Month: March 2021

You’ve been researching your Civil War ancestor’s service for a while now. You’ve searched the Federal censuses, NARA pension records, Compiled Military Service Records, regimental histories and more. You’ve been a captive to your laptop as you’ve documented your veteran’s actions. Let’s change it up a bit. We’ll get up, get out and get going. It’s time for some research out in the field away from the computer. We’re going to check out Courthouse Records.* Keep in mind that the courthouse records you seek will depend on the location your Civil War ancestor was living at the time the record was generated. These records were produced during the war and depending on your ancestor’s movements, your search may cover a couple county courthouses.  Money Account – The first time I heard of this type of record I was attending a Civil War presentation in a neighboring county. “Money Accounts” or “Statements of Moneys” were set up at this county’s local courthouse during the early part of the Civil War. Because soldiers did not receive their pay regularly due to troop movement these accounts were set up for families to deposit money for their soldier’s use. This money was to reach […]

In a previous post we discussed resources for the researcher still unsure where their Civil War veteran is buried. If you’re still seeking that information this resource may help solve the mystery: The Roll of Honor: Names of Soldiers Who Died in Defense of the American Union, Interred in National Cemeteries. Long title but a very important little used resource. The Roll of Honor is the only official listing of Union soldiers who died in the Civil War. This is a 27 volume set containing more than 300,000 names of soldiers who died in hospitals, as prisoners of war, and on the battlefield. The first two volumes of the series were published in 1865-66 and the additional volumes were published through 1870. This work was updated recently in 1994. The compilation of this extensive list of burials dates back to the Mexican War. Fought from 1846 to 1848, approximately 1,733 US soldiers died in combat. Most of their bodies were never recovered and are buried in a cemetery in Mexico City. Very few of these men were ever identified. Sadly the war ended with unknown US soldiers buried in an unknown foreign cemetery. To prevent this from ever happening again […]

President Lincoln signed an Act of Congress creating what he hoped was an answer for injured veterans. Along with accomplishing Lincoln’s goal it’s outstanding genealogy research material. By 1865, the Civil War raged on into an unprecedented fourth year. The United States soon found itself faced with yet another dilemma previously unknown to the country. There were a growing number of disabled veterans who were finding it difficult to care for themselves. With a lack of healthcare and the inability of family members to nurse these type of injuries, veterans declined in health. In March of 1865, President Abraham Lincoln signed an Act of Congress creating what he hoped would be an answer for the ailing veteran, the National Homes for Disabled Soldiers. This Congressional Act appropriated the building of three “Homes”. The first one was built in Togus, Maine and referred to as the Eastern Branch. The second home was built in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and known as the North Western Branch and the third home, known as the Central Branch was located in Dayton, Ohio. As the war ended and soldiers returned home from hospitals and prison camps, it was apparent the need was much greater than originally anticipated. […]

In the latter part of the Civil War, after the prisoner exchange system broke down, Confederate POWs were given a couple of options. The first was to be shipped off to one of the Union prisons up north. There they’d live in squalid, miserable conditions for the rest of the war, hopefully avoiding death. Or the prisoners could “swallow the dog” which meant taking an Oath of Allegiance to the U.S. and joining the Union army. Many prisoners chose the latter. Roughly 6,000 Confederate soldiers joined the Union army from 1864 to 1865. They eventually served out west. These Confederates were known as Galvanized Yankees and served with the 1st through the 6th U.S.Volunteer Infantry Regiments. They were sent west to fight the Plains Indians. Since there were questions about these newly minted soldier’s loyalty to the Union, they served as far from Civil War battlefields as possible. This same situation held true for federal troops. The term Galvanized Yankees was also used as a reference to Union soldiers who once they were captured by Confederate troops chose to “enlist” in the Confederate army rather than become a prisoner of war. It’s estimated more than 1,600 Union soldiers who were […]

I haven’t found a family researcher that doesn’t jump at the chance to stroll a cemetery. We love the old granite and marble monuments. We marvel at the inscriptions, names and unusual epitaphs. We don’t mind that they’re not “our people.” As historians we love to experience and absorb history especially in this form. I’ve always thought when we stop and recognize a long forgotten headstone we honor a life once lived.  In a larger cemetery we may come across a military section with rows of neat white marble markers. I’ve always been drawn to that section. I walk past each stone saying the soldier’s name and regiment out loud. I hope that veteran “hears” and knows he is remembered and not lost to history. I wondered about all those headstones. I know they’re supplied by the government but that’s about it. So I decided to do a little research. I was surprised to find “government issued headstones” pre-date the Civil War. It was back in this country’s frontier days when military posts were built that a burial system was established. As is common due to sickness, injury or combat, soldiers died where they were stationed and post commanders needed […]