Here's the short version:
John L. McGuire joined the 18th AL Infantry Company C in 1863 as a hospital guard. If he'd been able-bodied, he'd have joined the company as a fighting man in 1861 when it was formed. Also, hospital guards were usually people who were disabled, wounded, or otherwise not fit for combat, like the men in the Union Army's Invalid Corps/Veterans Reserves.
How did John L. become disabled? In 1851 Moses and Alphonso Johnson beat him so badly that he took them to court. The summons on file in the Shelby County Historical Society says that:
"{Moses and Alphonso Johnson did}make an assault and him the said John Maguire then and there did beat, wound and ill-treat and other wrongs to the said James Maguire then and there did to the great dameage of the said John Maguire."
So, was John L. McGuire disabled?
Maybe.
DEFINITELY maybe.
Here's the long version.
In checking my last post about Charles McGuire, I encountered some discrepancies that jolted me, and actually caused my brain to make a very logical connection between two ancestors who fought in the Civil War. John L. McGuire enlisted in the 18th Alabama, Company C. John Hushan enlisted in the New Jersey Infantry, 7th Regiment, Company F. John L. enlisted in either 1861 or 1863 and died in a prisoner of war camp at Rock Island, IL, in 1864. John Hushan was wounded, sent to the Invalid Corps/Veterans Reserves, survived the War and died in NJ in 1883.
In May 2007 Jessie J. (JessieJ@aol.com) wrote me that John L. McGuire enlisted in the 18th AL Company C on February 1, 1863, at Cedar Grove. His unit was called the Cahaba Valley Rangers. But another source lists the company formation as 1861, not 1863. Which is right? Did John L join up later, or did I transcribe it incorrectly, or what?
Several sources show that both the 18th Alabama and the Cahaba Valley Rangers were formed in 1861.
1. Alabama Her History, Resources, War Record and Public Men from 1540 to 1872 by Willis Brewer says: "{The 18th Alabama Infantry} ...regiment was organized at Auburn, Sept. 4, 1861, and the field officers were appointed by President Davis...."
As for the Cahaba Valley Rangers, they organized in 1861, too.
2. The Alabama Archives show that the file for the Cahaba Valley Rangers starts in 1861 (http://www.archives.alabama.gov/findaids/v31543fm.htm)
3. This source about the Lowery family says that Company "C" 18th Alabama Infantry - "Cahaba Valley Rangers" as organizing July 24, 1861 at Cedar Grove (Leeds) with men from Shelby, St. Clair, Jefferson, Autauga Counties. (http://wwlowery.tripod.com/csalowery.htm).
But that's a genealogy researcher, and they're not always reliable. Could this be true?
Probably, because:
4. James M. McLaughlin, head honcho of the CVR, received his commission in on August 30, 1861. (http://www.archives.state.al.us/civilwar/soldier.cfm?id=134401)
So both the 18th AL and Company C, the Cahaba Valley Rangers were definitely formed in 1861.
I asked Jessie J. for the source of John L.'s enlistment yesterday, July 11, and she kindly sent this back:
"Confederate Records:
{John L.}...joined Feb 1 1863 at Cedar Grove, Alabama as a hospital guard. Captured at Cassville, Georgia May 19, 1864. Taken to Nashville, TN and then on to Louisville, KY. May 25, 1864 he was transferred to Rock Island, Illinois. He was placed in the prison hospital where he died. [FHL 0880596]"
So her source is the Family History Library Item # 0880596. While FamilySearch.org family trees aren't always documented correctly, this is a microfilm/fiche created by the United States War Department Record and Pension Office with records from the National Archives. You'll find a link here:
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=300893&disp=Compiled++service++records++of++Confeder%20%20&columns=*,0,0
I tend to trust this information.
So........
If the Cahaba Valley Rangers were formed in 1861, why did John L. wait until 1863 to enlist? First, he had a family. Second, in 1861 he was 27, older than the prime fighters of 16 - 25. Third, his social status was fairly high in that he was the son of a land owner, and maybe a land owner himself. And lastly, possibly, because he was disabled.
There's documentary evidence to show how he might have become disabled. You may recall that in 1851 John L. was so badly beaten by Moses and Alphonso Johnson that he took them to court in Shelby County. That beating might have seriously injured him and given him a limp, a bum arm, or something that made him less than prime cannon fodder. Yet John L. was definitely able to function: the 1860 US Census for AL lists him in Jefferson County as a farmer with a growing family.
The telling detail is that John L. enlisted as a hospital guard. The basis for this theory is my gggrandfather's John Hushan's experience in the Union Army. I'm quoting here from his Civil War records:
"...Transferred to Invalid Corps S.O. 130, HdQtrs 3rd AC {Army Corps} August 15, 1863--*so appears on roll."
The July-August muster roll goes a little further: "Transferred to invalid Corpts by order of Gen. French {Maj. General William H. French?}, SO {Special Order or Standing Order} 130 3rd AC {3rd Army Corps}, Aug 15/63, *so appears on roll."
The last page of his records is a muster out roll, dated....Oct. 7, 1864. The remarks state: "Transferred Aug. 15/63, Maj. Genl French, physical disability, Vet Reserve Corps."
The long article about the Invalid Corps/Veteran Resrves that follows says that "those of a minor degree of physical efficiency by reason of the loss of a hand or arm, foot or leg, were assigned to Companies of the Second Battalion, to be armed with side arms only, and were to be employed in Hospitals as Cooks, Nurses, Clerks, Orderlies, &c., and as Guards to Hospitals or other Public Buildings." The article is on the website of the NJ State Library; the link is here:
http://www.njstatelib.org/NJ_Information/Searchable_Publications/civilwar/NJCWn1460.html
So, what do you think?
Did John enlist in 1861 or 1863? Might he have been disabled?
So, was John L. McGuire disabled? Maybe.
Definitely maybe.
##########
About the Invalid Corps/Veteran Reserve Corps:
http://www.njstatelib.org/NJ_Information/Searchable_Publications/civilwar/NJCWn1460.html
"Under the provisions of General Orders No. 105, dated War Department, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., April 28, 1863, the organization of an Invalid Corps was authorized. The Corps was to consist of such Officers and enlisted Men of commands then in the field, as were unfit for active field service on account of wounds or disease contracted in the line of duty, as well as those who had been honorably discharged from the service by reason of wounds or disability contracted while in the line of duty; they being able and physically qualified for doing Garrison and other light Military duties away from actual field service. By virtue of the authority thus given, a large number of Officers and enlisted Men in the service, but absent from their commands, were transferred to and joined the Corps, and under the provisions of Circular No. 13, dated War Department, Provost Marshal General's Office, Washington, D. C., May 25, 1863, the Acting Assistant Provost Marshal of each State was directed to open a Recruiting Rendezvous for the Corps at or in the immediate vicinity of his Head Quarters, for the enrollment of such honorbly discharged men who desired to re-enter the service; the term of enlistment was to be for three years or during the war. Under the provisions of Circular No. 15, dated War Department, Provost Marshal General's Office, Washington, D. C., April 27, 1864, those who enlisted or re-enlisted in the Corps were to be credited upon the quota of the State, the same as other troops. The Corps was organized in Companies of two classes or Battalions - the men enlisted in or transferred to the Corps who were most efficient and able-bodied, capable of using the musket, performing Guard duty, or making light marches were assigned to Companies of the First Battalion, and were to be employed as Provost Guards, Guards in cities, &c., and were not liable to active campaigns with the Army in the field; those of a minor degree of physical efficiency by reason of the loss of a hand or arm, foot or leg, were assigned to Companies of the Second Battalion, to be armed with side arms only, and were to be employed in Hospitals as Cooks, Nurses, Clerks, Orderlies, &c., and as Guards to Hospitals or other Public Buildings. Officers desiring to re-enter the service in this branch, received their appointment and were commissioned direct from the War Department. Under the provisions of General Orders No. 111, dated War Department, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D. C., March 18, 1864, the name of the organization was changed from Invalid Corps to Veteran Reserve Corps."
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