The Veteran Reserve Corps, which was originally called the Invalid Corps; was created by the Union Army to permit disabled former soldiers to carry out light duty which freed up other men to fight. Formed on April 28th 1863, the Corps was created by General Order Number 105. The men of the Invalid Corps fell under two classes. Class 1 included disabled soldiers whose enlistment was not yet up. They were able to handle a gun, do some marching and perform guard duty. Class 2 included soldiers who had been discharged do to disabilities, disease or wounds, but were able to perform light duty and wished to continue to serve. Many of these men worked as cooks, and hospital attendants.
The name Invalid Corps was changed to Veteran Reserve Corps by General Order number 111 on March 18th 1864. During the war there were over 60,000 men who served in the Union Veteran Reserve Corps. Men of Company F of the 14th Veteran Corps handled the execution of those found guilty of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. The Corps was disbanded in the summer of 1866.
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