Researching your Ancestors Military Service Up through The Civil War from your Computer

Rod Fleck

Purpose today

• Brief Summary of Military Periods

• An approach to military history research if you are new

• Clues to look for or that you may have

• Some of the sources I use for each period and why

• Also, an introduction to one subscription site www.fold3.com

So a quick snap shot of American Military History

• Military – I am using that to mean serving in an armed force specifically organized by a governing body.

• During the period in question we see local militia’s give way to state militia’s to the start of a federal military.

• I also think that many folks do not realize we have had military engagements from nearly the start of the European colonization.

What “Hints” Do You Have?• 1840 Census – Veteran reference• Headstone;• Listed in a “Patriot List” – book, local history;• Obituary – “Veteran of ----”• Tombstone

– will usually have rank and regiment;– Symbols: GAR/SCV; MxAmWar; 1812; Others

• Artifact– Badge; – Photo;– Shadow Portrait;– Military Equipment;– Book;– Print

• Family History– Story: “With Washington at Valley Forge”– Great Grandma joined the D.A.R.

What are your looking for?

• Specific reference to a conflict

• Even better- reference to a regiment– 12th Massachusetts;– Colonel Samuel Brewer’s Regiment;

• Individual’s rank (Pvt; Capt; etc.)

• Utilize the idea of what events were going on and how old was your ancestor at that time

Key Research Concepts for Each Major Military Epoch

• Handout will have the links for most of these sites and others.

• “Key Concepts” – approaches to use to gain additional information.

• Will make this available on-line at:www.olypen.com/tinkers

• Will attempt to highlight both use of the web and www.fold3.com

• ALSO – Books – military history is still very book oriented.

Snapshot - Early Colonial Period1622 - 1691

• Powhatan War at James River – 1622-24– Native American versus Virginia Colonists

• Powhatan War of 1644-1646– Native American versus Virginia Colonists

• Pequot War -1636-37– Native American versus a combined Colonial & Native Response (~350

male expedition)• English-Dutch War – 1664

– Surrender to British New Netherlands – permanent base for British regulars for ~120 years.

• Bacon’s Rebellion, 1675 – Jamestown, VA– Colonist v. Colonists and Colonists v. Native Americans

• Leisler’s Rebellion, 1689-1691 – New York City region– Colonists v. Colonists, then Colonists v. British Regulars

• HEY – Wait he missed one…well no, not really….

King Phillip’s War

• The peace of Plymouth ended in the third generation

• Most costly war in American history when considered in proportion:– Massive losses in relationship to population– Colonists pushed back into area around present Boston– ~1,000 Natives killed at “Great Swamp Fight/Massacre”– Pushed many Native Tribes into being allies with French– Native captives sold into slavery

• New England based and involved all colonial governments

Europe’s Wars on American Shores

• King William’s War – 1689-1697– War of Rhenish Palatine; War of the League of Augsburg– Colonists versus French Colonists– 2,200 men attack Quebec

• Queen Anne’s War – 1702-1713– War of Spanish Succession– New England Phase in and about Maine and Port Royal– S.C. attacks Spanish Colonies south of them– Quebec – redux

• King George’s War – 1744-1748– War of Austrian Succession– New England Colonists take French Louisburg on Cape Breton

Island

French and Indian War1754-1763

• Will involve entire colonial area and will be started in large part by a young, naïve Virginia militia colonial…

• British regulars and Colonial Militias with Native American Allies

• Costs of this war born by British government and they thought that the colonists should help pay for defending the colonies…

• Led to something a problem that we call….

Colonial Wars – Key Concepts

• Usually a reference in a printed source at a regional or state level to your ancestor’s participation in specific engagement, local militia, etc.

• Google Books – searchable regional histories.• State Archives may have specific records available to

prove service.• http://www.colonialwarsct.org/general-society.htm

Heritage Society for The Society of Colonial Wars. Great resource site for information via the Connecticut Chapter.

• http://www.militaryheritage.com/7ywlink.htm Seven Years War/F&I War portal site. Select British troops and that opens a lot of links for this war.

American Revolution

• England’s imposition of taxes led many colonists to question their relationship with the King.

• Ultimately, the King and his government’s decision to impose their will on the colonists led to a six year war.

• ~250,000 served. Or, if we use the 1790 census as a population guide 1:20 served in the military.

• Tens of thousands more rendered service, aid and support.

• Sides:– Colonies v. - British– France - Loyalists– Natives - Hessians– Spain - Natives

American Revolutionary WarKey Concepts

• Usually you will see a reference to your ancestor’s military or patriotic service in a document, tombstone

• Organized at a Colony level with Federal service– Published archive sources at state level;– State Archives and/or Adjutant General may have materials;– http://www.revwar75.com – one of the best portal sites for Am Rev War Materials

• Daughters of the American Revolution– www.dar.org – Genealogical Research Database; “Ancestor” look up– Patriot Burials – books done by DAR showing where an AmRevWar Patriot is buried– Ladies – if you have a potential Patriot, the DAR can really help you and if you are interested in their

organization, you may find a great new social circle– Guys – same for www.sar.org (Sons of American Revolution); www.sr1776.org (Sons of the Revolution)– Children/Grandchildren – www.nscar.org – similar proof requirements – if admitted as children can “bridge

up” to the adult society• National Archives (www.archives.org)

– Pensions and Bounty Land documentation use NATF 85– Service File

• Significant increase in costs to obtain file from NARA– Pension $75– Bounty $25

• Recommend hiring a “file puller” – usually about $35

• Website – focus on ether battles/engagements, or regiments

Northwest Indian War

• Northwest Territories of the 1790s-1830s• U.S. versus the Shawnee and Delaware led by

Little Turtle and Blue Jacket in area of the Ohio - the NW of that period

• Greatest defeat of US Army by Native Americans in 1791. Led to organization of U.S. Army (Legion of the United States) under General Anthony Wayne.

• Native defeat at the Battle of Fallen Timbers

War of 1812

• Arose out of British aggression with maritime impressments, as well as out of political and economic issues.

• 18 Jun 1812 through 8 Jan 1815 (Though treaty was signed in late 1814).

• Burning of the US Capital did not lead to surrender that the that the British commander expected

• 285,000 served or 4% of the 1810 population• Sides:

– U.S. v. - British– Natives - Natives

War of 1812Key Concepts

• State organized with Federal Oversight– Again, State Archives or Adjutant General

• New York Equipment Reimbursement

• National Archives (www.archives.org)– Pensions and Bounty Land documentation use NATF 85– Service File

• Significant increase in costs to obtain file from NARA– Pension $75– Bounty $25

• Recommend hiring a “file puller” – usually about $35

• Societies– United States Daughters of 1812 – Bicentennial – active Washington

organizations• http://www.usdaughters1812.org/

– General Society of the War of 1812 http://societyofthewarof1812.org/membership/become-a-member/

– Both can be very helpful to research your ancestor• Usually see a reference in biographies of children or grandchildren

Indian wars

• First Seminole War 1817-1818– West Florida

• Black Hawk War – 1832– Illinois

• Second Seminole War – 1835– Central Florida

Mexican-American War

• Texas and Territorial Expansion

• 1846-1848

• 104,000 volunteers or ½ +% of 1% of 1850 population

• War predominately on Foreign Soil– Yet, before you have the Texas Rebellion– If ancestor involved in Texas Independence,

lots of data at the state level.

Mexican-American WarKey Concepts

• State Raised, Federal Service - Supervised/Deployed• National Archives (www.archives.org)

– Pensions and Bounty Land documentation use NATF 85– Service File

• Significant increase in costs to obtain file from NARA– Pension $75– Bounty $25

• Recommend hiring a “file puller” – usually about $35• State Rosters with the State Archives

• Online• Printed

• Descendants of Mexican War Veterans– http://www.dmwv.org – portal site– May want to reach out to them for local societies

U.S. Civil War(a.k.a. War of Southern Agression/Rebellion;

War of Northern Agression; etc.)

• Political compromises on the issue of slavery in relationship to the creation of new states, as well as within existing states, were no longer seen as possible.

• 1861-1865• North = 1:3 men served; ~2,500

regiments; 1.5-2.2m• South = 9:10 men served; ~1,000

regiments; 1m

U.S. Civil WarKey Concepts

• http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/info.htm - Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System – 6.3 million records used to create this amazing database

• State Archives• Pennsylvania – on-line copies of the index of PA vets• Printed histories by Adjutant General (Google)

• 1890 Census – Union• Pensions

• Union – NARA• Confederacy – State

• Printed Histories• Armies, Corps, Divisions, Brigades, Regiments• Campaigns, battles• Many of these could be found on the web in some format – but new

books coming out at nearly all the time

One other set of suggestions• Reenactors

– Military historians focused on reenacting the specific events of a certain military period

– More details about activities, armaments, uniforms, service duties, etc.• Militaria Forum

– http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ – Great potential resources there by individuals very interested in specific items

• Uniforms– http://library.brown.edu/cds/askb/– Anne S.K. Brown Military collection – while this contains digital images, the

library is one of the best in the world for military uniform information.• Specific Books

– http://www.ospreypublishing.com/default.aspx – Osprey Publishing This is the publisher of hundreds of military specific books

from weapons to uniforms to battles to campaigns. Worth finding if you are wanting to get more detail in your effort to understand your ancestor’s service.

– Examples here on table

www.fold3.com

• The military documents subscription website;• Originally a competitor to Ancestry.com – now

part of Ancestry – but military focus• Searchable site – constantly adding docs

– Organized within specific periods;– All documents within that archive set;– Currently adding 1812 Pension Records;

• Name references flag folding ceremony where third fold is for veterans

• Subscription Site – but it does have tutorials and videos

So, let’s use a couple of examples

• Joshua Dunbar– Gravestone – Soldier (of the Revolution)– Pensioner

• Will ask for two examples:

• Will also be here during the break and be willing to help you if I don’t get to your issue or question.

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