Daily AncestorMustered out
Mustered out means a soldier or unit was formally released from military service, usually when the term of enlistment ended or the war was over.
Mustering out was the formal end of service. A whole regiment was mustered out when it disbanded, but men of the same regiment could leave on different dates.
Regiments such as the 33rd Illinois split this way: the original enlistees were mustered out in October 1864 when their three years ran out, while the men who had reenlisted as veterans, and later recruits, stayed until December 1865. If an ancestor's release date differs from his regiment's, check whether he was a recruit or a veteran volunteer.
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Daily Ancestor. "Mustered out." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/military/mustered-out. Last checked 2026-10-03.