Philadelphia. On the roster of Company D for June 1861, there is one "Southern" soldier in the ranks - from Baltimore.

Another reason is that the men inclined to desert in the first place were men who just wanted to get away from all armies and all fighting, so they tended to just try to disappear and take up another trade rather than switching sides.

Then there's the obvious drawback to being captured in the wrong uniform and recognized by one of your former officers or sergeants ... :(

[reb4lee]

Then there's the obvious drawback to being captured in the wrong uniform and recognized by one of your former officers or sergeants ... :(

I may be wrong but I think in the last issue of America's civil war. Wasn't there a story like this? One about how a drunk union guy deserts to ride with Mosby's men but later went back to the union and was shot or something like that for desertion?

[Jubilo]

Dear Sir ,
I have read an account in which a Southron , non-commissioned officer then serving in the U.S. Army inquired of Longstreet if he should desert and join the Confederacy . Supposedly Longstreet advised him not to do so as an officer could resign his commision but an enlisted man had a contract to honor . I fear that if the term "treason " is introduced in further discussion of this , a flame war will erupt so let us proceed with caution.
all for the old flag,
David Corbett