When researching our ancestors, we sometimes uncover stories that don’t quite make sense at first glance. That was the case when I began digging into the Civil War service of my 2nd great grandfather, Richmond F. Hammond. One record labeled him a deserter—but as I pulled together additional records, a very different story began to emerge.
It’s a good reminder that researching Civil War soldiers can appear straightforward—until it isn’t. Richmond F. Hammond’s military record is one of those situations where it takes multiple sources to uncover what really happened.
Using compiled military records for the 17th Illinois Infantry, 102nd Illinois Infantry, and 14th Illinois Cavalry, along with his pension file, a more complete picture of his service begins to emerge.
Enlistment and Early Service
Richmond F. Hammond first enlisted on 25 May 1861 in the 17th Illinois Infantry.
This places him among the early volunteers who answered the call at the beginning of the Civil War. Like many soldiers in these early regiments, his service would not follow a simple, uninterrupted path.
A Pattern of Re-Enlistment
At some point after his initial service, Richmond later appears in the records of the 102nd Illinois Infantry, indicating a second period of enlistment.
However, it is his service in the 14th Illinois Cavalry—beginning in September 1862—that becomes the most well-documented and significant portion of his military career.
The pension file helps connect these separate records, showing that rather than representing unrelated individuals, they reflect multiple enlistments by the same man.
The Question of Desertion
One of the most confusing aspects of Richmond Hammond’s military record is the appearance of a desertion notation in the compiled service records.
Taken alone, such a notation could suggest that he abandoned his service.
However, the pension file tells a different story.
Affidavits within the file explain that Richmond:
- Left one unit
- But quickly reenlisted in another
- Continued serving throughout the war
These statements, supported by multiple witnesses, indicate that his service was continuous in practice, even if irregular in documentation.
Rather than desertion in the traditional sense, the record reflects the complex realities of Civil War enlistments, where transfers, re-enlistments, and gaps in paperwork were not uncommon.
Service in the 14th Illinois Cavalry
Richmond’s most sustained service appears to have been with Company D, 14th Illinois Cavalry.
This regiment operated extensively in the Western Theater, including Tennessee and Georgia—areas that would soon shape Richmond’s wartime experience in a profound way.
Capture and Imprisonment
In August 1864, near Atlanta, Georgia, Richmond was captured by Confederate forces.
His pension file includes references to prisoner-of-war records, confirming that he was held in Confederate prisons.
Although the pension file does not always name each location explicitly, his experience aligns with known movements of Union prisoners at that time, likely including camps such as Andersonville, Charleston, or Florence.
The Lasting Effects of War
The pension file provides the most detailed and personal insight into Richmond’s service—not in terms of battles, but in terms of its lasting impact.
In his declarations and supporting affidavits, Richmond reported chronic health problems that began during his service and imprisonment, including:
- Chronic diarrhea
- Rheumatism
- Heart and lung issues
- General physical weakness
Physicians and witnesses consistently attributed these conditions to:
- Exposure during military service
- Hardships endured as a prisoner of war
These records make clear that Richmond did not leave the war behind in 1865.
Muster Out and Aftermath
Richmond Hammond was mustered out on 16 June 1865, at the close of the war.
But like many veterans—especially former prisoners—his struggles continued long after his discharge.
His pension file documents years of declining health, limited ability to work, and increasing reliance on government support.
A Life Shaped by Service
By the end of his life, Richmond was a resident of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, where he died on 8 April 1928.
His military record, when viewed across multiple sources, tells a story that is both complex and deeply human.
Bringing the Records Together
Individually, the records of the 17th Illinois Infantry, 102nd Illinois Infantry, and 14th Illinois Cavalry raise questions.
Together—with the addition of the pension file—they provide answers.
They reveal a man who:
- Enlisted early
- Served in multiple units
- Continued serving despite irregularities in the record
- Endured capture and imprisonment
- Carried the physical consequences of war for the rest of his life
Final Thoughts
Richmond F. Hammond’s military service is not a simple story—and that is precisely what makes it valuable.
It reminds us that Civil War records do not always tell the full story on their own.
Sometimes, it takes multiple sources—read together—to uncover the truth.
And in Richmond’s case, that truth is clear:
He served.
Richmond F. Hammond’s Civil War service reminds me why we can’t stop with just one record. What began as a question about a “desertion” ended with the story of a man who reenlisted, served, was captured, and lived with the effects of that experience for the rest of his life. By pulling multiple sources together, I didn’t just clarify his record—I came closer to understanding the life of my 2nd great grandfather.