Researching Your Civil War AncestryDo you have a distant relative who fought in the Civil War? Would you like to find out if you do? This is the discussion for you!
This is my first post here. I was wondering if the National Archives will copy the orginal muster rolls of Confederate soldiers or just the microfilmed muster cards? I've researched an ancestor of mine and have found out quite a lot from the state archives and other sources but it seems like for every question that's answered two more are asked. I have seen and have copied the original muster rolls from the state archives but that's before they went to national service in 1861. The national records went to Washington. My understanding is the muster cards were the result of a mass undertaking in 1935 and from what I've seen of the rolls the state has I seriously doubt that anyone transcribing the original rolls went to much trouble to decipher them if they weren't clearly legible. I feel answers to some of my questions would be available on the original national rolls. I have copies of his muster cards but they're incomplete and only raise more questions.
Confederate records (muster cards, court martial papers, other documents) are all microfilmed and you need to know which unit(s) your relation served in. They're arranged alphabetically and a unit may have more than one roll but it's easy to figure out which you'll need to look into.
BTW, welcome to the CWT Hawg Haggen. I know you from TFL.
Hi Gary, was wondering if that was you. The muster cards won't help any. I've got copies of those from the state archives. Problem is they're incomplete. They pose more questions than they answer. Unit in question is Co. I, 8th Miss. Infantry. He served in this co. from it's inception under state service in 1861 until he was killed the day after the battle of Atlanta. July 23rd 1864. His death is recorded in the family bible as being on the battlefield but his last muster card has him on a leave of indulgence Dec. 23rd 1863. There's several more missing all through his service time.
You might want to get the entire microfilm (about $65) for the Eighth Mississippi. Sometimes there's letters from the officers that say something about the men. They're filed under the officers' names of course and not the men. Other times you might want to see if there's a regimental history or company history.
As to the conflicting dates, one could be the date of injury with him succumbing to the wounds much later. That wasn't uncommon for the period.
What's his name anyway? I can see if there's anything in the index of Confederate Veteran. I have all forty volumes plus the three volume index.
Josiah A. Hatcher. Co. I, 8th Miss. Infantry. I've found a lot of co. history and I've found a good bit of personal history on him from other sources which makes things even more confusing to say the least.
Thanks Gary
Went through Confederate Veteran and while there were several listings of J. A. Hatcher or Joe Hatcher, none are your relatives. One belonged to the 2nd KY Cavalry, another passed away in the 20th Century (so the death doesn't match).
__________________ "In this great struggle, this form of Government and every form of human right is endangered if our enemies succeed. There is more involved in this contest than is realized by every one." Abraham Lincoln - August 18, 1864 Speech to the 164th Ohio Regiment
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