oldenburg-l - Nachricht 2008-01 00226

[Christopher Grote <cgrote(a)rush.edu>]

I have a desertion story from my family as well.

My Scottish g-g grandfather was court-martialed for desertion from the 
Union Army during the Civil War.  It was later rescinded and he got his
Civil War pension in the 1890s, as the authorities apparently bought his
excuse of "The battle was over.  I hopped a fence with a jug, got drunk and
passed out, and when I woke up the Union Army was gone, so I decided to walk
2 days back to my Kentucky home".  He rejoined the army a year or two later,
They put him on a chain gang and then promoted him to prison guard where he
Was later shot (but survived) by a Confederate sympathizer.

When you look at his regiment, some 20% or so were court martialed for
desertion, a lot of them apparently going home at harvest time to help on
the farm.

Chris 
Chicago

-----Original Message-----
From: oldenburg-l-bounces(a)genealogy.net
[mailto:oldenburg-l-bounces(a)genealogy.net] On Behalf Of Carel Paradies
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 6:35 AM
To: Oldenburg-L
Subject: [OL] reasons for emigration out of Oldenburg ca. 1850

Kay Derner-Brown wrote that her ancestor came to America in order not to be
drafted in the army. JNM, NN and Marilyn wrote something similar. A very old
aunt of mine told me that there was a story in the family that the first
Paradies to come to Holland did so in 1853 as a deserter.
Are there more families with similar stories?
Could these stories have been introduced to hide the shame of leaving your
country because of poverty or is there some truth in them?
Would there be sources in Oldenburg concerning deserters?

Carel Paradies

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