Evelyn, If your ancestor was 25 in 1845, living in Memphis in 1861 he would have been 41 years of age, & born in 1820. Confederate records may not be as complete as the union armies were, still it is possible he may have moved north after 1845 and enlisted in the union army & suggest you also give that a try. Many Swiss headed for Wisconsin after they arrived in US. The Swiss in my family left from Harve, France. Union army records gave a physical description of recruit and in my great grandfathers case also his citizenship papers, recruitment information (as entirely sober),pay records, and where he mustered out, home of record. NARA apologized that many of the papers were unable to print out, thus I figure that is why I didn't get next of kin info. Chemtester, I think you may have received the file as complete as they had. However, mine did include his wife filing for pension, children's birth certificates as she had to prove there were young children, as well as his death papers, attending physician papers. or do as Julie suggests, although I did not find that necessary Jane > > >> Reading other's query regarding Civil War rank of ancestor. My Joseph >> Keller immigrated from Switzerland via Germany, I believe. He show up >> in Memphis, TN in 1845 at 25 years of age. I >> >> . >> > do NOT order the Compiled Military Service File! I ordered 2 of them, > thinking I had hit pay dirt and they were both the same, just pages > and pages of copies of roll call, nothing on parents, next of kin, > birth, etc. Try ordering the Pension Packet for 14.95 > > > > >> Okay - I have a question. I am trying to find John Horning/Hornung's >> civil war info - not his muster info, but the paperwork he filled out >> for >> next of kin, etc. Was there such a thing? >> > > > > > > > > > > > ******************************************************* >