A comment relative to Sam Clemens' adventures with, and departure from, the Missouri Militia "Marion Rangers". One of his fellow boarders at Mrs. Murphy's in Nevada was a former NYC Police Captain named Coulter, 40, late a company commander of an activated militia unit from New York City. Activated in late May, they were in Washington, D.C., when the Confederates approached Manassas. The confrontation that followed is first Bull Run to us Union folk; first Manassas to Southerners. Capt. Coulter was company commander of a crew of 100--four platoons, each divided into four squads. The regiment was one of many that took on Gen. Thomas Jackson's men in the battle which earned Gen. Jackson the name "Stonewall." That was in late July, a month after activation. Among Capt. Coulter's roughly 100 men, two were killed in action at Bull Run; one was wounded and died in August of wounds, two captured and later paroled back to the company. It was a nasty fight. No record of non-fatal wounds was compiled. Coulter was wounded, and while on medical furlough he came to Nevada Territory. In October he resigned his commission. But more to the Clemens' point. After their first exposure to shots fired at them for real, the company returned to duty guarding Washington D.C. In August, 15 men, or fifteen percent of the company, deserted. Six left on Sunday, August 14, the rest mostly in single desertions. That is just one company in the regiment. Yes, deserters who were caught were shot as an example. That doesn't seem to have been a huge deterrant. It might be interesting to see what happened to the deserters, but that is far outside my current project's envelope. Bob Stewart