FOSTORIA LINEAGE RESEARCH SOCIETY

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USE IN MILITARY SERVICES:

--- UNKNOWN CS Civil Service

1Lt 1^st 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

(Listed in descending order)

ARMY NAVY

General Captain Admiral

Lieutenant General Captain Lieutenant Vice-Admiral

Major General 1^st Lieutenant Rear-Admiral

Brigadier General 2^nd Lieutenant Commodore

Colonel Ensign Captain

County Lieutenant Cornet Lieutenant

Lieutenant Colonel Sergeant Midshipman

Major Corporal Seaman

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

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.

WAR PENSION ACTS & RESOLUTIONS

08-28-1775: INVALID PENSIONS for Officers & Soldiers, ½ pay during period of Disability

Cont. 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: 1^ST 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 widowed

02-03-1853: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"

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