.. Created April 28 1863, the corps was originally called the Invalid Corps. The name was changed on March 18 1864 to the Veteran Reserve Corps.
The corps was to be composed on men who were disabled or hospitalized. The corps was divided into two battalions.
--1st Battalion was for men able to fight.
They were issued long arms.
--2nd battalion was for men missing a limb or to sick to fight.
They were issued NCO swords.
The men of the corps originally wore uniforms of sky blue kersey, with dark blue cap and trimmings. The jacket cut short in the cavalry pattern, even though they were strictly an infantry service. The cap did not always have the unit brass.
The officers wore a sky blue frock coat with collar, cuffs, and shoulder strap grounds of dark blue velvet. The trousers were sky blue with a double stripe of dark blue down the outer seam. The stripes being 1/2 inch wide and 3/4 inch apart.
The uniforms were not popular, as the officers and men disliked being marked by a distinctive dress. The officers especially complained saying that the sky blue soiled too easily. They eventually were allowed to wear dark blue frock coats. The men also wore regular dark blue fatigue blouses (sack coats) as needed.
The weapons were usually old or worn out models,
which like their owners were no longer needed on the front lines.
The men were only to serve as hospital, post, and prison guards, or assist in hospitals but, the men did see action. The corps fought during the Confederate raid on Washington D.C. in June of 1864. The 6th regiment had an officer and four men wounded outside Fort DeRussy, while the 9th regiment charged southern skirmishers at Fort Stevens, losing five killed and seven severely wounded. The 18th regiment took part in the successful defense of the White House on June 20 1864. Several times during the battle the regiments commander was asked, "will your invalids stand?" The answer was tell the general that my men are cripples, and they can't run." The 172nd co 2nd Bn was stationed in Davenport, Iowa.
Each large post or hospital had a band. There was no special VRC band uniform ordered, so each band differed. Pte. Alfred Bellard 1st Vrc wrote, "our band were getting along nicely and were handsomely uniformed in blue jackets trimmed with black facings and three rows of brass buttons, shako hat with plum, and brass eagle ornament, epaulettes, and black pants with blue, black, and gilt stripe down the seam. They looked very gay, but the company funds had to sweat in rigging them out. The officers paid an assessment for that purpose and the funds did rest."
Veterans whose terms of enlistments had expired were also allowed to serve in the corps, with or without disabilities. A veteran volunteer corps of men who had already served in action and volunteered to return to the front line was authorized. Their only unique uniform items were their service chevrons were worn on the lower forearm.
The corps had 1,036 officers and 60,508 enlisted men by the time the corps ended in September 30 1865.
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