Substitute volunteers

[spokane]

I am looking for facts about substitute immigrant volunteers. Were they required to have applied for citizenship, or did the Army ignore the rules often? I am trying to find info on my ancestor who served in the 43rd WI, but there is little on the web about the 43rd. Thanks for any info you might have.

[Robert Braun]

spokane said:

I am looking for facts about substitute immigrant volunteers. Were they required to have applied for citizenship, or did the Army ignore the rules often? I am trying to find info on my ancestor who served in the 43rd WI, but there is little on the web about the 43rd. Thanks for any info you might have.

Hello.

There may be some confusion here regarding terms. If one is a "substitute," you are not really a "volunteer." Subsitutes came into being when states were unable to obtain their quota of troops, as determined by the War Department. One could avoid the draft and serving in the army by paying a commutation fee or hiring a substitute to go in one's place. In larger metropolitian areas, there were even substitute "brokers" where you could go to the broker and for a fee he would arrange for a substitute.

I don't recall if being a U. S. citizen was a requirement to join the Amry in 1861. I do know the oath of enlistment required the enlistee to swear to defend the country against its enemies "forein or domestic." Interestingly enough, you do not have to be a U. S. Citizen to join today's U. S. Army! You do need to be a U.S. Permanent Resident Alien. Of course, there are stories of enlistment agents attempting to enlist arriving immigrants right off the boat. How true those storues are I do not know. I personally have my doubts.

You might try going to the link for the Wisconsin Hisotrical SOciety off our 33rd "Links" page and use their alpha list of Civil War Veterans to look up your ancestor. You can then search the various company rosters of the 43rd for further information.

Good luck!

Bob Braun.