Listers, Here's another dumb question from me: I have access to what Ancestry.com and civilwardata.com have available on line - what they call "service records." If I send for what the NARA calls Service Records, will they contain just those few meager facts, or is it more informative? Thanks. Sharon

Hi Sharon, When you send for Service Records, they could contain only small amounts of information on soldiers or even a lot. The State of North Carolina actually kept the best and most detailed records on Confederate soldiers than any other Southern State. I'm really not sure about Union Records as I had no family fighting for the North. Things that may be included in the Service File are muster roll information, letters of promotion, requests for clothing or even hay and oats for horses, commendations received, and other things. There is no real personal information in the Service Files. If by chance there was a Pension filed for and it was approved, the Pension File will contain more personal information. I have the memoirs my German GG Grandfather wrote before his death, and it was so interesting to match up things from his Service Record to what he wrote about his time in the War. There were pay vouchers, muster roll records, requisitions for clothing, letters from officers trying to get him promoted, etc., and all seemed to match things he wrote of. I also got the Service Record of his brother in law, my GG Uncle who was Major of the NC 61st. It also contained most of the usual stuff, but also had some letters he had written and requests for clothing for his men, and trust me, he wasn't a happy camper asking for it. You just never really know what you'll get until you get it. By the way, if anyone is interested, I made a few websites in honor of some of my ancestors and their companies. Beaufort Plow Boys http://cob61stregncst.homestead.com/ Clark Skirmishers http://cok41stnct.homestead.com/ Washington Grays http://thewashingtongrays.homestead.com/ Thanks for the best wishes and I look forward to returning, and even then, I'm planning on staying out of trouble!!!!!! Best regards, Edward

On 3 Aug 2003 at 12:01, Sharon Workman wrote: > Here's another dumb question from me: I have access to what > Ancestry.com and civilwardata.com have available on line - what they > call "service records." If I send for what the NARA calls Service > Records, will they contain just those few meager facts, or is it more > informative? Not at all a dumb question, before subscribing to the civil war data site I wondered the same thing. Neither site has the full compiled service records online. It is true that the compiled service records held by NARA do not contain genealogical information, but they do have more detailed information than is available online. For example, a compiled service record at NARA may contain a physical description of the soldier, these are not online. Also missing from the online data are detailed muster rolls which, while somewhat repetitive, are essential to tracing an individual soldier's military service. Also, do not forget carded medical records. These are not online and are not included in compiled service records, but help complete our understanding of an individual soldier's wartime experience. Regards, Harry _ H. Spencer Byfield sbyfield@genealogy-quest.com Genealogy Quest "Military records at reasonable prices" http://www.genealogy-quest.com/Military/index.html