Before the CW there were three branchs of the US Military the US Army, Navy and The USMC which of course is and was part of the Navy. The USMC did not fight in Mo since they were to busy in South Carolina? The US Navy was in Mo because they were used by Gen Grant to ferry supplies to Union forces in Ten, Miss and La along the Miss River and to man gunboats to attack CSA fortifications such has Vicksburg? In Fact Linclon placed great strategic value on Mo has a logistics base much more so then Davis who was more concerned about Va?
The US Army per se did not fight in Mo. There were US Volunteers recruited from all states and territories. A US Volunteer serves in a regiment who's commander is appointed by a govenor. The volunteer need not be a resident of that particular state i.e. the 7th Kan had calvery companies from Ohio and Il and they all served in Mo. A Volunteer can vote for his commanding officers at least untill 1863? USV regiments when formed into divisisions with othe regiments can be commanded by a US Army officer appointed by the President. A USV only had to serve a term of enlistment there was no "stop loss policy" in the CW?
Why didn't President Linclon and the Congress just expand the US Army has needed? I never understood the concept of a"private regiment". Does a private regiment mean that an individual or corporation can raise and equip a regiment has long has its commander obeys a US Army Officer? Where there private Union or CSA regiments in Mo?
Did the CSA have a regular federal Army not controled by each State Govenor? CSA regiments only appeared in MO during summer of 1861 untill their defeat a Pea Ridge and latter in 1864 during Prices expedition to Mo with the exception of Calvery raids by Shelby and Marmaduke? Shelby and Marmdukes calvery would parole captured Union forces and in return there men would not be shot if captured by Union forces ?
A Bushwacker/Partisan Ranger recieved no pay or supplies from the CSA they elected their own officers and were almost always killed if captured?
Most of the fighting against Bushwackers was done by either the MSM regiments who did cross stae lines mostly into Ark but only in pursuit of bushwackers or to fight CSA regiments that were fleeing into Ark or about to cross the state line into Mo? Mo miltas varied tremendously in quality and motivation depending on how the political views of the residents of each district? The MSM and USV regiments on the whole were eager to fight Partisan Rangers and CSA forces but some regiments were better disciplined then others with the Kan regiments being the least disciplined? Boys do get hungrey and many a Mo farmer went broke feeding one or both sides since hungrey boys with guns for the most part will eat no matter what?
I know thats a lot of questions but I know you folks have the answers.
Thanks;
Leonard Unger