how can i find a ancestor that fought in the US civil war?

Question

is it hard to find the veteran records?

Answer 1

There are some excellent ways to locate an ancestor; a lot of the research is free (so don't pay for something if you don't have to). Scroll down to the bottom of this page and there are several enclosed websites where you may freely conduct your research:

Some quick pointers: Try and narrow down your search; start with last name, when and where he enlisted, what unit he served with, any correspondence to and from the soldier, etc. It is like being a detective. Don't disregard any bit of information, since it may be one small piece of the big puzzle.

Now here is why it can also be difficult researching your ancestor:

Promotion, Transfer, Unit Designations, and Military Records Confusion (Genealogy)
(Research Tools are Located on the Website at the Bottom of this Page)

From research it is clear that during the course of the Civil War many soldiers served in two or more regiments. When a soldier was hospitalized or later applied for veteran benefits he would usually state the last regiment he was assigned.

When a soldier was wounded, and later returned to service, he may have transferred to another regiment or returned to service in the nearest regiment. And when a soldier was separated from his company during battle, after the engagement he may have been assigned to the first regiment he encountered. This also occurred after a prisoner exchange. A soldier was captured then exchanged by the release of another "Prisoner of War." Prisoner exchange was common practice and some prisoners were paroled by stating they would not bear arms and further pledged that they would return to their homes. While some chose to ignore this demand, superiors instructed others to rejoin the nearest regiment until they received official orders. Regardless of the transfer, protocol required a letter sent to the prior regiment stating the reason for transfer, hence, clearing the soldier of desertion or dereliction-of-duty. This also allowed the former regiment the option to recall the soldier.
Complicating the research, several units had various designations. Furthermore, by 1864, many regiments were reduced by as much as 70% and then the remnants consolidated (reorganized) with other regiments, disbanded, or remained weakened. This attrition can be attributed to killed-in-action, diseases, wounds, desertion, capture, missing-in-action, and enlistment expiration. A typical regiment consisted of approximately 1100 soldiers or ten companies. Each company consisted of 110 soldiers. Subtract 70% and one will see the horrible cost of conflict. As the Civil War progressed, brigade or division commanders would determine whether or not to strengthen, consolidate, or disband a regiment. Promotion: Robert Gustavus Adolphus Love, or R. G. A. Love, initially served as Captain in the 16th North Carolina Infantry Regiment in the Army of Northern Virginia. When Robert G. A. Love received a promotion to Colonel he transferred to the 62nd North Carolina Regiment.

As the War grinded through 1865, many Confederate commanders embraced the "Lost Cause" and either made no effort to maintain records or destroyed their records.

During the last months of the American Civil War, when the "Lost Cause" was embraced, many soldiers were unofficially promoted by their peers to fill vacancies. This explains why the officially mustered out rank/grade was often times a lesser rank than claimed via soldiers' papers, diaries and memoirs. Consequently, during the last months of the Civil War, there are several cases reflecting privates being unofficially appointed to the rank or grade of lieutenant. Concurrently, some Confederate commanders were destroying all, or what remained, of the regimental records. Overall, many Confederate Service Records were accidentally or intentionally destroyed, lost, poorly recorded or inaccurately recorded. To make matters worse some regiments never recorded any information. Lt. Col. Walter Clark states, "The majority of troop rosters and official military records had been forcibly confiscated by Lincoln’s hordes or wantonly destroyed.” Walter Clark's Regiments: An Extended Index to the Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-1865: By Charles C. Davis, p. 5.

http://thomaslegion.net/research.html

Answer 2

You'll likely have better luck if the relative fought for the Union. Mostly because records in the south may have been burned or trashed during reconstruction.

Knowing the full name, State relative lived in( generally same state they would have volunteered in) That States Archive most likely has a web site. For about 15 dollars you can probably get the relatives mustering in and out information, what group he was with etc. My great grandpas information was obtained through Illinois Civil war veteran site. Its fun looking them up

Answer 3

you might also contact :

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

The Sons of Confederate Veterans of the Civil War

depending upon which Army he fought in

Answer 4

It is viable, I are not able to let you know immediately considering the fact that I am British. The parallel is the English Civil War. There are nonetheless many that will come to powerful phrases approximately Cromwell or King Charles I. Indeed nonetheless a couple of in Northern Ireland are combating that battle.

Answer 5

Try Ancestry.com
You can search military records back to the revolutionary war up to Vietnam for free until Monday memorial day.

Answer 6

Ancestry.Com