Trappings of a Recruiting Office?

[toccoa42]

As regards what might be found in a smaller town or city. What might this office include for placards/posters/marquees/inducements? What paperwork and forms? Anyone have any photo links of such?

Thanks much.

[jhuether]

A quick search in the LOC turned out this image that appeared in Leslie's Illistrated Newspaper, March 19, 1864. The title says: "Recruiting for the war--scene at the recruiting tents in the park, New York." I would recommend starting with the images there. Earlier in the year I had taken a passing interest in this area. Using the LOC alone I was able to get about 15 images dealing with recruiting of Union soldiers. Sadly, this file has been misplaced (deleted I am sure) on my computer. You will have to get creative with your searches. Back when I was looking into it, a friend recommended getting in contact with the US Army Recruiting Command. I pass that same recommendation. If anyone has a good history and evidence of the recruiting done during the War it would probably be them. Though, as a warning, anytime dealing with military history from the military, take it with a grain of salt, especially when dealing with recruiters!:D

6731.

[ephraim_zook]

Here are two links:

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1861/september/recruiting-soldiers.htm

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpcoop/nhihtml/cwnyhshome.html
Click "Search by Keyword", then type in "recruiting". It will return about 100 items.

Ron Myzie

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

There's always the chapter/two that Billings devoted to Union Recruitment in his book Hardtack and Coffee. While it doesn't get into specifics about how the operation was run, it does give a fairly detailed account of the propaganda associated with such an operation.

Paul

[NoahBriggs]

The Regs stipulated that two musicians and a couple of privates and a sergeant accompany the recruiting officer. Forms would be enlistment papers and rosters.

[toccoa42]

A quick search in the LOC turned out this image that appeared in Leslie's Illistrated Newspaper, March 19, 1864.

Thanks, I've seen the links that others have posted here (thanks much, folks) but I've not seen this one. I have no idea what LOC means, though, please enlighten the ignorant.

And by the way, anything CONFEDERATE would be helpful. I've seen a few CSA broadsides, but nothing more.

[ephraim_zook]

Library Of Congress :)

Ron Myzie

[Frenchie]

Mlle. Kessler, LOC is the Library of Congress at www.loc.gov and catalog.loc.gov .

[toccoa42]

Mlle. Kessler, LOC is the Library of Congress at www.loc.gov and catalog.loc.gov .


Ah, right, thank you. And it's MR. Kessler, but you wouldn't know that.

[Pvt Schnapps]

http://www.usregulars.com/regs_court.html#ARTICLE%20XL.%20RECRUITING%20SERVI CE.

Don't forget enlistment forms in triplicate, blank books, office table, and stationery (see para. 958).

Regarding the stationery, there's good reason to believe that wafers had seen their day, except in the Commissary General's office, that steel pens had almost entirely supplanted quills, and that ink powder had been replaced by writing fluid in 2 oz. inkstands. The "paper-folder" is actually a carved piece of wood or ivory. Rulers were often gutta percha, but I've no idea what they looked like or where they've all gone.

A "quire" would be 24 sheets of paper, which cut down to 96 pages of writing paper, typically 8 by 10.5, 8 by 10, or 7.75 by 9.75. A "quarter quire" of blotting paper (which generally replaced pounce), would thus be six sheets or about two dozen pages worth.

So far as I've been able to tell, a "piece" of "office tape" is a three and three quarter yards length of quarter inch red cotton twill (available from Bob Sullivan). I believe the envelopes would be close to regular business size.

Have fun!