Where do I look to know if they served?

FahanParish

Private
Joined
Apr 4, 2014
Location
Pennsylvania
Kind people have been helping establish the regiments of Pennsylvania men who I know to have served in the war - what if I only surmise they served?
Where do I look for Robert A. Findley, Whitpain Township, Montgomery County, PA to know if he served?
 
Start with the Park Service's Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database. It's free and on-line; just do a Google search and you'll get there. It's not 100% accurate by any means but its pretty good and the easiest place to start IMO (oops ... don't generally like to post opinions but I've already gone off the cliff).

Next, also use Google to search for something like "Pennsylvania Civil War units" - there are many sites that have unit histories and lists of units from a given state or county within a state. You might get lucky (I have). It'll be easier, though, if you find the unit first.

If you find him and his unit, then you can get his war record either by contacting the Archives in Washington (there's a fee) or looking for one of the folks who will get the record for you and make digital files on a CD of all the pages (a great service, also IMO).

There may also be folks here who are familiar with the units from his county and can save you all that, but if they don't materialize try those steps.

Good luck in your search.
 
The National Park Service's website is a good place to start. Make sure to try different spelling variations too. From there, google the regiment/company where you have matches and see where they were recruited. Any from Montgomery County would be good candidates. That's just a starting point. Some men went to other counties (or even states) to enlist, plus there were Federal regular Army units and the Navy & Marines to consider.

I searched on ancestry.com and found a draft registration record for a Robert Findley of Whitpain, b. abt. 1834, dated June 1863. It's just the registration (doesn't mean he was actually conscripted), but he does not indicate any prior service, so, if this is your guy, if he served he did so post June 1863.
 
Start with the Park Service's Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database. It's free and on-line; just do a Google search and you'll get there. It's not 100% accurate by any means but its pretty good and the easiest place to start IMO (oops ... don't generally like to post opinions but I've already gone off the cliff).

Next, also use Google to search for something like "Pennsylvania Civil War units" - there are many sites that have unit histories and lists of units from a given state or county within a state. You might get lucky (I have). It'll be easier, though, if you find the unit first.

If you find him and his unit, then you can get his war record either by contacting the Archives in Washington (there's a fee) or looking for one of the folks who will get the record for you and make digital files on a CD of all the pages (a great service, also IMO).

There may also be folks here who are familiar with the units from his county and can save you all that, but if they don't materialize try those steps.

Good luck in your search.
Beat me to it, punk.
 
Kind people have been helping establish the regiments of Pennsylvania men who I know to have served in the war - what if I only surmise they served?
Where do I look for Robert A. Findley, Whitpain Township, Montgomery County, PA to know if he served?


Robert A. Findley (correct name wrong State ?)

Residence was not listed;
Enlisted on 6/3/1864 as a Seaman.

On 6/3/1864 he mustered into US Navy
He deserted on 1/6/1867


Ships served on in Navy:
* USS NEW HAMPSHIRE


Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:

- Register of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Civil War 1861-65

..........................................................................................................................

Robert H. Findley (wrong middle initial)

Residence was not listed;
Enlisted as a Private (date unknown).




He also had service in:
"A" Co. PA 54th Infantry (No further record.)


Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:

- History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865
(c) Historical Data Systems, Inc. @ www.civilwardata.com
 
That site basically helped me find all my relatives in the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

My gr. grandfather was in the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry - my interest in the CW began with him. George W. Davis - enlisted in 1864 and served through the war. I think Company E... but I could check that. I've never encountered another descendant.
 
18th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment Sketch had this
Screen Shot 2014-07-21 at 9.44.47 PM.png
 
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