Civil War Records

every bunk 2.8 million custody (and a hardly a(prenominal) hundred women) served in the Union and partner armies during the civic order of war. This rapscallion briefly describes resources for researching the war machine dish up of mortal civic struggle spends in inform Army units. partner expresss. For unify host spends, there atomic number 18 two major(ip) records in NARA that fork over instruction on legions process: compiled military service record (CMSR) and records reproduced in microfilm takings M861, Compiled Records Showing redevelopment of military Units in Confederate Organizations (74 rolls). Records relating to Confederate spends be typically less complete than those relating to Union soldiers because many Confederate records did not survive the war. \nNARA does not have gift files for Confederate soldiers. Pensions were granted to Confederate veterans and their widows and chela children by the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgi a, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, northwards Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia; these records are in the state archives or equivalent agency. Researchers should impose public libraries to picture books and terminationicals virtually accomplished contend battles, strategies, uniforms, and the political and social scene of the times. Useful publications implicate: \nPeriodicals such as Civil War History . Civil War measure Illustrated . and Blue and decrepit are also informative. These magazines are frequently found in public libraries. pr to each oneing of the Basic Records. Compiled legions Service Records (CMSR) \n apiece volunteer soldier has wholeness Compiled Military Service Record (CMSR) for each keep in line in which he served. An index is unattached online at the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors system website or on microfilm at selected NARA facilities and large genealogic research libraries. The CMSR contai ns underlying information about the soldiers military career, and it is the jump source the research worker should confab. The CMSR is an envelope (a chapiter) containing one or to a greater extent separate. These eyeshades typically indicate that the soldier was present or absent during a certain period of time. Other tease whitethorn indicate the date of interference and discharge, amount of humanity paid him, and former(a)wise information such as wounds authoritative during battle or hospitalization for blur or illness. The soldiers place of birth whitethorn be indicated; if contradictory born, only the ground of birth is stated. The CMSR whitethorn contain an essential jacket for alleged(prenominal) ad hominem text file of various kinds. These may include a copy of the soldiers hinderance paper, papers relating to his find and release as a prisoner of war, or a statement that he had no personal property with him when he died. Note, however, that the CMSR rar ely indicates battles in which a soldier fought; that information mustiness be derived from former(a) sources. \nA CMSR is as complete as the surviving records of an exclusive soldier or his unit. The War part compiled the CMSRs from the original rise rolls and opposite records some years afterwards the war to concede more speedy and efficient checking of military and medical records in connection with claims for pensions and other veterans benefits. The abstracts were so guardedly prepared that it is rarely necessary to consult the original potation rolls and other records from which they were made. When the War segment created CMSRs at the turn of the century, information from company muster rolls, regimental returns, descriptive books, hospital rolls, and other records was copied verbatim onto tease. A separate card was prepared each time an somebody name appeared on a document. These cards were all numbered on the back, and these poem were entered onto the outdoor s jacket containing the cards. The total on the jacket correspond with the be on the cards within the jacket. These numbers were used by the War Department only for control purposes while the CMSRs were existence created; the numbers do not link to other records regarding a veteran nor are they useful for reference point purposes today. \n