The Descriptive List of Deserters from Pennsylvania Military Units During the Civil War

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The Descriptive List of Deserters from Pennsylvania Military Units During the Civil War was printed in September 1866 by the Provost Marshal General’s office in Washington D.C. at the request of the Pennsylvania Legislature. The document contains physical, military and demographic information for over 24,000 Pennsylvanians who enlisted in the Union army and later failed to report for duty and were subsequently cited as deserters. The roster was compiled from unit and regimental lists of men who were recorded as having failed to report for duty. Compiled monthly, these lists were submitted to the Provost Marshal and Adjutant General between 1861 and 1865.

On June 4, 1866 the Republican-dominated Pennsylvania Legislature had amended the election code to allow the disqualification of military deserters from the right to vote. Republican officials presumed that deserters were predominantly disloyal Democrats, and this amendment to the election code opened the door to political discrimination against them. The “deserters roster” was printed on broadside sheets, and the sheets were hung for public display at courthouses and polling stations during the Pennsylvania legislative election season of 1866. This enabled election officials and voters themselves to challenge suspected deserters at the polls and try to prevent them from casting ballots. It is not known how widespread this practice was, but it provides fascinating insight into the political atmosphere of the North following the Civil War. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court later struck down the amendment to the election code, declaring that it violated constitutional protections against ex post facto punishments.

The roster lists deserters by unit and contains a wealth of descriptive and demographic data, including places and dates of enlistment and desertion, rank, physical description, country of origin (for those born outside of the US), birthplace, age and occupation.

The People's Contest has created an interactive database that allows users to search the roster in a variety of ways.

The roster pages have been digitized in the same order that they were received by the Penn State Libraries, with the last page first and regiments listed in descending order.

Follow this link to browse the digital images of the roster pages.

Index to the Non-reporting Drafted Men and Deserters List

Adjutant General’s Office, Harrisburg, Sept. 11th 1866._p001

Miscellaneous Units

Substitute Deserters from the Fifth Congressional District of Pennsylvania._p002
Deserters from the Second Battalion of six months Pennsylvania Volunteers—Infantry._p003
Independent Companies of Acting Engineers, State Volunteers._p005
Ringgold Battalion, Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p005
Washington Cavalry, Independent Company of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p005
Burrowe’s Independent Battery, Pennsylvania Artillery, State Volunteer._p006
Lafayette Independent Company, Pennsylvania Cavalry, State Volunteers._p007
Hampton’s Battery, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p007

Artillery

Thompson’s Independent Battery, Pennsylvania Light Artillery._p008
Steven’s Independent Battery, Pennsylvania Artillery, State Volunteers._p009
Battery D, Pennsylvania Artillery, State Volunteers._p009
6th Regiment of Heavy Artillery, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p010
5th Regiment of Heavy Artillery, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p011
3d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Artillery—Continued._p012
3d Regiment of Artillery, Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p013
3d Regiment of Artillery, Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p014
3d Regiment of Artillery, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p015
2d Regiment of Artillery, Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p016
2d Regiment of Artillery, Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p017
2d Regiment of Volunteers, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p018
Battery I, Independent Light Artillery, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p019
Keystone Battery, Pennsylvania Artillery._p019
Battery H, 1st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Light Artillery._p020
Batteries F and G, 1st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Light Artillery._p021
Battery E, Pennsylvania Artillery, State Volunteers._p022
Knapp’s Battery, Pennsylvania Artillery, State Volunteers._p022
Battery D, 1st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Light Artillery._p023
Mlotkowski’s 1st Independent Battery Artillery, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p024
Battery B, Pennsylvania Light Artillery._p024
Battery A. 1st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Light Artillery._p025
1st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Light Artillery._p026
1st Regiment of Pennsylvania Artillery, Batteries G and D, State Volunteers._p027

Cavalry

22d Regiment of Cavalry, Pennsylvania State Volunters._p028
21st Regiment of Pennsylvania Cavalry, State Volunteers—Continued._p029
21st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p030
20th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p031
19th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p032
19th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p033
19th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p034
19th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p035
18th Regiment of Cavalry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p036
17th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued. _p037
17th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p038
16th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p039
16th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p040
15th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers Cavalry._p041
14th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._ p042
14th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p043
14th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p044
13th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p045
13th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p046
13th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p047
12th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p048
12th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p049
12th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p050
12th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p051
12th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers,Cavalry._p052
11th Regiment of Cavalry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p053
9th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p054
8th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p055
8th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p056
7th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p057
6th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p058
6th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p059
5th Regiment of Cavalry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p060
5th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p061
4th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p062
3d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued._p063
3d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry—Continued ._p064
3d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Cavalry._p065
2d Regiment of Cavalry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p066
2d Regiment of Cavalry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p067
2d Regiment of Cavalry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p068
1st Regiment of Cavalry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p069

Infantry

214th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p070
214th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p071
214th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p072
213th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p073
211th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p074
210th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p075
210th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p076
210th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p077
209th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p078
208th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p079
207th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunters._p080
206th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p081
205th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p082
203d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p083
202d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p084
201st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volonteers._p085
200th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p086
199th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p087
198th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p088
195th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p089
195th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p090
193d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p091
192d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p092
191st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p093
190th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p094
188th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p095
187th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p096
186th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p097
186th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p098
184th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p099
183d Regiments of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p100
183d Regiments of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p101
179d Regiments of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p102
179d Regiments of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p103
178th Regiments of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p104
178th Regiments of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p105
177th Regiments of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p106
176th Regiment of Pennsylvania Drafted Militia—Continued._p107
176th Regiment of Pennsylvania Drafted Militia, State Volunteers._p108
172d Regiment of Pennsylvania Drafted Militia, State Volunteers—Continued._p109
173d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p109
172d Regiment of Pennsylvania Drafted Militia, State Volunteers._p110
169th Regiment of Pennsylvania Drafted Militia, State Volunteers._p111
167th Regiment of Pennsylvania Drafted Militia, State Volunteers._p112
166th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p113
166th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p114
165th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p115
161st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p116
157th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p117
157th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p118
155th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p119
154th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p120
153d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p121
151st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p122
150th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p123
149th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p124
148th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p125
147th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p126
147th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p127
145th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p128
143d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p129
143d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p130
142d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p131
141st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p132
140th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p133
139th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p134
139th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p135
138th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p136
137th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p137
136th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p138
134th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p139
135th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p139
133d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p140
132d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p141
131st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p142
130th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p143
129th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p144
128th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p145
127th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p146
126th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p147
124th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p148
125th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers. _p148
123d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p149
121st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p150
119th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p151
119th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p152
118th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p153
118th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p154
118th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p155
116th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p156
116th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p157
115th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p158
114th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p159
114th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p160
114th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p161
111th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p162
111th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p163
110th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p164
110th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p165
109th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p166
109th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p167
109th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p168
107th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p169
107th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p170
106th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p171
105th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p172
104th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p173
103d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p174
102d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p175
101st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p176
100th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p177
99th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p178
98th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p179
98th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p180
97th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p181
97th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p182
96th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p183
96th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p184
95th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p185
95th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p186
93d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p187
91st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p188
91st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p189
90th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p190
90th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p191
90th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p192
88th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p193
88th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p194
87th Regiment, Pennsylvania State Volunteers, (Col. John W. Schall,) called into service of the United States by the President, to serve for the term of three years, from the 25th day of September, 1861, (date muster into service.)
85th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p196
84th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p197
83d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers—Continued._p198
83d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p199
83d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers._p200
82d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p201
82d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p202
82d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p203
81st Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p204
81st Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p205
79th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p206
78th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p207
77th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p208
77th Regiment, Pennsylvania (Infantry) State Volunteers, called into the service of the U.S. by the President, to serve for the term of three years._p209
76th Regiment, Pennsylvania (Infantry) State Volunteers, (Col. D. C. Strawbridge,) called into service of the U.S. by the President, to serve for the term of three years, from the 18th of November, 1861, date of muster into service._p210
75th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers—Continued._p211
75th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p212
74th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p213
74th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p214
73d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p215
72d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p216
72d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p217
71st Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Infantry._p218
69th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued_p219
69th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p220
68th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued_p221
68th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p222
67th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued_p223
67th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p224
63d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p225
62d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p226
61st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued_p227
61st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p228
58th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p229
58th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p230
57th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p231
57th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p232
56th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued_p233
56th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p234
55th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry_p235
54th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued_p236
54th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p237
53d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p238
52d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p239
51st Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p240
50th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry—Continued._p241
50th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p242
49th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued_p243
49th Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers_p244
48th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers, Infantry._p245
47th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued_p246
47th Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p247
46th Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p248
46th Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p249
45th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p250
45th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p251
12th Regiment of Pennsylvania Infantry, Reserve Corps, State Volunteers._p252
11th Regiment of Infantry, P.R.V.C.—Continued._p253
11th Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps._p254
10th Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps._p255
9th Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps._256
8th Regiment of Pennsylvania Infantry, Reserve Corps, State Volunteers._p257
7th Regiment of Infantry, Penna. V.R.C., State Volunteers—Continued._p258
7th Regiment of Infantry, P.R.V.C., State Volunteers._p259
6th Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps._p260
5th Regiment of Infantry, P.R.V.C., State Volunteers._p261
4th Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania Reserve Corps._p262
3d Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps._p263
2d Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania Volunteer Reserve Corps._p264
1st Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania Reserve Corps._p265
1st Regiment of Rifles, P.R.V.C., State Volunteers._p266
29th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p267
29th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p268
28th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p269
28th Regiment of Infantry, Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p270
27th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p271
27th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p272
26th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p273
26th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p274
23d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers—Continued._p275
23d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p276
23d Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p277
11th Regiment of Pennsylvania State Volunteers._p278

Related Essay

Community

By . .

This image captures the communal funeral procession for Lincoln at Independence Hall

Mobilization

By . .

Pennsylvania met President Lincoln’s initial call for volunteers with vigor, supplying twenty-five regiments to the request for only fourteen. Over 360,000 Pennsylvanians fought for the Union cause, serving with distinction on battlefields across the South and at home.[1] Another 14,000 Pennsylvanians served the nation at sea, sailing on vessels all over the world.[2] Only the state of New York exceeded Pennsylvania’s troop contribution, and only neighboring Maryland contributed more African American soldiers than the 8,000 who came from Pennsylvania. Volunteer units were raised in communities throughout the state and were led by elected officers. Kinship and neighborhood ties created a camaraderie that promoted unit cohesiveness and pride.

This initial fervor for volunteering dissipated across the North after early military reversals and the reality of a long war set in. States and local communities offered bounties after 1861 to induce volunteers, but ultimately conscription was necessary to fulfill Pennsylvania’s federal troop quotas. Draftees could hire substitutes or pay a commutation fee if they had the resources, but this fostered the perception that the Civil War was “a rich man’s war, but a poor man’s fight” and fueled resentment of the draft. Draft resistance was strong among the predominately Irish-American miners in Schuylkill, Carbon, and Lebanon Counties and in the poorer communities of north-central Pennsylvania’s lumber country. In these regions, anti-war sentiment often reflected economic and social conflicts between landowners and mine owners on one side and miners and lumbermen on the other. Mobs halted the draft in some communities, and in Carbon County a mine owner was murdered ostensibly over his support for the draft. Nearly every community in the state experienced some resistance to Union mobilization.

Partisan politics exacerbated divisions over the draft and the Lincoln administration’s handling of the war generally. Republicans labeled so-called Peace Democrats “Copperheads” after the treacherous snake. Capitalizing on dissatisfaction with the progress of the war and the Emancipation Proclamation, the Pennsylvania Democratic state convention adopted a peace platform for the upcoming gubernatorial campaign on June 17, 1863. The nearly simultaneous Confederate invasion of Pennsylvania doomed the Democrats to defeat in the fall elections, but sporadic resistance to the draft continued throughout the remainder of the war.

[1] William A. Blair and William Pencak, eds.Making and Remaking Pennsylvania’s Civil War(University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2001), xiii

[2] Michael J. Bennett Union Jacks: Yankee Sailors in the Civil War (Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 2004), 5.

Spencer C. Tucker Blue & Gray Navies: The Civil War Afloat (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2006), 6.

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