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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USE IN MILITARY SERVICES
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USE IN MILITARY SERVICES: --- UNKNOWN CS Civil Service 1Lt 1st Lieutenant CT Connecticut 2Lt 2nd.Lieutenant CtyLt County Lieutenant a Before (ante) Cu Cuba Ade C ide-de-Camp d Died Adj Adjutant DC District of Columbia Adm Admiral DE Delaware AdvGen Advocate General Dep Deputy AF Africa DN Denmark AL Alabama Dr Physician or Surgeon AN Austria-Netherlands Drm Drummer AR Arkansas DrmMaj Drum Major Arfr Artificer EN England Armr Armorer Eng Engineer Artl Artillery Ens Ensign Asst Assitant Eu Europe b born FA French America Bbd Bombardier Fif Fifer Bgd Brigadier FifMaj Fife major BgdMaj Brigade Major FL Florida Bgen Brigadier General FR France BM Bermuda FrA French Army Bosn Boatswain FrN French Navy bpt baptized GA Georiga BR Brazil GC Greece Btm Boatman Gen General c circa Gnr Gunner Cadet Cadet GR Germany Capt Captain Grd Guard CaptLt Captain Lieutenant Grl Guerilla Cav Cavalry HL Holland CD Canada HPNS Heirs Pensioned Cdr Commander HU Hungary CE Central America IA Iowa CG Coast Guard ID Idaho Chp Chaplain IL Kaskaskia Campaing Cl Continental Line (In now Illinois) Clerk Clerk IN Indiana (at Vincennes) Cmdt Commandant IR Ireland Cmman Court Martial man IT Italy CmOf Court Martial Officer KY Kentucky Cmsry Commissary LA Louisiana (Galvez Expedition) CN Continental Navy Cnt Cornet Lcol Lieutenant Colonel Col Colonel Lgen Lieutenant General Commo Commodore Lnm Landsman Cpl Corporal Lt Lieutenant CPNS Soldier's Children LtCmdt Lieutenant Commandant m married QMGen Quartermaster General MA Massachusetts QMSgt Quartermaster Sergeant Maj Major Mar Marines Matr Matross Ri Rhode Island MD Maryland Ro Recruiting Officer ME Maine Ru Russia Mgen Major General SA Spanish America MO Missouri Sgt Sergeant MI Michigan SC South Carolina Mid Midshipman Sct Scout Mil Militia SDI Signer of Declaration of MM Minute Man Independence MN Minnesota SeaCap Sea Captain Mrnr Mariner Slr Sailor MS Mississippi SI Sandwich Islands Mstr Master of a ship SM South America Mte Mate on a ship Smn Seaman Mus Musician SN Sweden MX Mexico Sol Soldier N Navy NC North Carolina SP Spain NH New Hampshire Spy Spy NJ New Jersey SrgnMte Surgeon's Mate Noncom Non Commissioned ST Scotland Officer StaffOf Staff Officer NS Naval Service Stl Sentinel NY New York SurGen The Surgeon General Of Officer (rank unknown) SW Switzerland OH Ohio Tms Teamster OK Oklahoma TN Tennessee Ordl Orderly Trm Trumpeteer OrdlSgt Orderly Sergeant TX Texas P after (post) VA Virginia PA Pennsylvania VI Virgin Islands Pilot River Pilot Vol Volunteer PL Poland VT Vermont PM Paymaster WE West Indies PNSR Soldier Pensioned Wgm Wagon Master PR Puerto Rico Wgn Wagoneer PS Patriotic Service WL Wales Pvt Private WPNS Widow Pensioned Pvtr Privateer Wtr Waiter QM Quartermaster X unknown CS: means Civil Service, that is: the holding of a Civil Office such as: Constable; Jailor; Justice of Peace; Moderator; Ordinary; Selectman; Sheriff; Surveyor of Highways; Tax Collector; Town Clerk; Town Treasurer; etc.
PS: means Patriotic Service, such as: An Associator; Collector of Provisions; Defender of Fort or Frontier; Delegate to a Continental Congress or to a Provincial Congress; Express Rider; Fence Viewer; Furnishing a substitute; Gunsmith who gave his services; Inspector of provisions; Legislator; Member of the Boston Tea Party, or the Cherokee Expedition, or the Galvez Expedition, or the Kaskaskia Campaign; Member of a Committee made necessary by the War; Minister who made patriotic sermons; Munitions maker; Nurse; Taking an Oath of Allegiance; Patroller; Prisoner of War or of the Indians; Ranger; Refugee; Rendering aid to the wounded; Rendering material aid; Signer of a petition or a non=importation agreement; Surgeon; Wheelwright. Military Ranks of the Revolutionary Period (Listed in descending order) ARMY NAVY General Captain Admiral Lieutenant General Captain Lieutenant Vice-Admiral Major General 1st Lieutenant Rear-Admiral Brigadier General 2nd Lieutenant Commodore Colonel Ensign Captain County Lieutenant Cornet Lieutenant Lieutenant Colonel Sergeant Midshipman Major Corporal Seaman CIVIL WAR BATTLES
Ever wonder how Civil War battles were named? Seems the Union Army named battles after bodies of water in that area, and the Confederate Army named them after road junctions, landmarks and towns. Bays, creeks, lakes and the like were nothing new to the mostly rural dwelling Southerners, but urban landmarks were novel to them. The opposite was true to the Northerners, pointing up once again a major difference between the urban North and the rural South. For example, the Battle of Shiloh Meeting House and the Battle of Pittsburgh Landing are "one and the same battle". So are the Battle of Sharpsburg (town) and Antietam (Creek) and Battles of Manassas (Town) and Bull Run (Creek). From Wyandot Tracers OGC and several other newsletters. IN WHICH WAR COULD YOUR ANCESTOR HAVE SERVED? IF BORN ABOUT NAME OF THE WAR WAR DATES 1626 - 1656 Bacon's Rebellion 1676 1639 - 1743 Inter-colonial Wars 1689 - 1763 1704 - 1743 French & Indian Wars 1754 - 1763 1713 - 143 Pontiac's Rebellion 1763 - 1765 1720 - 1763 American revolution 1775 - 1783 1740 - 1786 Indian Wars 1790 - 1811 1762 - 1794 War of 1812 1812 - 1815 1762 - 1812 Blackhawk War 1832 1790 - 1820 Seminole Indian War 1840 - 1841 1796 - 1828 Mexican War 1846 - 1848 1806 - 1849 Civil War 1861 - 1865 1848 - 1880 Spanish-American War 1898 1848 - 1880 Philippine Insurrection 1899 - 1902 1867 - 1900 World War I 1917 - 1918 1900 - 1927 World War II 1941 - 1945 1900 - 1930 Korean War 1950 - 1953 1940 - 1955 Vietnam Conflict 1965 - 1973 CIVIL WAR (1861 - 1865) RESEARCH TIPS
From MCC - OGS Volume 20 -6 Page 216 Do you have an ancestor who was of military age at any time during the Civil War? Check all men who were born between 1794-1853. "Military age" meant old enough to fight, serve in supply lines, etc. (age 12 by 1865) To find the military records of your ancestor, you will need to know the following: * the state from which he served, * the regiment, and * the company Some important items to consider: * Some joined in neighboring states be in the same unit as their relatives. * The length of service varied from 3 months to 3 years. * Many re-enlisted serving in more than one regiment. * Mustering in points were at select locations and not in the home town. * Did your soldier fight on the Union side or the Confederate side (AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, TX, VA)? Some changed sides and fought on both! How do you find this information? First check local sources for your soldier. * Bible records, gravestone inscriptions, cemetery records, courthouse records, Genealogical & Historical Societies, and Obituaries. * Special plaques of patriotic organizations were often placed near the graves of veterans. (Many Union veterans were members of the Grand Army of the republic, while in the Southern states a similar organization was the United States Confederate Veterans). * County histories often carry details of military units raised in their area along with rosters of men who served from the locality. The 1860 Census can help you determine the state from which he served. * The 1890 Census of Union Army & Navy veterans and widow list name, rank, company, regiment or vessel, dates of enlistment & discharge, length of service, residence, disability, and remarks. (National Archives M123 or FHLC film #59376). * The 1910 Census asked if the individual was a survivor of the Union Army or the Union Navy. Some states had special censuses listing veterans and most have state rosters of veterans. Second, check indexes. Check the state index to find a soldier's service record. They are available for every Northern state and every Southern state except South Carolina. In addition, some states have filmed the complied service records. Search the locality section of the FHLC to find the FHL film numbers: [State] - Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865 - Indexes (for the index) [State] - Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865 - (for the service record) To find a soldier's pension record, you will need the General Index to Pension Files, 1861 -1934. (National Archives Film T288 or FHLC computer number 145945). Search the locality section of the FHLC to find the specific numbers you need under: United States - Military Records - Pensions - Indexes Union soldiers received a government pension and Confederate soldiers received a state pension. DATES OF IMPORTANT REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION ACTS & RESOLUTIONS 08-28-1775: INVALID PENSIONS for Officers & Soldiers, ½ pay during period of DisabilityCont. Line 1813 05-24-1780: Widows and Orphans of Officers of Continental Army, ½ pay for 7 yrs. - Rescinded 7-29-1789 01-21-1780: SERVICE PENSION FOR LIFE for Officers of Continental Army only - Rescinded 8-4-1790 07-28-1789: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASSUMES STATE INVALID PENSIONS - Continental Line Service 03-03-1804: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASSUMES ALL OF S.C. INVALID PENSIONS Continental Line Service 03-03-1805:INVALID PENSIONS TO THOSE DISABLED SINCE THE WAR FORWOUNDS INCURRED DURING THE WAR - Continental Line Service 04-10-1808: INVALID PENSIONS EXTENDED TO VOLUNTEERS, Militia and State Troops 03-18-1818: SERVICE PENSION FOR "Cont. Establish "T" - Act of 1820 Removed Many 05-15-1828: SERVICE PENSION FOR OFFICERS & SOLDIERS, ELIGIBLE FORPENSION UNDER RESOLUTION of 10-21-1780 - Full Pay for Life 06-07-1832: 1ST SERVICE PENSIONS FOR ALL REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS & SAILORS - Continental & State WIDOWS AND ORPHANS entitled to Balance of Money due a Pensioner 07-04-1836: WIDOWS PENSION for Widow of Revolutionary Soldier, on Pension rolls of 1828, who were married during last term of his service, or before 11-03-1783 07-07-1836: PENSION FOR WIDOW IF MARRIED BEFORE 01-01-1794 03-03-1837:REVOLUTIONARY WIDOW entitled to Pension, even tho she remarried, if now widowed02-03-1853:REVOLUTIONARY WIDOW entitled to Pension, regardless of date of Marriage 04-05-1869:DANIEL F. BAKEMAN LAST REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONER DIED 11-11-1906:ESTHER S. DAMON, LAST PENSIONED REVOLUTIONARY WIDOW DIED "PENSION APPLICATIONS PRIOR TO 1813 WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE" NOTES OF INTERESTS FOR CIVIL WAR RESEARCH There are a plethora of Civil War resources available in Montgomery County, including: 1. The Dayton/Montgomery County Library, Ohio 2. The Green County Library, Ohio 3. Wright State University, Ohio 4. The Cincinnati/Hamilton County Library, Ohio 5. Fort Wayne, Allen County Library, Indiana 6. Several Branch Libraries of the Family History Libraries: Fairborn, Findlay, Perrysburg, Shiloh Springs Road near Hara Arena and etc. A tremendous and very inexpensive resource is the Source Guide available from the LDS Church on their web site www.familysearch.org . This guide is a CD that has all state research guides available and how to get them. It is well worth the $5. (Information found in MCC-OGS Newsletter on page 216 Volume 20-6) |
Information courtesy of Wanda Pohlman |