Looking for info on a Civil War Captain.?

Question

I know this might be a long-shot, but I am looking for information on Captain G.W. Edwards of Company G. I have very little other information to go on at this point. I believe that he was part of the 16th Regiment, Maine Volunteer Infantry -- although I am not entirely positive.

I've checked many different databases/books/etc, and haven't had much luck. If anyone has advice on where else I could learn more, I would appreciate it.

Answer 1

These will be the definitive repositories of information:

Maine State Archives: http://www.state.me.us/sos/arc/research/homepage.html


NARA/NPRC Military Records Archives: This will give you complete information, including the battles he participated in, where he mustered in and where he was discharged, etc.

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/standard-form-180.html


There is also a thorough group of official records online through Ohio State University (the Wolverine in me cringes to type that). I've found them extremely helpful. They don't list every last soldier, but once you confirm your ancestor's unit, this will help you understand what he went through.

http://ehistory.osu.edu/uscw/library/or/list3.cfm


The State of Maine also has an official historian. Once you confirm that's where your ancestor was assigned, he can help you gather additional information.

Answer 2

http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/me/civilwar/16thme/companyb.htm

has a G W Edwards Killed at Fredericksburg December 13, 1862, but he was a 1st Lt. in Co. B of the 16th.

http://www.mainememory.org/bin/SwishSearch?q_id=%22Maine%20Historical%20Society%22&snum=456&

has his picture.

I used
["16th maine infantry" edwards]
in Google and got 14 hits. The quotation marks are vital to the accuracy. Play with it; "16" and "16th" are NOT the same to the search engine, for instance. Case doesn't matter, however.

Try all the combinations of 16, 16th, Infantry, Volunteer Infantry, Volunteers and V. I. that you can think of.

Answer 3

Here are two URLs for searching on the internet. Try also the Later-day Saints (they keep excellent records, and accumulate everyone they can).

http://www.cyndislist.com/ This is a list of lists -excellent source
http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/ Civil War sailors and soldiers.

Answer 4

I am a genealogist email me with any information you have on him and I'll try and help and will send sources where I find the information

Answer 5

try looking here civil war page

Answer 6

I searched the Ancestry.com military databases for Captain Edwards on the Union side. The closest match for G. W. Edwards as a Captain of Company G is:

Civil War Service Records Record
about George W. Edwards
Name: George W. Edwards
Company: G
Unit: 50 Massachusetts Mil. Inf.
Rank - Induction: Captain
Rank - Discharge: Captain
Allegiance: Union

American Civil War Soldiers Record
about George W Edwards
Name: George W Edwards ,
Residence: Haverhill, Massachusetts
Occupation: Carpenter
Enlistment Date: 19 July 1862
Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Side Served: Union
State Served: Massachusetts
Unit Numbers: 962 962
Service Record: Enlisted as a Captain on 19 July 1862 at the age of 41
Commission in Company G, 50th Infantry Regiment Massachusetts on 19 September 1862.
Mustered out Company G, 50th Infantry Regiment Massachusetts on 24 August 1863 in Wenham, MA


American Civil War Regiments Record
Regiment: 50th Infantry Regiment MA
Date Mustered: 24 August 1863
Regiment Type: Infantry
Enlisted Died of Disease or Accident: 0
Officers Died of Disease or Accident: 2
Enlisted Killed or Mortally Wounded: 1
Regimental Soldiers and History: List of Soldiers

Regimental History
FIFTIETH REGIMENT
MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER MILITIA (INFANTRY)
NINE MONTHS

The 50th Regt. Mass. Vol. Mil. was raised in response to
the call of Aug. 4, 1862, for nine months troops. Its nucleus
was the old 7th Regt. Mass. Vol. Mil., composed of companies
from Essex and Middlesex counties, and commanded by Col.
Carlos P. Messer. As early as Aug. 9, 1862, at a meeting of
the line officers of the 7th Regiment, held at South Reading,
it was voted to proffer the services of the regiment for the
nine months term, and a communication was sent by Colonel
Messer to Governor Andrew to that effect. The offer was
accepted, and during the latter part of August and the month
of September the old companies were recruited up to war
strength, and enough new ones were raised to make up a full
ten company regiment. By a general order dated Sept. 11,
1862, the 7th was re-designated the 50th Regt. Mass. Vol.
Mil., and on the following day the members of the regiment
and recruits began to assemble at Camp Stanton, Boxford. Here
it was recruited up to the full regimental standard, and the
companies were mustered in between Sept. 15 and Sept. 30.

The 50th left for New York, Nov. 19, arriving the
following day, and being almost immediately ordered thence to
Camp Banks, Long Island, the rendezvous of the Banks
expedition to Louisiana.

The different companies left New York, Company "I" on the
first of December, and the rest of the companies on or about
the 11th, some of them on condemned or unmanageable
transports. The regiment was finally conveyed from Fort
Monroe to Louisiana in fragments. Company "I ", which had
preceded the rest, passed New Orleans on its transport, the
NEW BRUNSWICK, and arrived at Baton Rouge, La., Dec. 16. Here
it was attached to the 30th Mass. Inf. until the major part of
the 50th arrived. Companies "A ", " E ", and " K" arrived at
New Orleans on the JERSEY BLUE, Jany. 19, and reached Baton
Rouge, Feb. 6. Companies "C", "G", and "H", on the JENNY LIND
arrived at New Orleans, Feb. 10, and on the 14th reached Baton
Rouge. On the MONTEBELLO which conveyed Companies "B", "D",
and "F", the small pox broke out, and these companies did not
join the rest until April 2, 1863.

At Baton Rouge the regiment was assigned to Dudley's (3d)
Brigade, Augur's (1st) Division, l9th Corps, and before the
arrival of the last three companies it had, on March 14, taken
part in the demonstration against Port Hudson, made in
cooperation with Farragut's fleet, two vessels of which, the
HARTFORD and the ALBATROSS, succeeded in passing the Port
Hudson batteries and securing a position on the river above
the city. From this time until March 26, the regiment was at
Winter's plantation on the west bank of the Mississippi about
three miles below Port Hudson. On the latter date it returned
to Baton Rouge.

On May 12 the regiment proceeded to White's Bayou about
ten miles southeast from Port Hudson where it remained until
the 26th when it moved up to the works in front of the city.

It took part in the assault on Port Hudson, May 27, its
losses, however, being slight. It did not participate in the
second assault, June 14, but was engaged in supporting
batteries and in trench duty until the surrender of the city,
July 9.

From this time on for about twenty days it was in Port
Hudson doing guard duty. On July 29 it boarded the steamer
OMAHA bound for Cairo, Ill., en route for home. At Helena,
Ark., the boat grounded on a sand bar, and the regiment was
transferred to the steamer L. M. KENNETT, reaching Cairo, Aug.5.
Here it entrained for Massachusetts, reaching Boston, Aug. 11.
After a collation at Beach Street Barracks the regiment was
marched to the Common and there dismissed, to reassemble at
Wenham Mass., August 24.where it was formally mustered out of
the United States service.


Battles Fought

Fought on 27 May 1863 at Port Hudson, LA.




The next closest is:

Name: George W. Edwards
Company: A
Unit: 45 Iowa Infantry.
Rank - Induction: Captain
Rank - Discharge: Captain
Allegiance: Union

Answer 7

Ask at www.rootschat.com

Answer 8

have you tried wikipedia.com?