16th USCI, Not Taken

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

Contents 1 Explanation of "Not Taken" 2 Types of "Not Taken" 3 Roster of Prospective "Enlistees" 3.1 A - D 3.2 E - I 3.3 J - P 3.4 R - Z

Explanation of "Not Taken"

The following men enlisted in the 16th United States Colored Infantry, and signed a paper to that effect, but they were subsequently crossed off the regimental lists with the comment "Not taken."

Even though the "not taken" men did not serve in the 16th USCI, an officer still filled out a record for each of them at the time of their enlistment. This record--which includes age, profession, place of birth, and a physical description--is very valuable genealogically. In many cases, it might be the earliest known record for a Black ancestor. That is why these men are listed here.

However, it must be emphasized that, based on their muster rolls, NONE of these men served in the 16th USCI. Profiles linked here should not have a 16th USCI category, nor should they have a Civil War service sticker, unless there is proof that they served in a different regiment. This page is included as part of the "16th USCI Project" because the enlistment records for these men are filed in the same place as the records for the men who did serve in that regiment.

Types of "Not Taken"

Almost all of the men who were "not taken" attempted to enlist in Ohio or Missouri. Most can be divided into three categories.

The first and smallest category is draftees. Both Ohio and Missouri followed federal law and imposed a draft on able-bodied males. This included free Black men who lived in those states, and a few of them were drafted and assigned to the 16th USCI. For whatever reason, the 16th decided not to take them.

The largest category, overwhelmingly, is "substitutes." These are men who were not chosen by the draft, but who "volunteered" as substitutes for men who were. They were not entitled to the usual recruitment bounty because it was expected that they had been compensated by the original draftee. The original draftee's name was included on the enlistment paperwork for the substitute.

Preliminary research indicates that several of the original draftees--perhaps even all of them--were white men. This is not particularly surprising, since white men were more likely to possess the means to compensate, or coerce, Black men into serving for them.

Since the 16th USCI did not actually take any of these men, it is unclear what happened to the original draftees they were supposed to be substitutes for.

The final category of "not takens" is volunteer recruits. These men enlisted for service of their own accord, not as draftees or substitutes, and they received an enlistment bounty and equipment. Still, the 16th did not take them. With the exception of very few who were deemed physically unfit, there is no explanation given for why they were not taken into the regiment.

In all of these cases (except for physical unfitness, and desertion) there is a lingering question about what happened to these men after they were "not taken" by the 16th USCI.

A quick search of some of the more uncommon names turns up a few who clearly have records with other units (Theophilus Carr in the 42nd USCI; Absalom Foreman in the 60th USCI) and others whose names do not appear to be on other muster rolls (Armstead Stokes, Amos Slevens). More research would be required to determine how many of these men did go on to serve in the Civil War.

Roster of Prospective "Enlistees"

Names in bold are connected to the Global Family Tree.

The Age column refers to the given age at time of enlistment.

A - D

Surname	Given Names	Age	Occupation	Birthplace	Enlistment Date	Enlistment Place	Notes
Adams	David J.	27	Mississippi	Laborer	9/26/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	See 100th USCI
Alexander	Frederick	30	Mississippi	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for E.J. Parks
Allen	Frederick	19	Virginia	Laborer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Cooper County	Sub for Thomas Mitchell
Anderson	Harrison	25	Mississippi	Laborer	12/12/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for William H. Henderson
Anderson	John	21	Mississippi	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for William Roland
Aslock	Henry	18	Missouri	Farmer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Johnson County	Sub for James C. Hill
Austin	Charles	34	Kentucky	Barber	9/20/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Bass	Nat	28	Alabama	Farmer	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for C.H. True; See Notes below
Bates	Ryal	24	Kentucky	Laborer	9/23/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Berry	Peter Moore	24	Virginia	Farmer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Johnson County	Sub for [blank]
Blevins	Louis	18	Missouri	Farmer	11/16/1864	Missouri, Moniteau County	Sub for J.H. Robertson
Booker	John	19	Virginia	Boatman	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for R.H. Blakley
Booker	Stephen	18	Ohio, Franklin County	Farmer	10/4/1864	Ohio, Columbus	Volunteer recruit
Brandes	John	35	Mississippi	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Peter Queen
Brown	Andrew	34	East Indies Islands	Coachman	10/3/1864	New York, Jamaica	Volunteer recruit
Brown	James	21	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Joseph Stedman
Brown	Robert	20	Louisiana	Steamboatman	12/9/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Isham F. Crews
Brown	William	27	Mississippi, Vicksburg	Boatman	10/4/1864	Ohio, Columbus	Volunteer recruit
Brown	Wright	18	Missouri	Farmer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Cooper County	Sub for J.H. Rennison
Bryan	George	25	Tennessee	Farmer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Drafted
Buckley	Walter	18	Missouri	Farmer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Johnson County	Sub for John A. Dunham; see notes below
Burgess	Stephen	40	Kentucky	Laborer	9/27/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Burnham	Moses	27	Georgia	Laborer	10/29/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Burrell	Scott	20	Kentucky	Farmer	9/20/1864	Missouri, Ironton	Forwarded elsewhere
Burren	Francis	36	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Phillip Gibson
Campbell	David	26	Mississippi	Farmer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Francis M. Wisdom; see notes below
Campbell	David	21	Virginia	Laborer	10/21/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Carr	Levi	26	North Carolina	Farmer	9/24/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Carr	Theophilus	43	North Carolina	Laborer	10/8/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit; see 42nd USCI
Carson	Frank	18	Virginia	Farmer	11/16/1864	Missouri, Moniteau County	Sub for G.H. Douthit
Carter	Allen	26	Virginia	Laborer	11/16/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for John L. Bass
Churchill	Elvin	18	Indiana	Laborer	9/28/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Cleveland	Henry	22	Ohio	Laborer	9/26/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Coleman	Jacob	18	Missouri	Farmer	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for John Quirk
Cooke	John	22	Missouri, Randolph County	Laborer	11/16/1864	Missouri, Chariton County	Drafted
Crawford	McDowell	24	Georgia	Laborer	9/26/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Cross	John	22	Mississippi	Laborer	12/16/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for F.F. Warner
Davis	Henry	19	Mississippi	Boatman	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Samuel S. Hampton
Day	Frank	18	Missouri, St. Francis	Farmer	12/16/1864	Missouri, Ironton	Sub for Evan B. Day
Douglas	William	22	Mississippi	Boatman	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Meyers Burton

Further Notes A-D:

Bass, Nat: Nat's file indicates that he was rejected on account of having a prior disability that barred him from service.

Buckley, Walter: Walter's file indicates that he was rejected on account of having a prior disability that barred him from service.

Campbell, David (age 26): David's file indicates that he deserted in January 1865.

E - I

Surname	Given Names	Age	Occupation	Birthplace	Enlistment Date	Enlistment Place	Notes
Easley	Scott	19	Mississippi, Marion County	Laborer	3/1/1865	Ohio, Sandusky	Volunteer recruit
Easton	John	19	Ohio	Laborer	9/21/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Ebert	John	29	Mississippi	Boatman	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Adam Givens
English	Joseph	24	Missouri	Railroad Laborer	11/16/1864	Missouri, Moniteau County	No further info
Fleming	John	20	Mississippi	Laborer	12/6/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for William King
Flowers	John	27	Mississippi	Laborer	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for B.H. Schultar
Foreman	Absalom	18	Arkansas	Farmer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Cooper County	Sub for Nick Smith; see 60th USCI
Foster	Johnson	18	Ohio, Miami County	Farmer	9/12/1864	Ohio, Dayton	Forwarded to Camp Delaware
Franklin	Benjamin	25	Mississippi	Laborer	12/6/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Christy Gentry
Freeman	Joseph	18	Ohio, Clinton County	Laborer	10/8/1864	Ohio, Columbus	No further info
Fullman	Peter B.	40	Delaware	Preacher	9/26/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Gibson	Charles	23	Missouri	Farmer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Cooper County	Drafted (probably)
Gilke	James	22	Kentucky	Laborer	10/12/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Graham	John	20	Missouri, New Madrid	Laborer	9/7/1864	Illinois, Peoria	Volunteer recruit
Grey	Benjamin	20	Missouri, St. Louis	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for George W. Bates
Hagens	Williams	18	Kentucky	Laborer	2/17/1865	Ohio, Sandusky	Volunteer recruit
Hankins	Henry	26	Mississippi	Laborer	11/3/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Fred R. Ratigan
Hardin	Henry	26	Kentucky	Laborer	9/23/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Harrison	William	22	Mississippi	Boatman	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Stephen Denton
Harrison	William Henry	24	Mississippi	Laborer	12/5/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for William H. Hayden
Hart	Samuel	22	Kentucky	Laborer	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Francis Lorain(?)
Hawey	Thomas	18	Missouri	Farmer	11/16/1864	Missouri, Moniteau County	Sub for M.F. Embry
Henry	James	18	Missouri	Farmer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Cooper County	Sub for Joseph H. Williams
Henry	John	19	Mississippi	Farmer	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Monroe Million
Henry	John	30	Tennessee	Boatman	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for John Peiffer
Henry	John	31	Mississippi	Laborer	12/17/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Frederick Bene
Higgins	Joseph	28	Mississippi	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for James O'Swinney
Hogan	Nelson	30	Kentucky	Laborer	9/29/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	See 42nd USCI
Hord	Albert	36	Kentucky	Blacksmith	10/31/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Hunt	David	19	Missouri	Farmer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Cooper County	Sub for Mathias Hilden
Huston	York	28	Mississippi	Boatman	12/16/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Fielding N. Bartlett

Further Notes E - I:

J - P

Surname	Given Names	Age	Occupation	Birthplace	Enlistment Date	Enlistment Place	Notes
Jackson	Fred	30	Virginia	Laborer	12/15/1865	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Fielding N. Bartlett
Johnson	George	38	Pennsylvania, Allegheny County	Boatman	1/30/1865	Ohio, Dayton	Volunteer recruit
Johnson	Harry	21	Maryland	Boatman	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for J.S. Worlledge(?)
Johnson	Henry	22	Louisiana	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Augustus Gibourd
Johnson	Henry	21	Alabama	Farmer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for B.H. Watts
Johnson	John	20	Mississippi	Laborer	12/16/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Robert H. Browning
Johnson	John	28	Mississippi, Marion County	Laborer	12/1/1864	Missouri, Macon	Sub for Henry C. Davis
Johnson	Oliver	22	Mississippi	Boatman	12/16/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Charles Zumberg
Jones	Henry	19	Mississippi	Laborer	12/16/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Sidney C. Hill
Jones	Henry	42	Mississippi, Claiborne County	Laborer	11/18/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Drafted
Jones	James	40	Tennessee	Farmer	7/1/1864	Tennessee, Chattanooga	No further info
Jones	Thomas	20	England	Sailor	10/31/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Jones	William	20	Mississippi	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for William Yeves Cirod
Jordan	Thomas	21	Mississippi	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for James H. Elliott
King	David	19	Mississippi	Laborer	11/11/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
King	John	25	Kentucky	Laborer	9/26/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Lee	George	32	Virginia	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for John A. Massey
Lee	Jacob	21	Tennessee, Haywood County	Laborer	2/3/1865	Ohio, Dayton	Volunteer recruit
Lewis	Henry	28	Kentucky	Farmer	9/26/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Luss	Amos	28	Mississippi	Laborer	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Henry Kroeger
Lynch	Anselm	33	Ohio, Highland County	Laborer	10/6/1864	Ohio, Columbus	Drafted
Martin	Frank	26	Alabama	Laborer	12/6/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Harvey S. Hubbard
Mason	George	30	Alabama	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for John B. Smith
McLane	James	30	Virginia	Laborer	11/16/1864	Missouri, Randolph County	Drafted
Miller	Thomas	27	Tennessee	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Robert Kendrick
Motherhead	George	18	Louisiana	Farmer	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Leader Mitchell
Owens	Ned	30	Georgia	Farmer	12/17/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for August Roettger
Page	Walter	40	Virginia	Cook	9/27/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Paign	Calvin	20	Mississippi	Farmer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Elijah Jameson
Parker	Henry	18	Mississippi	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Overton H. Gentry
Patterson	Dick	24	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Gregory Aubuchon
Patron	James	21	Mississippi	Laborer	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for James P. Garrett
Patterson	Robert	18	Missouri	Farmer	11/16/1864	Missouri, Moniteau County	Sub for Robert Finley
Peters	John	25	South Carolina	Farmer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Joseph H. Mackey/McCray
Powell	Jesse	24	Virginia, Halifax County	Teamster	9/24/1864	Ohio, Marietta	Volunteer recruit
Price	Lafayette N.	26	Mississippi, Natchez	Steamboatman	9/27/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit

Further notes for J - P:

King, David: His muster cards state that he was a "Rep" for Bernard McIntosh, "overage." This was not the same as a substitution, since the card also indicates that David was paid a $300 enlistment bounty, which was not given to normal substitutes.

R - Z

Surname	Given Names	Age	Occupation	Birthplace	Enlistment Date	Enlistment Place	Notes
Reed	Dennis	20	Mississippi	Farmer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Austin W. Clark
Reynolds	John D.	18	Ohio, Morrow County	Farmer	10/8/1864	Ohio, Columbus	Volunteer recruit
Richard	Samuel	25	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Daniel T. Wise
Riley	John	20	Mississippi	Laborer	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Jacob L. Myers
Roberts	William	18	Missouri	Farmer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Cooper County	Sub for Theodore Roach
Robinson	George	21	West Virginia, Kanawha County	Laborer	9/21/1864	Ohio, Middleport	Volunteer recruit
Robinson	George	20	Mississippi	Boatman	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for William Huntsman
Robinson	Henry	22	Mississippi	Laborer	12/16/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Jacob Zengler
Roe	Henry M.	19	Alabama	Laborer	12/17/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Jesse M. White
Roller	John	32	Mississippi	Laborer	12/16/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Robert M. Spalding
Rosen	Elijah	25	Kentucky	Laborer	9/23/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Rosen	John	21	Kentucky	Laborer	9/23/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Rosen	William	24	Kentucky	Laborer	9/23/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Russell	Thomas	40	Virginia	Laborer	9/27/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Sampson	Oscar	18	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Henry Yokel
Samuel	Richard	35	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Daniel S. Wise
Scott	Burrell	20	Kentucky	Farmer	9/20/1864	Missouri, Trenton	Drafted
Scott	George	37	Mississippi	Farmer	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Frederick Nebe
Shelton	Thomas	18	Kentucky	Farmer	11/16/1864	Missouri, Moniteau County	Sub for H.Q. Roach
Simcoe	Enoch	25	Mississippi	Laborer	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Henry Deetus
Slevens	Amos	32	Kentucky	Farmer	2/15/1864	Missouri, Monroe County	Drafted
Smith	Alexander	23	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Joseph Combs
Smith	John	18	Missouri	Student	3/16/1865	Illinois, Chicago	No further info
Smith	William	20	Mississippi	Laborer	12/17/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Henry Gehle
Staley	Frank	18	Missouri	Mason	11/16/1864	Missouri, Moniteau County	Sub for John Kimmerick
Steward	George	20	South Carolina	Farmer	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for George W. Lewis
Stokes	Armstead	44	Georgia	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Henry Morman
Suggs	Collins	39	North Carolina, Bertie County	Miller	2/7/1864	Tennessee, Clarksville	Entered by mistake
Taylor	Charles	20	Tennessee	Laborer	9/28/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Tholman	Dock	23	Mississippi	Laborer	12/16/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Q. Hardeman Pankey
Thomas	Miles	27	North Carolina	Laborer	10/13/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Thompson	William	21	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Henning Branckmann
Turner	James	32	Mississippi	Laborer	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Jacob Oestermann
Turner	John	23	Alabama, Huntsville	Boatman	12/16/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for A.S. Merryman
Valle	John	23	Missouri, Sainte Genevieve County	Farmer	11/18/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Drafted
Walker	George	21	Mississippi	Laborer	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Miles Burton and/or Charles Augustus Meier
Walker	Simon	19	Mississippi	Laborer	10/28/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Washington	George	19	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Samuel W. Wilson
Washington	George	26	Mississippi	Laborer	11/18/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Drafted
Wesselyn	John	18	Mississippi	Waiter	12/19/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for James J. Moss
Whittaker	Daniel	25	Mississippi	Boatman	12/7/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for J.P. Cunningham and/or Alfred Carr
Williams	George	21	Mississippi	Laborer	10/6/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Samuel Zeller
Williams	Hanson	19	Virginia	Farmer	11/17/1864	Missouri, Cooper County	Sub for G.G. Oswald
Williams	Henry	25	Mississippi	Laborer	12/17/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for William Schwettman
Williams	Jake	22	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for John H. Hill
Williams	James	23	Ohio	Laborer	10/17/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Williams	James W.	28	Ohio	Laborer	9/29/1864	Ohio, Cincinnati	Volunteer recruit
Williams	John	27	Louisiana	Laborer	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for George Bechtold
Williams	Richard	23	Mississippi, Bolivar County	Laborer	12/14/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Samuel Hasting
Williams	William	40	Mississippi, Vicksburg	Carpenter	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for James O'Donnell
Windler	Alexander	21	Mississippi	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for Benjamin T. Robinson
Woods	Isaac	43	Virginia	Laborer	12/13/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for James R. Eatherton
Young	Henry	18	Mississippi, Vicksburg	Laborer	12/15/1864	Missouri, St. Louis	Sub for David Gardiner

Further notes for R - Z:

Smith, Alexander: His muster cards are mixed up in the file of a different Alexander Smith, who did serve with the 16th USCI in Company E and died of disease in July 1864.

Smith, William: He deserted in January (very shortly after enlisting) and was caught and arrested 2/23/1865.

Suggs, Collins: His file states: "name entered through mistake, never belonged."