Searching for Confederate ancestors
Due to the lack of surviving records, there are no reliable figures on the number of men who fought for the South during the Civil War. Historians estimate there were from 600,000 to more than one million Confederate soldiers and sailors. Millions of Americans have an ancestor who wore the Confederate uniform in gray or butternut (a light-brown dye made from the butternut tree).
Most men who served in the Confederate forces were born between 1806 and 1849. but there are some exceptions. Never assume an ancestor was too young or too old to have taken part. Also, never assume a relative was a “Yankee” or “Rebel.” Many a family historian has discovered that an ancestor wore Union Blue when family tradition claims he was a Confederate and vice versa. Some served in both the Union and Confederate armies. If your ancestors lived in Missouri, Maryland, Kentucky, or Delaware, search both Union and Confederate sources. Also, check both sides if ancestors lived in Tennessee, Arkansas, western North Carolina, western Virginia (now West Virginia), Arizona. Oklahoma, Texas, California, Oregon, and Washington. First, determine where family members were living at the time of the 1860 census. This narrows Civil War research considerably as most soldiers served in units formed within their neighborhoods, states, or territories of residence.
Women also served in various capacities, including as nurses and spies, during the Civil War. Many state archives and historical societies have compiled lists of women who participated in the conflict. Information has been gleaned from journals, diaries, and letters. The Confederate Research Center located at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas, is an archival repository that contains an index of all known Confederate soldiers, showing, their companies and regiments, as well as the military service records of Confederate generals and staff officers, and records of Hood’s Texas Brigade. While the center is not a genealogical library, researchers have, on law occasion, found pictures of their Confederate ancestors hire, according to Peggy Fox, the center’s directors The collection also contains soldiers’ letters, diaries, and unpublished manuscripts. Among other Treasures are capsule histories of all 3.200 Confederate regiments, special units, and ships. The center has magazines and newspaper ‘Clippings, including major Texas newspapers published during the Civil War. Research services are offered, for a fee, but due to the volume of requests received-more than 4,500 per year-it usually takes up to six weeks for a reply.
The Confederacy passed conscription laws on April 16. 1862, for men 18 to 35 years of age; on September 27, 1862. for those 18 to 45; and in February 1864 for those 17 to 50. These laws stipulated that the very young and the very old would, serve only in their home states. Among those men exempted were government employees, most teachers, ministers, druggists, and those with skilled-trade experience. Also excluded were owners or overseers who were responsible for 20 or more slaves. The hiring of a substitute for a fee of up to $1,000 was also possible, although later in the war this provision was eliminated. During the war, about 250,000 Confederate soldiers died. Although most perished in battle or died in prison camps or hospitals, many others died from disease.
Service records for Confederate enlisted soldiers and officers, along with an index, Consolidated Index to Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, are available at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and its regional branches, as well as through the Family History Library system. Former Confederate states granted pensions to Confederate veterans, widows, and orphans regardless of where they lived or enlisted during the war. These records may help in tracing family to the Confederacy. They may be accessed through the Family History Library or state archives. Most states charge a fee for this service. There was a great migration out of the South after the Civil War, and tracing ancestors can be difficult as they may have moved several times. Another place to search for your Confederate ancestors is in the archives maintained by the Cass County Genealogical Society in the Genealogy and Family History Section on the Second Floor of the Atlanta Public Library. 101 West Hiram St. Atlanta, Texas 75551, For more information visit www.casscogensoc.org.