Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Use microfilm (Misc. reels 2084 & 2085)

Preferred Citation

Virginia. National Guard. Muster-In rolls, 1916-1922. Accession 32116. State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Transferred from the Dept. of Military Affairs, Virginia National Guard, 15 June 1984.

Historical Information

Following the passage of the National Defense Act in 1916, the Virginia State militia changed its name from the Virginia Volunteers to the Virginia National Guard. On March 9, 1916, Pancho Villa and a band of Mexican bandits raided the town of Columbus, New Mexico killing seventeen Americans. President Woodrow Wilson ordered Maj. Gen. John J. Pershing and a 15,000-man force on a "Punitive Expedition" into Mexico. The War Department telegraphed the governor of Virginia to mobilize the Virginia National Guard to protect the Mexican Border while the Regular Army units carried out the expedition. The 1st, 2nd, and 4th Infantry Regiments, in addition to the 1st Squadron of Cavalry and the 1st Field Artillery Battalion of the Virginia National Guard, were sent.

Shortly thereafter, the United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, and all of Virginia's National Guard were drafted into Federal service. The 1st, 2nd, and 4th Infantry Regiments were combined to form the 116th Infantry Regiment of the United States, part of the 29th Infantry Division. The 116th joined guardsmen from New Jersey, Maryland, and the District of Columbia at Camp McClellan in Anniston, Alabama, for training before departing for France in 1918. After the war, it was decided that all the Virginia National Guard units which were discharged from federal service would be returned to civilian status. As a result, Virginia found it necessary to replenish its National Guard units. Two regiments of infantry, a machine gun company, and a battery of artillery were formed and its companies designated as provisional or separate and numbered instead of lettered so as not to interfere with those units in existence before the war. The "provisional" designation was dropped in September 1920 and the companies were again lettered.

Following the war, the Virginia National Guard consisted of the following units: 91st Infantry Brigade; 116th Infantry; 183rd Infantry; 111th Field Artillery; Ambulance Battalion Headquarters, 104th Medical Regiment; Ambulance Co. No. 110; Hospital Co. No. 110; Medical Support Section No. 104; Medical Laboratory Section No. 104; 29th Signal Company; 29th Tank Company; 167th Engineer Battalion; Co. B, 111th Military Police Battalion; and 16th Service Battalion. Between 1918 and 1922, numerous changes took place in the Virginia National Guard. The 1st and 2nd Infantry were re-designated by the War Department as the 183rd and 116th Infantry, respectively. The 1st Brigade became the 91st Brigade. The 1st Coast Defense Command of the Coast Artillery Corps was re-designated as the 246th Artillery and the units of that regiment including the 411th through 415th Companies Coast Artillery Corps were re-designated Batteries A through H of the 246th Artillery.

The 1st Regiment Field Artillery, having served as border guard during the Punitive Expedition into Mexico, remained in Federal service when the United States declared war. In the summer of 1917, the 1st Battalion of Field Artillery expanded into a complete regiment before it went overseas. The 1st Regiment Field Artillery was renamed the 111th Field Artillery under Federal service. The Virginia Coast Artillery Corps was formed in 1916 and eventually consisted of 15 companies deployed, in part, to protect the harbor at Hampton Roads. The 1st and 2nd Batteries were converted to Companies A and B, 117th Train Headquarters and Military Police of the 42nd Division during the First World War. The 3rd through the 8th were called into Federal service on July 25, 1917, and the 9th Company on August 4. The 5th and 9th Companies reorganized as Batteries B and F, 60th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps.

The Virginia Coast Artillery Corps was formed in 1916 and eventually consisted of 15 companies deployed, in part, to protect the harbor at Hampton Roads. The 1st and 2nd Batteries were converted to Companies A and B, 117th Train Headquarters and Military Police of the 42nd Division during the First World War. The 3rd through the 8th were called into Federal service on July 25, 1917, and the 9th Company on August 4. The 5th and 9th Companies reorganized as Batteries B and F, 60th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps. Lastly, the 10th through 14th Companies were organized and later called into service on May 1, 1918. These units became Companies A through E of the 35th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps.

Scope and Content Information

Muster-In Rolls, 1921-1922: contains muster-in rolls for the Virginia National Guard between 1921 and 1922. Muster rolls are included for the following units: 1st & 2nd Provisional Infantry regiments; 1st Provisional Field Artillery; 111th Field Artillery Regiment; Service Co., 116th Infantry Regiment; 1st Coast Defense Command; 1st through 7th Companies, Coast Artillery Corps; 110th Ambulance Co.; Companies "A" through "M", 1st & 2nd Infantry; and Tank Corps. There are also musters for field & staff, headquarters detachments, and hospital corps within some of the above units. The muster rolls in Volume I record the number, rank, name, age at date of enlistment, term of enlistment (emergency), date of warrant, and remarks (e.g. promoted, joined as recruit). Privates are listed separately from commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers. A separate section of the muster roll lists losses since the last muster and includes those soldiers who were discharged, transferred, promoted, etc. The muster roll enumerates accessions and casualties since the last muster. Each muster is certified by the company commander. The company commander also includes an annual record of the company which states the number of drills & parades, battalion drills, and inspections by the company. A certificate by the mustering officer reports on uniforms, discipline, equipment, and records of the company. Lastly, each roll contains a recapitulation that enumerates those present and absent for duty.

Muster-In Rolls, 1st Field Artillery regiment, 1917: contains muster-in rolls for the following companies within the 1st Field Artillery Regiment of the Virginia National Guard who served during the First World War: Batteries "A" through "F"; Headquarters Detachment; Sanitary Detachment; Hospital Corps; Supply Company; and Headquarters Company. The musters record the following information: name (both present & absent), rank, when enlisted, whether absent or present, company, and remarks (including furlough, sick, date reported, etc.). Each muster roll is certified by the company commander and the inspecting & mustering officer.

Muster-In Rolls, 1st, 2nd, & 4th Infantry Regiments, 1917: contain muster-in rolls for the 1st, 2nd, and 4th regiments of the Virginia National Guard during the First World War. Each regiment's musters include the following units: companies "A" through "M"; supply companies; medical detachments; hospital corps; machine gun companies; headquarters detachments; field & staff; and sanitary detachments. In addition, the volume containing the 1st Infantry Regiment also includes musters for the Headquarters Staff of the 1st Brigade, the Headquarters Detachment of the 1st Brigade, and the 54th Depot Brigade. The musters record the following information: name (both present & absent), rank, when enlisted, whether absent or present, company, and remarks (including furlough, sick, date reported, etc.). Each muster roll is certified by the company commander and the inspecting & mustering officer.

Muster-In Rolls, 1st Squadron Cavalry, Virginia Coast Artillery Corps, and Other Miscellaneous Units, 1917: contain muster-in rolls for the following units of the Virginia National Guard who served during the First World War: Troops "A" through "D", 1st Squadron of Cavalry; 1st through 14th Companies, Virginia Coast Artillery Corps; Ambulance Corps; Field Hospital Co.; Co. A, Signal Corps; and Quartermaster Corps. The musters record the following information: name (both present & absent), rank, when enlisted, whether absent or present, company, and remarks (including furlough, sick, date reported, etc.). Each muster roll is certified by the company commander and the inspecting & mustering officer.

Muster-in rolls for the 4th Virginia Infantry Regiment, 1st Field Artillery Regiment, and Coast Artillery Corps, 1916-1917: contains muster-in rolls for the following units of the Virginia National Guard who served during the First World War: Field, Staff, and Band, 4th Infantry; Medical Department, 4th Infantry; Companies "A" through "M", 4th Infantry; Batteries "E" and "F", 1st Field Artillery Regiment; and the 1st through 9th Companies, Coast Artillery Corps. The musters record the following information: name (both present & absent), rank, when enlisted, whether absent or present, company, and remarks (including furlough, sick, date reported, etc.). Each muster roll is certified by the company commander and the inspecting & mustering officer.

Muster-in rolls for the Virginia Coast Artillery and reorganized Virginia National Guard units, 1917-1920: contains muster-in rolls for the following units of the Virginia National Guard: 10th through 14th Coast Artillery Companies; Field, Staff, & Band of the Staff Corps & Departments; Machine Gun Co., 1st Va. Regiment and 1st Provisional Regiment; 1st through 13th Separate Companies, 1st Provisional Regt.; Field & Staff, 1st Regt. Inf.; Headquarters Co., 1st Regt. Inf.; Supply Co., 1st Provisional Regt.; Companies "A" through "M", 1st Provisional Regt.; and 1st Co., 2nd Provisional Regt. The muster rolls record the name, age at date of enlistment, date of enlistment or re-enlistment, and remarks (usually records prior service). Privates are listed separately from commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers. A separate section of the muster roll lists losses since the last muster and includes those soldiers who were discharged, transferred, promoted, etc. The muster roll enumerates accessions and casualties since the last muster. Each muster is certified by the company commander. The company commander also includes an annual record of the company which states the number of drills & parades, battalion drills, and inspections by the company. A certificate by the mustering officer reports on uniforms, discipline, equipment, and records of the company. Lastly, each roll contains a recapitulation that enumerates those present and absent for duty.

Arrangement

Arranged into 8 volumes: Volume I, Muster-In Rolls, 1921-1922; Volume II, Muster-In Rolls, 1st Field Artillery regiment, 1917; Volumes III-V, Muster-In Rolls, 1st, 2nd, & 4th Infantry Regiments, 1917; Volume VI, Muster-In Rolls, 1st Squadron Cavalry, Virginia Coast Artillery Corps, and Other Miscellaneous Units, 1917; Volume VII, Muster-in rolls for the 4th Virginia Infantry Regiment, 1st Field Artillery Regiment, and Coast Artillery Corps, 1916-1917; and Volume VIII, Muster-in rolls for the Virginia Coast Artillery and reorganized Virginia National Guard units, 1917-1920