Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database

[fudge stripe cookays]

For anyone researching ancestors you think might have fought in the Civil War, here is a great database one of my cousins turned me onto recently:

http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss

I have two brothers to my great grandfather, and also their sister's second husband that I've found more info on here.

Once you have their info on what unit they were in, you can order the full military files from the National Archives link, shown below. Make sure to order the full file. If you only order the highlights, you can miss having some really valuable information.

http://www.archives.gov/research_room/orderonline.html

Happy searching!
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[JohnKleeb]

1. Ahh man I know of a relative I had in the civil war

but his name as I saw it addressed on his discharge papers was John Smith and I researched his regiment and there were 3 men with that name in the regiment. I have no idea who he was in relation to me.

UNION PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS

123rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry

Organized at Allegheny City August, 1862. Moved to Harrisburg, Pa., thence to Washington, D. C., August 20-23, 1862. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May, 1863.

SERVICE.-Maryland Campaign September 6-24, 1862. Duty at Sharpsburg, Md., till October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 3-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Burnside's 2nd Campaign, "Mud March," January 20-24, 1863. Duty at Falmouth till April 27. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Mustered out May 13, 1863.

Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 27 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 41 Enlisted men by disease. Total 72.

[fudge stripe cookays]

2. Believe me. Kleeb...

I know the trials and tribulations of researching Smiths. That was my maiden name!

And my dad's name was John Smith, if you can believe that.

And my Sarah Anne Smith, married a John Taylor. But I found em, by gum! Persistence, dear Kleeb.

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[JohnKleeb]

4. Oh man

I think he changed his name though, I do know that this guy was a German immigrant. At least I remembered the regiment.

[fudge stripe cookays]

5. If he was German,

I suggest starting with "Schmidt!" Personal experience.

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[JohnKleeb]

6. yeah I could do that as well

Theres this picture Ive seen of John Schmittdel's horse something or other, I have no idea who Schmittdel and the spelling is wrong btw was off the top of my head to me.

[Kindigger]

8. Can't find a 123rd?

http://www.pacivilwar.com/cwparosters.html

Allegheny City doesn't exist anymore. It is the portion of the City of Pittsburgh north of the Ohio River and was absorbed into Pittsburgh.

This sounds like the Regiment they were attached to:
http://www.pacivilwar.com/cwpa05hist.html

There is a Jacob, and Henry "Schmidt" in Company B.

Using a middle name? Father and son?

Also:http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.htm

I'm stumped :crazy:

[fudge stripe cookays]

10. It may have been absorbed into

another unit.

They did a lot of that-- especially if they lost a lot of men, but not necessarily.

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[Cooley Hurd]

3. Civil War sailors are tough to research...

There's not many online sailor databases, that's for sure. Under the rootsweb and USgenweb sites, you can access many state regiment rosters, as well...:thumbsup:

[shraby]

7. Also look for:

Schmitt, Schmidt, Shmitt, Shmidt, Schmitz, Smith..any possible way you can spell it.

[fudge stripe cookays]

9. Or go for Dutch versions too....

Smit or Smid. :-)

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[Cooley Hurd]

11. I wish my name was "Smid..."

It would be so much fun to say...:silly:

[theHandpuppet]

12. Resource for the "United States Colored Troops"

This is an *excellent* resource for those researching family members who may have served with the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War, both sailors and soldiers.

http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/data.htm