Researching is difficult

[samgrant]

I had thought I had found everything possible about one of my collateral ancestors, one of my GGGF's first cousins ( I have learned that this means a "first cousin, four times removed"), so I decided to document the info, and then post it here.

Anyway as I was in the process of putting this info down in the word processor, I happened to check a few odds and ends from the info I had collected.

As it happened, where I had already verified that my ancestor served in a particular regiment, and had a not very interesting history, I was amazed to find that he had also served in at least two other different units. (No it is not a common name, so as to be confused. It is an uncommon name, sometimes misspelled, but I can make an undeniable case, based on peripheral clues, that this is the same guy.)

So now, after weeks of exploring about this guy in one unit, I now have to do it all over again for the other two units.

The most interesting question may be why he went from one unit to another, to another!

It's a lot of work. (And I've got 4 or 5 other cousins to deal with.)

Exhausted,

sam

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[ole]

Poor baby.

Yes. Lots of work, and exponential too. Fess up, Sam. You're enjoying every tedious minute of it.

ole

[larry_cockerham]

Sam, as you can see, Ole has given you his normal amount of sympathy. Sam, you de man. Best of luck with your continued efforts. The reasons why men switched companies, regiments, and even allegiances, were many and varied, as I'm sure you're about to discover.

[larry_cockerham]

Originally Posted by ole

Poor baby.

Yes. Lots of work, and exponential too. Fess up, Sam. You're enjoying every tedious minute of it.

ole

When you hit 5,000 posts, will you be promoted to Admiral?

[gary]

I researched one soldier at the National Archives for a fellow in the Marine Corps. He knew what unit but didn't understand why he served in three different companies. It turns out that he was sick and hospitalized and when he returned, his company had been detached and sent away. His regiment reassigned him to another company. This happened twice.

That was more interesting was why he was denied a pension for his vision impairment. He applied for years and was always denied. Then a special investigator was sent and he determined that there was only one person who objected to the soldier's application for a pension. For an unexplained reason, this person insisted that the soldier's vision problems was related to syphillis. The investigator got the regimental surgeon and many others to attribute the problem to arising out of service in Texas in 1865-1866. The pension was awarded.

Research can be difficult, but finding the answer is always very rewarding. It took me several years to determine why the Confederate Army in Northern Virginia didn't raise sharpshooter battalions until 1863 (the Adjutant General's order came out in May 1862) and didn't implement it fully until 1864.

[samgrant]

Well, I think I have exhaused everything on the internet about this soldier (but I thought that a few days ago, then found more!), so the next step is those National Archives.

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[samgrant]

Originally Posted by ole

Poor baby.

Yes. Lots of work, and exponential too. Fess up, Sam. You're enjoying every tedious minute of it.

ole

True, but it is so very time consuming!

And the so many mispellings from that time, of names and places, etc., sure complicates the effort.

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[ole]

I'm sure, that when you're finished, you will be happy enough to laugh at the time and effort you've spent.

ole

[samgrant]

Originally Posted by ole

I'm sure, that when you're finished, you will be happy enough to laugh at the time and effort you've spent.

ole

Just when do you suppose I'll be "finished"? That's the nut.

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[larry_cockerham]

Sam, you'll be finished when your fingers won't wiggle, your eyesight won't work or you feel your butt hitting the cold slab. The good part of that is perhaps that you won't notice. We all hope that's faaaaar in the future.