Company D research reaches new lows with these latest archival finds.  Below you will find recruit inspection forms for several members of Company D.  I thought this was intriguing enough to attempt recreating the examination form.  It's a respectable recreating but definitely not perfect.  It was made possible by my collection of Civil War fonts.  I'm sure a person with some solid graphic design skills could really nail this.  The below records show what appears to be a long form and a short form option.  Under the title of the form is a reference to Tripler's manual.  I did some digging and have included the link to Tripler's "Manual of the Medical Officers of the Army of the United States Part 1: Recruiting and the Inspection of Recruits." 

These forms provide useful information about age, occupation, general health and physical description, and fittingly given our current time, vaccination status.  In the short forms you'll also recognize familiar Co. D recruiter R.R. Park.  For more records on him be sure to check out post that includes all of the of Co. D Correspondence.

Albion Morey
John B. Allen
Leonard Small
Silas E. Ward
Joseph M. Lyman
Wyatt Sprague Moore
Warren Clay

Download "Form for Examining a Recruit." Original paper size is about 7 1/2" x 9 3/4".

It was a scattered regiment, but the men were trained for just such emergencies, and every man could fight his own battle."

     I recently found a great deal on the legendary Maine at Gettysburg 1898 Commissioner's Report and couldn't wait to share some of the treasures found inside.  We first came into contact with this exceptional resource while researching at the Maine State Archives in April.  This is an essential source for Company D, since our very own Captain McClure was on the commission.  This is however, a must for anyone portraying a Maine unit that served at Gettysburg.  I messed around with finding the best way I could share the information and my phone seemed to be the best option and quality for that I had.  We hope this helps inspire or guide your research.  There is fantastic details like how Company D was at Plum Run at 3:30 p.m. on July 2. 

Other units contained in the report include:

• Hall's 2nd Maine Battery
• 16th Maine Regiment
• Steven's 5th Maine Battery
• 3rd Maine Regiment
• 4th Maine Regiment
• 17th Maine Regiment
• 20th Maine Regiment
• 19th Maine Regiment
• Dow's 6th Maine Battery
• 5th Maine Regiment
• 6th Maine Regiment
• 7th Maine Regiment
• 1st Maine Cavalry
• 10th Maine Battalion

I found this reprinted in the following newspaper and it cited the Youth's Companion as it's original source.  The Youth's Companion was a popular family publication for about a century but I didn't have any luck finding the original publication.  If you happen to find the original print, please leave a comment and let us know.  The following is transcribed as written since the scan was of very poor quality.

Found in the Salida Record May 26th, 1911
 
An amusing instance of the frequent recurrence of the surname Smith among the soldiers of the civil war is given in Berdan’s “United States Sharpshooters.” A stranger lieutenant, requiring a detail of 20 men for special duty, called on a certain company and took their names.  The men were in line at attention when the officer began at the end of the column.
            “What’s your name?” he asked.
            “Smith.”
            “And what is yours?” to the next man.
            “Smith.”
            They were put on the list as Smith 1, Smith 2.
            “Well, what’s yours?”
            “Smith,” replied No. 3.
            The officer looked queer and grumbled something about the peculiarity of the thing.
            “What may I call your name?” to the next.
            “Smith.”
            “Your name?” to the fifth.
            “Smith.”
            The lieutenant’s face was getting red.  He looked the men over and said sternly:
            “What do you mean?”
            But it was no joke.  The detail stood firm, like so many statues, and the officer proceeded.
            “What on earth is your name?” he demanded.
            “Smith,” came the monosyllabic answer from No. 6.
The officer fairly jumped.  Then he stormed and fumed and wanted to know if every man in the company was named Smith.  By this time a crowd had gathered, and the officer began to cool down.  The list must be made, so he hurried through.
            “Your name?” to the next man.
            “Smith.”
            “And yours?”
            “Smith.”
            “And next?”
            “Smith.”
            The officer was again becoming furious, and the crowd was laughing boisterously.
            “Well, is your name Smith?” the lieutenant demanded of the tenth man.
            “My name is Brown,” replied this soldier.
--Youth’s Companion.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp

     There are always questions on forums about Civil War camp craft and I feel forums have always fallen short on supporting reenactors in the pursuit of such an essential part of soldier life.  The demand for this information is inspiring and yet I'm often disappointed at how little support there is for the curious.  Researching uniforms, drill, and unit history can be done sometimes with ease and sometimes with difficulty in libraries and online but that information is generally accessible to those seeking it.  Not many people, however, have the knowledge or the opportunities to get outside and practice camp craft outside of events.  Even at events, there may not be anyone interested or knowledgeable enough to pass along that training.  In Company D, we spend lots of time teaching our soldiers camp skills but we're seeing more and more new reenactors lost when it comes to how to make a fire, how to use an axe, cook their food, or make a comfortable bed in the field.
     We highly recommend this book by an actual Civil War veteran.  We particularly like it because the author is also from Maine.  Published in 1877, the author speaks from personal experience in all areas of camping, hygiene packing, gear, health, cooking, you name it and he addresses it.  He references directly his military experience and use of gear.  These are real word tips illustrating methods correct for the period.  This reference is essential for those of us passionate about camp and bush craft who are also vigilant to prevent modern practices from sneaking into our reenacting impressions.  This reference is also valuable for new reenactors seeking advice and how-to's, to be better prepared for their events.  
     Need more convincing?  As of this writing, copies of this book are only $7 on Amazon.  In the meantime, we'll be working on a camp craft 101 series for our YouTube channel so be sure you're subscribed.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp
     During my recent Ebay hunting, I found four original Civil War company forms that belonged to a soldier from the 64th New York.  Surprisingly, I won all four for the minimum bid.  All of them were way cheaper than similar items elsewhere on Ebay.  Keeping to our philosophy for providing the fruits of our research for free, you'll find the .pdf files below.  All of them are actual size, though make sure to check your printer settings.  All the forms should be printed double sided. The forms are all folded like pamphlets.  You'll see in the photo how they should fold.  I hope these are useful to your impression.  For those of you who are curious, without putting a micrometer to the paper itself, the paper is heavier than newsprint but lighter than standard copy paper.
     I'd recommend to check back here in our Research Library, since I have a strong feeling this might be a new collecting hobby of mine.

Form 9(a) Abstract of Expenditures
Form 12 Statement of Charges on Muster and Pay Rolls
Form 22 Requisition of Ordnance Stores
Form 10 & 11 Inventory and Inspection Report of Unserviceable Ordnance Stores -- Coming soon.  Awaiting access to large format scanner.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp

     For my birthday last week, Mrs. 1st Sgt really nailed it by tracking down a Maine antique dealer and getting me these wonderful items as gifts.  I attempted to take as high a resolution scan as I could should anyone want to reproduce them for their impression.  These fun pieces of history also came from the seller with detailed histories explaining the items.
     The hand endorsed Sanford, Maine bank note depicts the well known textile industry around the area.  That industry certainly played an important role in the war effort  Due to inflation, bank notes were often seen as more reliable and could have been found in a soldier's pocket on the front lines.  A soldier could redeem them at the bank, say, if they went home for furlough.  The note measures 6 3/4" x 1 13/16".
     The next image, the pasteboard box measures 3 1/4" x 3 1/4" x 1 1/16".  It's wrapped in white paper with what looks like a textured surface with red borders.  J.A. Merrill was Portland's largest military and society goods dealer  The label measures 2 1/8" wide by 1 9/16".
     The final item is something I really enjoyed learning about.  It is a bounty loan coupon from Parsonfield.   The recruiting quotas and the draft in Maine caused great strains as much of it's economy needed able bodied men to cut trees, fish, and farm.  To help town leaders meet the burdensome recruiting quotas, towns would often raise funds to host their own enlistment bounties to encourage people to join the army.  For the many towns strapped for cash they would get loans from banks to issue bonds.  A soldier could get his bounty coupon and cash it in when it matured.  This example matured in 1866 which would mean it was issued in 1864.  This delicate piece of history measures 2 3/4" x 1 1/8".
      If you portray a soldier from a Maine unit like Company D, it wouldn't be surprising to have any one of these items on you.  I plan on displaying the originals with the rest of my antiques collection but certainly plan on recreating them for use in reenacting.  These simple but wonderful items are great reminders to us researchers to expand our study for soldier artifacts back to the hometowns.  Soldiers took items from home with them and regularly received care packages from friends and loved ones.  Personal and local items like these I feel are underrepresented in the hobby where too many people fixate only on issued military equipment.  I hope these help to inspire your future research.  If you do plan on recreating these and have further questions, let us know on Facebook.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp

    Since our research library is on a food kick, I thought I'd share this interesting recipe from Wilbur Fisk's, "Hard Marching Everyday."  While not a Berdan Sharpshooter, Fisk is arguably the most prolific and detailed diarist of the soldier's experience.  In fact, this book is filled with so much incredible detail, I can't recommend it enough.  I bought my copy for only $10 on Amazon.  The following excerpt can be found on pg. 93.

Camp near White Oak Church, VA May 29, 1863

     "My tent-mate has just brought from the fire a savory dish of 'hash' which he has prepared from hard tack and fresh beef.  He has a very excellent way of making such material eminently palatable.  Assuming that no one else knows how it is done, and that every one would like to know, I will explain the process:
     He takes a small bag, like the one inside of our haversacks, and puts as many crackers into it as he thinks his appetite will demand.  And then with a cudgel, or something else, he pounds these crackers till they are as fine as flour.  He cuts up his meat as fine as his patience will allow, using his jack knife and fingers instead of a chopping knife and tray.  The next thing is to get a spider and pour into it some broth or 'pot-liquor' that he saved when the cooks boiled the fresh meat, and which would otherwise have been thrown away.  Into this he puts his meat too, and then pour in with it as much water as he has broth, and as a general thing a little more, for he says it would be too strong and too salt, and taste altogether too 'beefy' unless it is a little mite reduced.  As soon as this is made to boil, the cracker flour is stirred in.  If he has any potatoes, which he frequently doesn't, he boils and smashes them, and mixes them in too.  It doesn't need to cook long, and when it is done, he has a dish good enough for anybody, -- a super-excellent one for soldiers.  I have heard unimpeachable critics pronounce it bully, and as that is the most expressive word in the soldier's vernacular, it precludes the necessity for further comment.

By 1st Sgt. Koepp

     This is an ongoing project of mine.  In an effort to support our company cook with research for menu inspiration and general knowledge, I thought I would publish my current list.  These items are taken directly from James Matthews' accounts in the book "Soldiers in Green."  As this work progresses, I'll be adding more information from other Sharpshooter units as I get to them.  Some reenactors pride themselves on eating period correct foods and we're no exception.  In an effort to move beyond the typical use of generic rations, we also want to indulge in what was actually documented.  Too many reenactors forget or ignore just how ingenious soldiers were at the time at either procuring food or preparing it.  Soldiers took many opportunities to improve not only their camp life but also their otherwise bland diet.

1. baked beans (very common)
2. mutton (forage)
3. blackberries (forage)
4. chicken (forage)
5. vegetable soup
6. stewed beans
7. baked beef
8. hard tack
9. custard (made in field made oven in camp)
10. chicken soup
11. eggs
12. potatoes
13. pickles
14. biscuits
15. soft bread
16. coffee
17. salt pork
18. persimmons (forage)
19. corn (forage)
20. corn meal pudding (made by processing foraged corn)
21. tripe (leftovers from a sutler with too much to carry)
22. oysters
23. clams (collected and cooked but too tough to enjoy)
24. fried turkey and chicken
25. baked pig
26. onions
27. sausage
28. apple sauce
29. tea
30. molasses and bread (as meals in hospital)
31. hash
32. bread pudding (hospital)
33. fish (hospital) -
34. Hardtack bread pudding

By: James Soderling

Editor's note:  Our unit takes great pride and effort in our research and providing our findings and, whenever possible the original documents, to the public free of charge.  All we ask if you repost or use our research for your own work to please take the time to attribute our website, our authors, or the sources of our documentation.  Enjoy!

     About a year ago, I was doing my normal “bored” routine of poking around on the internet, trying to find something interesting. I tried the search “2nd USSS D Co;” a rather common one for me. About halfway down the second page, there was a result from MEGenWeb, a genealogy web site that is affiliated with the USGenWeb Project, a collection of free genealogy information that was founded back in the dark ages of the internet in 1996.
     What did I find, exactly? I found a list of names. I found a word-for-word transcription of a document entitled Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Maine for the year ending December 31, 1863. Click here for the link. This document contains the name, rank, age, marital status, place of residence, and general remarks on every single soldier who was part of the 2nd United States Sharpshooters, D Company at any time between January 1 1863 and December 31 1863. This is an amazing find! Some of this information isn’t in our own records that we have on this very website! Some of it actually conflicts with what we already have! Further review exposes a little problem. Scrolling to the bottom of the page, there are some 40-odd names with little comment other than “Discharged and Deceased in 1862 – Final record given in last report.” Last report? Where? I searched all over MEGenWeb. Nothing. No Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Maine for the year ending December 31, 1862.
     Something changed, though. I moved to Moscow to go to school at the University of Idaho. I’ve learned that attending a university has its benefits in relation to research. I can get almost any document from anywhere including things that have no bearing on my major or my own “scholarly research.”  I knew that the Report for 1862 was out there somewhere. One day, I sat down with my laptop in the same little university library café that I am sitting in right now and plugged the exact title that I wanted to find, Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Maine for the year ending December 31, 1862, into WorldCat, an international library catalog. There was a University of Idaho button and I clicked it. It took me to a page that had three important things on it. First was a bit of text that said “Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Maine for the year ending December 31, 1862.” Second was a map that showed the Commonwealth Library in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Finally, a button that said “request.”
     Three weeks later, I got an email from the U of I Office of Inter-Library Loan. I walked to school on a Saturday morning, and a lady at the circulation desk handed me a four-inch-thick manila envelope and showed me to the Microfiche Reading Room. Now, some of the readers younger than the First Sergeant and Private Bamonte probably won’t know what a microfiche is. It is a fancy word for a really small film negative of a document. I sat down in front of what looks like a medieval torture device strapped on to an even older computer. I’m talking about a 1990s ThinkCentre with 1 GB of hard drive, 556 MB of RAM, and a beige-colored vacuum tube screen.
      It was tough, but I did it. I sorted through the 600-and-something page document and found the following: A two paragraph report prepared for the Governor of Maine, the Roster of Commissioned Officers (on which our company appears four times), two tables with various data of interest, and the holy grail that I was looking for. The full roster of the company, just like the one that I had found before, but for the previous year. It is, in effect, a record of everything that Company D went through in their first year of service. It contains wonderful little details, like the Morning Report from the day the roster was sent back to Augusta, the organization of the officers and NCOs, and the tidbit that Captain McClure was sick in bed on the morning of November 2, 1862. The dreaded “Discharged in 1861” is still present, but only for one man: Andrew Newall. It is a lot easier to find information on one man than it is 40, so I consider this to be an acceptable amount of omission.
      So here it is: Annual Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Maine for the year ending December 31, 1862, along with my best efforts at a transcription of the roster. Some of the numbers were difficult to read given the nature of typewriters and microfiche, but I have reproduced it exactly and to the best of my ability. Enjoy.
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