U.S. Volunteer Infantry Regiments

These regiments were comprised of Confederate prisoners of war.   They were called Galvanized Yankees.  Rather than spend the rest of their time in prison, they were given the opportunity to pledge their loyalty to the U.S. and be released from prison to serve in these regiments.

Since they had previously been fighting "on the other side," their real loyalty was questionable.  Therefore, they were sent far from the actual Civil War battlegrounds and spent their time in forts and garrisons further west.   Many of them also helped in the conflict against the Native Americans out west.

The 2nd U.S. Volunteer Infantry Regiment was "organized at Rock Island, Ill., October, 1864. Ordered to Dept. of Missouri and assigned to duty in District of Upper Arkansas along the Santa Fe Road from Little Arkansas River to Fort Dodge and Cimaron Crossing. Stationed by Companies at Fort Riley, Salem, Fort Ellsworth, Fort Learned, Fort Zarah and Fort Scott, Kansas, on guard duty and operating against Indians till November, 1865. Mustered out November 7, 1865."  [per Wikipedia.org]