MDWASHIN-L Archives

Archiver > MDWASHIN > 2007-11 > 1194714520


From: Lauren Brantner <>
Subject: Re: [MDWashin] grave of Civil War ancestor
Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2007 09:08:40 -0800 (PST)
In-Reply-To: <20071110162148.EAUN507.cdptpa-omta06.mail.rr.com@home2huldtj3iu>


And don't forget historical collections at universities and libraries as well as museums close to where the veteran and/or his family lived. Look at old county histories, biographies published after the war, and old local newspapers, I've seen Civil War diaries ;published as installments in newspapers as historical items years later. Look for GAR - Grand Army of the Republic holdings - the Union Veterans organization. Don't forget to look for out of print unit histories - there are two for the 9th Illinois Cavalry unit my GGrandfather was in. One was just published within the last 10 years by the family of the unit's surgeon. His diaries and letters home made a very good read. My relative wasn't mentioned, but I got a very good feel for what he went through by reading the book. Dyer's Compendium will help you trace the history and movements of the unit. I also sent off for a map because I couldn't make sense of the unit movements. When I saw the map I realized they were
going back and forth guarding railroad lines and river shipping lanes. If you Google the unit, you may be surprised at what turns up. You might also consider if the family was wealthy enough that the body may have been shipped home by train. Some relatives in Shepherdstown, WV found their Civil War dead a year or so after battles and disinterred them and brought their caskets home in wagons for re-burial in their own cemetery.

Lauren Brantner
Connie Shotts1 <> wrote:

Thank you, Shelby, for the information on how to obtain the book. I would
also like to thank everyone who searched for me and made suggestions.

On another list, I also got a very good suggestion that I want to pass on
for anyone who may be interested. The suggestion was to look at both the
National Archives and the various state archives (for the state from which
the solider served) holdings for diaries or other writings (letters,
regimental histories, etc.) they have in their collections that were done by
soldiers during the Civil War. It was noted that sometimes a soldier from
the same unit will relate something in his personal correspondence or
writings about other soldiers in his unit, especially those who were wounded
or killed, and that the information related is often more detailed than that
contained in the official government records. My next step is to search the
Indiana State Archives for writings from the regiment and its soldiers in
which my Lewis Houston served.

Thanks again to everyone!
Connie




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