Corps of Honor

Recruitment Poster for the Invalid Corps

In 1863, the Union was having difficulty recruiting soldiers. To alleviate the situation, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton authorized the formation of the Invalid Corps, later renamed the Veteran Reserve Corps. This new branch of the Army consisted of soldiers who had become “unfit for active field service on account of wounds or disease contracted in the line of duty.”

Disability was documented by a physician’s inspection. Soldiers with relatively slight disability were assigned to man the defenses around Washington, D.C. and to guard Confederate prisoners of war held in northern camps. More seriously disabled soldiers served as cooks, orderlies and nurses, usually in hospitals.

Though officially billed as a “Corps of Honor,” the Corps faced an “undertone of ridicule” and the light blue uniforms further segregated the Invalid Corps from their comrades in standard dark blue uniforms. By the end of the war, 60,000 soldiers served in this new branch of the army.

The Veteran Reserve Corps (US VRC) is still active today and operates as a non-profit corporation. The primary mission of the US VRC is to serve their communities and country in various ways including assisting with disaster preparedness and response.

Sources:

In this week’s diary excerpt, Philip mentions his unit being reinforced by a “regiment of invalids.” The Invalid Corps played an important part in holding off advancing Confederate troops during the Battle of Fort Stevens discussed in last week’s blog. This week’s excerpt picks up immediately after the battle and there is still a sense of unease and expected continued attacks.

__________

JULY 13TH
Everything seems quiet this morning. No news from the battlefield but I gauge from the smoke that they are still burning buildings. We drew muskets at ½ 9 pm preparing a grand attack. Were reinforced by 400 men from the camp of distribution and 31 negro soldiers, the first I ever seen. We are making obstructions with telegraph wire to entangle the rebels with and cutting all the underbrush away from in front of … Fort Lyons, Weed, Farnsworth, O’Rourke and Willard.

JULY 14TH
No news this morning but a disturbance in camp by a pack of ruddies stealing a watch(?) (“ruddies” was term used by Union soldiers to describe Confederate soldiers). They was caught and tied up to a limber. Was detailed to guard them.

JULY 15TH
This morning we was informed that a body of rebels were coming and driving the home guards back. We was all sent into the forts. But after waiting some two or 3 hours, no rebels appeared in sight. We was reinforced by a regiment of invalids from Fort Stevens. A detachment of our boys were sent to Fort Lyons with his 38 guns and 8 mortars in it. At present we are all split up and the duty comes pretty hard upon us.

JULY 16TH
Was reinforced by a New York militia (84th). Nothing new in camp. Very warm weather.

JULY 17TH
No news this morning from the front. Had an inspection of arms. Went out blackberrying and when I came back took a good bath in the Potomac.

JULY 18TH
The 84th New York Militia left for the front today. Was on guard. Was rumored that the paymaster was coming today but he did not make his appearance. Had a grand inspection which lasted over three hours.

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