Christine, I am typing this without reference to my notes which are located, well, someplace where I put them for safe keeping. I did an Archives check on my G-Grandfather who was in the IL Infantry, two different groups as he reenlisted or whatever the term and got $400 for same -- as near as I can figure out. He was promoted to Sgt. soon thereafter. The money was not paid in one lump sum but spread out over a year or so, maybe four payments. Uncertain whether his parents would have received the rest of the payment had he been killed in battle? The reassignment and the $400 were recorded on his monthly service cards. Now fetching those cards for review was an effort and I should have done some homework on Archives protocol before I went. My mistake, but then I got precious little help from several of the staff, they answering only my questions asked and venturing no additional help or guidance that would have saved me much time. All but one lady who was most helpful and she is the one who finally got me on track. My time consuming mistakes were as follows: On fourth floor I was directed to the second floor reading room. There I was not allowed entrance as I had no picture pass. Where do I get one? Fourth floor. Up I went, got in line and got my picture taken and then got the card. Back down to two, can't come in with my papers in hand and my coat on. Directed to put them in the hall way locker. You get your quarter back. Went in and asked about Civil War Service Records. You must order them. How? Go up to fourth floor and look him up on the microfilms. Back up stairs to get in line for a reader and asked the location of the needed microfilms. Was given a reader and went to the proper drawer as directed. But no, it was the wrong drawer, the wrong location. I really needed other records to which I was finally directed. Read the film and copied the numbers as directed. Now what? Fill out this form! Now what? Put the form in this tray. Now what? The records will appear on two in about two hours. Went back to two in two hours but received only one packet of materials instead of two. Why? Seems you must use one form for each record wanted. Thus my error but such were my directions up on four. And I questioned (not out loud) why the form had multiple lines for use? Ordered the other file at that time and sat down to read the one in hand. But could not manage that file as the day was all but over. So, if you go there, do your homework before departing and then ask questions on site. Don't do as I did. I did get back next day and the kind lady mentioned above had hung on to my needed records, bless her. Good luck, Tom

Tom, I just happened upon your story. It reminds me, sort of, what we went through when we had to work with the NTSB and FAA in securing records regarding our son's fatal plane crash....The angel, in our case, was our congressman. For some reason, Democracy and Bureaucracy go hand in glove. ----- Original Message ----- From: <Teedirk@aol.com> To: <IL-CIVIL-WAR-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2001 3:53 PM Subject: Re: [IL-CIVIL-WAR] Soilders contract of service > Christine, > > I am typing this without reference to my notes which are located, well, > someplace where I put them for safe keeping. I did an Archives check on my > G-Grandfather who was in the IL Infantry, two different groups as he > reenlisted or whatever the term and got $400 for same -- as near as I can > figure out. He was promoted to Sgt. soon thereafter. The money was not paid > in one lump sum but spread out over a year or so, maybe four payments. > Uncertain whether his parents would have received the rest of the payment had > he been killed in battle? The reassignment and the $400 were recorded on his > monthly service cards. > > Now fetching those cards for review was an effort and I should have done some > homework on Archives protocol before I went. My mistake, but then I got > precious little help from several of the staff, they answering only my > questions asked and venturing no additional help or guidance that would have > saved me much time. All but one lady who was most helpful and she is the one > who finally got me on track. > > My time consuming mistakes were as follows: On fourth floor I was directed to > the second floor reading room. There I was not allowed entrance as I had no > picture pass. Where do I get one? Fourth floor. Up I went, got in line and > got my picture taken and then got the card. Back down to two, can't come in > with my papers in hand and my coat on. Directed to put them in the hall way > locker. You get your quarter back. Went in and asked about Civil War > Service Records. You must order them. How? Go up to fourth floor and look > him up on the microfilms. > > Back up stairs to get in line for a reader and asked the location of the > needed microfilms. Was given a reader and went to the proper drawer as > directed. But no, it was the wrong drawer, the wrong location. I really > needed other records to which I was finally directed. Read the film and > copied the numbers as directed. Now what? Fill out this form! Now what? > Put the form in this tray. Now what? The records will appear on two in > about two hours. > > Went back to two in two hours but received only one packet of materials > instead of two. Why? Seems you must use one form for each record wanted. > Thus my error but such were my directions up on four. And I questioned (not > out loud) why the form had multiple lines for use? > > Ordered the other file at that time and sat down to read the one in hand. > But could not manage that file as the day was all but over. So, if you go > there, do your homework before departing and then ask questions on site. > Don't do as I did. > > I did get back next day and the kind lady mentioned above had hung on to my > needed records, bless her. > > Good luck, Tom