Army Discharge 1860's

[a chesters]

Seeking some information on how a private could get discharged from the army in the late 1860’s

I have George Chesters joining the army 22 Feb 1858 in Liverpool Lancashire. He was in the 34th Regiment of foot, Regimental Number 500
Paid as a Recruit from 1st March to 31st March ? On-board ship 2 days?   Thence forward as a Private.
His age was 21 and 5 months.

I have information that he served ay Harwich in July 1858, and also at Landguard.

In the 1861 census he was stationed at Colchester Infantry Barracks, as an Army Private.

In 1861, he was mustered at Harwich and Landguard.

In Jan 1862 he was mustered at Colchester on Garrison fatigue.

In 1864 he married at Colchester to Sarah Durrant

In 1867, he gives his abode for the birth of his second son as Chatham, Kent.

He was discharged on 27th Feb 1868 as a private.

I have checked with Cumbria's Museum of Military Life, but they can only find the bare details as above.

Can anyone advise me on where I can find out how he was discharged?
Was it dishonourable?
Was it honourable? Or did he buy himself out, as I believe it was possible to do then.

Any information would be a great help, even negative information, as it would remove that from my seeking.

Thank you in advance

A Chesters

[km1971]

Did some of your information come from the muster books? If so they had sections on men purchasing a discharge and another on men banned from receiving a pension. By this time they had changed from unlimited service - IE for life - to serving two ten year enlistments. As he served a few days over 10 days it looks that he only served one enlistment and would not receive a pension.

Ken

[a chesters]

Thanks for that Ken.

Unfortunately, I have only been able to get the information from the internet, as I am in Australia.

However, even the information about the ten years is interesting, as I was not aware of that.

Do you know if the muster books have been digitised yet, or are there any plans for them to be?

Again, thanks for your help.

AC

[km1971]

The musters have not been digitised apart from the ones for Qtr 2 of 1861 and 1871 which are the basis of Findmypast's worldwide index. And they have only included basic information.

Ken

[a chesters]

Thank you for that, Ken.

It seems I will have to make a trip to UK and do it myself, or get someone to look at the muster books for me.

Oh well, I will just let it go, and see if the muster books get digitised later on.

Again, many thanks.

AC