Who did What? Co. H Occupations

I would have preferred to put up the Co. H demographic information as one big post, but I have everything in two excel files that don't seem to translate to this medium too easily. (If you would like copies of the two files and haven't gotten them, let me know and I will get them to you) So, we can break things up into a few different categories. These are figures for both groups within Co. H, the original enlistees, the Maury Grays, and the latter additions, enlisting or being conscripted at various times. Numbers are low, you notice that neither column adds up to 100 men, but these are the ones who appear in the 1860 (and in some cases the 1850) census.

Take a look at how socially and economically top-heavy the company is, particularly the MGs. While there are poor laborers, and slightly better-off mechanics, the percentage of professionals, lawyers, druggists, clerks, is decidedly greater in this group than in Columbia as a whole. Clue number 1 that this ain't your average bear.

Maury Grays' Occupations:
Mechanic, various occupations- 11
Farmer (nonslaveholding)- 10
Farmer (small slaveholder)- 8
Lawyer- 6
Clerk in store- 6
Student- 4
Apprentice, various- 4
Professional, various- 3
Farmer (planter)- 3
Court Clerk- 2
Laborer- 1
Printer- 1

Father's occupation for those with no occupation listed:
Farmer (planter)- 6
Professional, various- 2

The later additions tell a different story than the Maury Grays. Here we see a more representative sample of all strata of Middle TN society. The nonslaveholding farmer predominates and the number of professionals has dropped dramatically. There are some younger sons of planters who made their way into the company after the initial wave, but by and large we see a markedly less affluent set in this group.

Later Additions to Co. H, Occupations:
Farmer (nonslaveholding)- 7
Farmer (Small slaveholder)- 4
Clerk- 2
Student- 2
Mechanic- 2
Father is a slavholding farmer- 2
Laborer- 1
Watch Maker- 1

So, some questions to ponder for interpretative and impression purposes. How did these later enlistees interact with the original men? We are familiar with the tightly knit small group cohesion that can form in military units, veterans shunning replacements and similar phenomena. What happens when those replacements are from a different social and economic background as yourself? Did these two groups interact much within the company? A clue to that relationship lies in observing how often our best source, Sam Watkins, mentions men who came into the company later. Those names do not often show up, and when they do they are often only in passing. Fred Bailey's work with the TN Veterans' Questionnaires sheds some light on the subject, but even his thorough reading of the evidnce leaves questions unanswered or maybe unanswerable. Unfortunately, much of this is inference. There simply isn't much to base assumptions on one way or the other.

But give some thought to what it meant to be a Maury Gray in Co. H. What did that mean for your life before the war? How did that status affect your military service? How about your decision to enlist and opinions of the war's progress? How did you view fellow soldiers both within your unit and in other commands? Could any of this have effects after the war?