United States Volunteers (also called U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Volunteer Army, among other variations) were military volunteers called upon during wartime to help the United States Army. They were separate from the Regular Army and the militia. United States Volunteers served in all United States war from the War of 1812 to the Philippine–American War. Background Until the Militia Act of 1903, the land forces of the United States were divided into three organizations: The Regular Army, which was the permanent military establishment of the United States in peace and war. The militia of states and territories, when called into the service of the United States. Volunteer forces that the Congress of the United States authorized to be organized for a limited time period as an adjunct to the Regular Army in time of emergencies.United States Department of War (1912). Report on the Organization of the Land Forces of the United States. Washington, DC.:Government Printing Office, pp. 68-69.
Early legislation The term Volunteers was first used in the Act of May 28, 1789, during the Northwest Indian War, which authorized the President of the United States to accept companies of volunteers who offered themselves for service. This and further enactments allowed the president to organize the companies into legions, regiments or battalions, and to appoint company grade officers and field officers. Volunteer forces are next mentioned during the Quasi-War, when the Act of March 2, 1799, which authorized the president to accept 28 volunteer regiments to be employed in the same manners as the militia; the volunteer field officers to be appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. During the troubles with Spain in 1803, the president was, by the Act of March 3, 1803, authorized to require the several states to organize forces of militia, including corps of volunteers. American tensions with Britain led to the Act of February 24, 1807 and the Act of March 30, 1808, empowering the president to require the several states to organize forces of militia, including volunteer forces.United States Department of War 1912, op.cit., pp. 69-70.
War of 1812
An act of January 12, 1812, authorized the President to raise up to six companies of rangers, either volunteers or men enlisted for a one-year period, whenever he had evidence of actual or threatened invasion of any Indian tribes. In July an additional company was authorized, and in February 1813 ten additional companies."An Act supplementary to 'An Act authorizing the President of the United States to raise certain companies of rangers for the protection of the frontier of the United States'", approved July 1, 1812. Callan 1863, op.cit., p. 232."An Act to raise ten additional companies of rangers", approved February 25, 1812. Callan 1863, op.cit., p. 242.
On February 6, 1812, the Congress enacted the Volunteer Military Corps Act, which provided for the raising of a force up to 50,000 soldiers for a period of 12 months. This force was directly under Federal government control, not state militia.Malcolmson, Robert (2006). The A to Z of the War of 1812. The Scarecrow Press, p. 588.
The act of February 6, specified that the president was authorized to accept into federal service any volunteer company or companies of infantry, cavalry and artillery. They were to be clothed at their own expense but armed and equipped by the federal government when called into actual service. The cavalry were to provide their own horses. The commissioned officers were to be appointed according to the laws of the several states. The volunteer units were to be called into service within two years from being accepted, and were then to serve for a 12-month period. While in actual service they were entitled to the same rules and regulations as the United States Army, and received the same emoluments. In addition, non-commissioned officers and men were to receive in money the cost of clothing themselves. Losses of horses and equipment furnished at their own expense were to be compensated. The president would organize the volunteer force into battalions, regiments, brigades and divisions as the case may be."An Act authorizing the President of the United States to accept and organize certain volunteer military corps", approved February 6, 1812. Callan 1863, op.cit., p. 215. Through the act of July 6, 1812, the right to appoint commissioned officers of the volunteers was given to the president with the advice and consent of the senate."An Act supplementary to the Act entlitled 'An Act authorizing the President of the United States to accept and organize certain volunteer military corps", approved July 6, 1812. Callan 1863, op.cit., pp. 235-236.
An exact count of the number of soldiers enlisted in the volunteer forces under the above act was never made; the most generally accepted figures are 3,049 volunteer rangers and 10,110 other federal volunteers.Kreidberg, Marvin A. & Merton, Henry G. (1955). History of Military Mobilization in the United States Army 1775-1945. Department of the Army, p. 50. The act of February 6, 1812, was not successful; field officers were not appointed until a sufficient number of companies had been formed into regiments. Companies from different states were never trained together before active operations.Lerwell, Leonard L. (1954). The Personnel Replacement System in the United States Army. Department of the Army, p. 42.
First Seminole War In 1818, during the First Seminole War, General Edmund P. Gaines authorized Colonel David Brearley of the 7th U.S. Infantry to receive into the service of the United States Indians of the Creek Nation, to muster, inspect and provision them, and to order them to march to Fort Scott. Colonel Brearley met the Creek Nation at the Creek Agency and finding that nearly the whole force of the Nation was willing to serve began organizing them. The whole force was to be designed a regiment, with 18 companies, later 28 companies officered according to the regulations of the United States Army. The principal war chief, William McIntosh, to be full colonel; the two chiefs George Lovett and Noble Kennard to be majors. On February 24, 1818, 1,547 warriors entered the service of the United States and served until the beginning of May, the same year. Including Chief Onir Haujo and 75 warriors mustered into service on December 8, 1817, the whole Creek volunteer force 1,613 men.The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States. Sixteenth Congress – First Session. Washington 1855, cols. 1542–1543.
William McIntosh held the rank of brigadier general. George Lovett, Noble Kennard, Samuel Hawkins and Blue were majors. On April 18, by order of General Jackson, Lovett and Kennard were promoted to full colonels, and Hawkins and Blue to lieutenant colonels. Two chiefs, John Bernard and Mattey, who had served as captains, were promoted to majors. The staff further consisted of one assistant adjutant general and four assistant commissaries of purchase. The companies had 28 captains, 29 first lieutenants and 28 second lieutenants. These latter officers were appointed by the Creek Nation under the sanction of the commanding general.The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States. Sixteenth Congress – First Session. Washington 1855, cols. 1543–1544.
Andrew Jackson authorized the raising of volunteers from Tennessee and Kentucky, and 1,286 men were mustered and organized as two mounted rifle regiments. The staff and field consisted of one assistant adjutant general, one assistant inspector general, one assistant deputy quartermaster general, one judge advocate, one chaplain, two colonels, four lieutenant colonels, four majors, four adjutants, one forage master, one assistant forage master, two surgeons, four surgeon's mates, four quartermasters and eight non-commissioned staff. The companies had 20 captains, 20 first lieutenants, 20 third lieutenants, 11 third lieutenants and 17 cornets. These troops served from January 31 to June 25, 1818.The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States. Sixteenth Congress – First Session. Washington 1855, cols. 1545–1546.
Two companies of volunteer rangers of 145 men under Captains Boyle and Gist were also mustered into United States service by order of General Jackson. They were to be employed on search-and-destroy patrols between the Mobile and Appalachicola rivers.The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States. Sixteenth Congress – First Session. Washington 1855, cols. 1546–1547.
Black Hawk War
At the time of the Black Hawk War, the United States Army lacked cavalry due to downsizing of the army after the War of 1812. The opening of the Santa Fe Trail led to demands for military escorts of the annual trading caravans across the prairies. In 1829 four infantry companies from Fort Leavenworth were ordered to protect that year's caravan. This expedition demonstrated the inferiority of foot soldiers against mounted Comanches. At the end of 1831, Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri put forward a bill authorizing President Jackson to organize a mounted ranger unit of volunteers for frontier defense. The outbreak of the Black Hawk War meant that the bill was promptly passed by both houses of the Congress.Urwin, Gregory J.W. (2003), The United States Cavalry: An Illustrated History, 1776-1944, University of Oklahoma Press, pp. 50-54. 600 mounted rangers were to be enlisted, for a period of one year."An Act to authorize the President to raise mounted riflemen for the defence of the frontier," approved June 15, 1832. Callan 1863, op.cit., pp. 325-326. The decision to organize a volunteer battalion instead of a regular cavalry regiment, emanated from the prevalent attitudes of the ruling Democratic Party toward the United States Army. The Regular Army was seen as a stronghold of aristocratic West Pointers in contrast with the virtuous citizen soldiers of the militia.Wetterman, Jr., Robert P. (2009), Privilege vs. Equality: Civil-Military Relations in the Jacksonian Era, 1815-1845, Greenwood, p. 62.
Second Seminole War At the beginning of the Florida War or Second Seminole War, Congress in 1836 authorized the President to accept 10,000 volunteers. The militia of Florida Territory and of adjacent states had then already been called out.Anonymous (1954). The Selective Service Act. Selective Service System, Washington, D.C., vol. 1, p. 45. Congress prescribed that the volunteers should serve either as infantry or cavalry for a period of six or twelve months, furnishing their own clothes, and their own horses if serving in the cavalry. Arms and equipment would be provided by the federal government. Officers were to be appointed according to the laws of states or territories in which the volunteer units were raised, although if already organized military units tendered their volunteer service they would be officered by the same officers as before volunteering."An Act authorizing the President of the United States to accept the service of volunteers, and to raise an additional regiment of dragoons or mounted riflemen," approved May 23, 1836. Callan 1863, op.cit., p. 336.
Rules for pay and other emoluments of the volunteers in federal service provided that volunteers, and militia in federal service, would receive the same monthly pay, rations, clothing or money in lieu of clothing, forage, and travel allowance as offices and men of the United States Army. They would also be furnished with the same camp equipage as the regular army. Officers and men of cavalry would be paid 40 cents per day for use and risk of private horses."An Act to provide for the pay of volunteers and militia corps in the service of the United States," approved May 29, 1836. Callan 1863, op.cit., pp. 334-335.