Nancy --

There's not an easy way to explain how men entered service in 1861. I will try to explain and hope not to confuse matters too much.

Usually (and I say usually because there were others ways as well) a company organized by holding a meeting and electing officers. Immediately afterwards the company captain notified the governor of his state and asked that his company be accepted in state service. If the terms of service were agreeable (sometimes they were not) and the governor was inclined to accept (for one reason or another he might not), the Secretary of State or the State Adjutant General was asked to issue commissions which were delivered to the company officers.

Before issuing commissions and accepting a company, the governor usually required submission of a muster roll. The roll signed by the company commander listed each member of the company. The roll demonstrated that the requisite number of officers and men to form a company were on hand as required by state law. Sometimes the roll was certified by a county justice of the peace or probate judge.

Officers and men were now in state service. The governor often ordered the company into camp with other companies. When enough companies were available, a regiment or battalion was organized. Again the Governor was notified of the organization, which he or one of his officials may have directed. If the President had called for a certain number of troops from each state, the governor would notify the Secretary of War and submit the regiment for Confederate service. Ordinarily these were accompanied by new muster rolls. Time had passed since the original muster -- some men had been discharged, and new recruits had been added. Company captains had been elected as field officers, and new elections had to be held to fill vacancies.

Once muster rolls were received and accepted by the War Department, orders were issued to the new command. A military officer representing the Confederate government was sent to meet the regiment as it reported to its new duty station. Officers and men were then sworn into service for the term specified on the muster rolls. I have not seen signed forms, so I assume this was done on parade by voice assent of all present, just as one is sworn in during a formal legal process.

If the state had enough arms and equipment to issue to the new regiment, the men received them in their camp of instruction. If not, the Confederate government was expected to issue arms. Serviceable firearms were in short supply during much of 1861, and the government had to turn away many offers of military service for that very reason. Several regiments waited for weeks, even months before being armed. That's the main reason that early proposals to arm Confederate soldiers with pikes were seriously considered.

It's probably too late at night for me to have attempted this, but other will correct me where I've strayed or confused matters.