How to Find Civil War Ancestors | Tips for Your Genealogy Research

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

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[@vickyprince3686]

The SCV (Sons of Confederate Veterans) organizations sometimes lists the regiments with the soldier rosters.

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Yes! Take a roster like that or one published by a state adjutant general (many are on Google Books) and combine with what regiments were raised in the area, and you can get a good idea who might be the person you’re looking for.

[@danaoneill8695]

I'm quite surprised you didn't mention the National Park Service Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database available online. It's often the first place I look for information about Civil War ancestors. Also, information about writing for copies of Civil War pensions would be helpful..

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

I debated including the CWSS, but in my experience, they've made the website so hard for so many people to navigate. (Which pains me greatly, since I was the coordinator for the Ohio records being entered into that database.) Plus, it doesn't give enough information on its own to help people differentiate between men of the same name. Can be a good starting point, but you can't stop there. As for the pensions -- they are some of my favorite records! Unfortunately, the National Archives has been closed to on-site researchers since early 2020, and the reference service has been prioritized to handle the requests of government agencies and living veterans. They are several months behind in fulfilling copy orders for CW pensions. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if they are more than a year behind.

[@drmasroberts]

Interesting point you make about asking relatives. A family story said our ancestor took a piece of wallpaper from Gen. Robert E Lee's house, and my uncle said he had seen it. When I finally sorted out the story, it was not Robert E Lee’s house but the house of another Confederate general, Stephen D. Lee, Columbus, Mississippi. Our ancestor had been stationed there when it was used as a hospital. Another family story incorrectly identified him as a Confederate soldier. (Ancestors in Missouri sympathized on both sides of the conflict, having migrated west from Virginia.)

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Nice job getting all of that sorted out! Pretty amazing how a story can change so much in a relatively short period of time.

[@feliciagaffney1998]

There's a good example of the rumor mill for ya!

[@davidconnon1214]

Amy Johnson Crow, very good job!

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Thank you!

[@deborahackerman7418]

Thank you for this video. I have someone who was in the Civil War and I'm trying to determine if he is an ancestor. I only have Civil War info like regiment and he did die shortly after his "muster" dates. This gives me some more ideas of where to look to see if he is my ancestor or not. Thank you

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Wonderful! I'm glad it helped. It can be confusing when there are so many men with the same name. I hope you get it sorted out!

[@edgewaterz]

How can we find military graves for the 1800s? I am often flummoxed when a male is not in the family plot. Then I realize it's because of their military service. But I can't find them. I have a few from Kentucky War of 1812. And a few Civil War Confederates. Their widows are not in the pension index. There's no obituary on Newspapers or Chronicling America. I don't have a date for the library to look for. Thanks for your videos!

[@bekkibuenviaje9680]

I have had an easier time finding the union soldiers but the confederate soldiers have been impossible to find.

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

They can be a lot harder. If he continued to live in the South after the war, check that state's Confederate pension applications. (Those were granted by individual states, and are based on where he was living, not where he served from.) Many of them are on FamilySearch.

[@gears101]

My 3rd great grandfather served in the Ohio Infantry 92nd regiment Company I and he died in the Civil War. My thing is finding detailed information on how he died and what he did. I heard several different stories on that but not sure which one is true. I heard he died of disease and also being shot. I heard he was either a medic, driver and also a soldier. This kind of information I cannot seem to find, no matter how much I dig.

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Your best source for that kind of information would be his Compiled Military Service Record, which you can order from the National Archives.

[@gears101]

@@AmyJohnsonCrow Thanks Amy !

[@marjoriedybec3450]

This was helpful. When I come across someone who is listed in a Civil War Draft Registration book from Jun 1863 (CT), this is then NOT definitive that he served, correct? It just means he was eligible, correct?

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Correct. Registering for the draft just means that he registered, not that he served. This is also true when you’re looking at WWI and WWII draft cards.

[@marjoriedybec3450]

Yes, it made sense with the WWI and WWII cards but those Civil War seemed ambiguous. I've seen some that say the Company or Sgt at the top of the page. Thanks for the quick reply. @@AmyJohnsonCrow

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

@marjoriedybec3450 You might want to double-check those. Something that’s says “company” on the top does not sound like a draft record. That sounds more like a roster or muster roll.

[@valdaritter8159]

What does DPLA stand for? Thanks

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

Digital Public Library of America. It's a fantastic resource for finding digitized material from all around the country. (And it's free!)

[@lutkeone]

Thank you

[@AmyJohnsonCrow]

You’re welcome! I hope this helps!