Veteran Reserve Corps in the Civil War

United States   U.S. Military    United States Civil War     Veteran Reserve Corps in the Civil War

Introduction
The Veteran Reserve Corps was originally called the Invalid Corps from April 1863 until March 1864 and lasted until the end of the Civil War in 1865. The Corps was a military organization within the Union Army that gave light duty to partially disabled or otherwise infirm soldiers (or former soldiers). This allowed more able-bodied soldiers to serve in combat. About 60,000 men served in the Reserves. They performed guard duty, did patrol duty at Washington D.C., and enforced the draft.

The Wikipedia article, Veteran Reserve Corps, has additional information.

Veteran Reserve Corps Military Units
Most units were numbered, however, some were named. See the table below for lists of the regiments, battalions, batteries, and unassigned companies.

The information in the lists of Veteran Reserve Corps Military Units comes from the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors web site. That web site can also be searched by the name of a soldier.

Veteran Reserve Corps Military Units by Number or Type of Unit Union Units 1st-24th and A-Z Regiments Battalions Independent Companies Unassign- ed Units

Records and Resources
Indexes to service (Family History Library films 821940-46) and pension records of Union army soldiers are on film at the Family History Library. The service and pension records are available only at the National Archives.


 * Civil War Pension Index Cards - An of veterans who served in the US Army between 1861-1917 is available on FamilySearch. Each card gives the soldier’s name, application and certificate numbers, state of enlistment, and might include rank and death information. The majority of the records are of Civil War veterans, but the collection also includes records for veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, the Indian Wars, and World War I. For more information see Union Service and Pension Records.

Other Sources

 * 1st Battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps Began organization February 23, 1864. Mustered out by November 27, 1865.


 * 1st Independent Company, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Washington, D.C., December 4, 1865. Mustered out by October 22, 1866.


 * 1st Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Washington, D.C., October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 25,1865.


 * 2nd Battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized June 9, 1863. Mustered out by December 31, 1865.


 * 2nd Independent Company, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, December 15, 1865. Mustered out by August 30, 1866.


 * 2nd Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Detroit, Michigan, October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 11, 1865.


 * 3rd Independent Company, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Columbus, Ohio, December 14, 1865. Mustered out by August 29, 1866.


 * 3rd Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized October 10, 1863. Mustered out by December 15, 1865.


 * 4th Independent Company, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Camp Butler, Illinois, February 17, 1866. Mustered out by August 26, 1866.


 * 4th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Rock Island, Illinois, October 10, 1863. Mustered out January 23, 1866, by detachments.


 * 5th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., October 10, 1863. Mustered out November 23, 1865, by detachments.


 * 5th Independent Company, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at David's Island, New York Harbor, December 14, 1865. Mustered out by August 31, 1865.


 * 6th Independent Company, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Gallop's Island, Boston Harbor, December 1, 1865. Mustered out by detachments June 1 to August 31, 1866.


 * 6th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Washington, D.C., October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 25, 1865.


 * 7th Independent Company, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Elmira, New York, December 1, 1865. Mustered out August 29, 1866.


 * 7th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized October 10, 1863 Mustered out by November 25, 1865.


 * 8th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Chicago, Illinois, October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 20, 1865.


 * 9th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Washington, D.C., October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 16, 1865.


 * 10th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at New York City October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 16, 1865.


 * 11th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Elmira, New York, October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 23, 1865.


 * 12th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Albany, New York, October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 25, 1865.


 * 13th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 25, 1865.


 * 14th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 27, 1865.


 * 15th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 25, 1865.


 * 16th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, October 10, 1863. Mustered out by November 26, 1865.


 * 17th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized January 12, 1864. Mustered out by November 14, 1865.


 * 18th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Washington, D.C., May 5, 1864. Mustered out by November 21, 1865.


 * 19th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Washington, D.C., January 12, 1864. Mustered out by November 16, 1865.


 * 20th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Baltimore, Maryland, January 12, 1864. Mustered out by November 21, 1865.


 * 21st Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized January 12, 1865. Mustered out by November 20, 1865.


 * 22nd Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Washington, D.C., January 12, 1864. Mustered out by November 19, 1865.


 * 23rd Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized January 12, 1864. Mustered out by December 5, 1865.


 * 24th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps Organized at Washington, D.C., February 24, 1864. Mustered out by November 27, 1865.


 * Independent Company, Veteran Reserve Corps "Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.


 * Unassigned Veteran Reserve Corps "Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.