Adjutant Generals Office Washington DC

[CMHartz]

Hi,
I need help accessing records at the Adjutant Generals Office . Would those be at the National Archives? Also I wondered if each individual state kept death and burial records and would they have survived?

I came across a Civil War pension claim from Frances Copely, Albert Copely's wife, which is full of information. And it says, Albert was with the 78th Company K, Infantry Pennsylvania. (Union) (Penn. Volunteers). Commanded by Commander Captain Jos. B. Smith.
After Albert's arrest, he died of the wounds he received in action at Stone River Tenn., December 31, 1862, at a Knoxville Hospital.
I have an oral history from Albert's father, a minister in Pennsylvania, who says he was contacted by letter of his sons death, but could not provide a burial location. Albert's father desperately wanted to bring his sons body back to Pennsylvania for a proper burial.
I believe Albert is buried at the same location my third great grandfather is, along with 17 other Union men who were confined as prisoners in Knoxville Tenn.

Thanks very much in advance.

 

[lupaglupa]

Do you have a specific record you are looking for? Or do you just believe in general that it will be with the Adjutant General's office records?

I would recommend that you contact the National Archives with your question as they are more likely than anyone to be able to help you.

 

[Mike Serpa]

I couldn't find any new information. "He" below is a "a member of an Ohio Regiment." See previous pages at link below.

History of the Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania volunteer infantry; : Pennsylvania infantry. 78th regt : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

267 p. incl. illus. (maps) plates, ports. 24 cm

archive.org

 

[rbasin]

Email the LOC. They found and sent my great great grandfathers court martial docs from 1840.

Also, you could try the Pennsylvania historical society

 

[CMHartz]

Do you have a specific record you are looking for? Or do you just believe in general that it will be with the Adjutant General's office records?

I would recommend that you contact the National Archives with your question as they are more likely than anyone to be able to help you.

I am looking for a burial location. I came across an Adjutant General record showing Albert Copley's death on Ancestry.com and it says in the comments section "See AGO, Wm. Hartz."
I did reach out to the National Archives with that information, unfortunately they are not able to help. I may need to go in person.
Thank you for your help.

 

[lupaglupa]

There are several files of documents at Fold3 concerning the Adjutant General. I tried both Copley and Hartz as search terms and did not get a hit. That doesn't mean it's not there though. What other information was on the document you found at Ancestry?

 

[CMHartz]

There are several files of documents at Fold3 concerning the Adjutant General. I tried both Copley and Hartz as search terms and did not get a hit. That doesn't mean it's not there though. What other information was on the document you found at Ancestry?

The record includes his name, company K, 78th Pennsylvania Regiment, death date of 1862, and death location of Knoxville. Thanks for looking! I found just a few days ago, Albert's widow's pension claim on Fold3, that was pretty extensive, but no mention of where he was buried.

 

[rbasin]

History of the Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry

Details the regimental history of the 78th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry from their original mustering-in to mustering-out including descriptions of battles fought. Includes details of the second regimental organization of the same name and number created after the original regiment's...

books.google.com

Here's the history of the regiment.

 

[lupaglupa]

My gr-gr-gr-grandmother died in Knoxville during the War and we don't know where she is buried. So I feel a real pang reading your story.

There is a national cemetery in Knoxville and numerous Union soldiers were reinterred there. Have you checked their records? Even if they did not have names they might have made a note on where the bodies were originally buried.

 

[CMHartz]

History of the Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry

Details the regimental history of the 78th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry from their original mustering-in to mustering-out including descriptions of battles fought. Includes details of the second regimental organization of the same name and number created after the original regiment's...

books.google.com

Here's the history of the regiment.

Thank you!

 

[CMHartz]

My gr-gr-gr-grandmother died in Knoxville during the War and we don't know where she is buried. So I feel a real pang reading your story.

There is a national cemetery in Knoxville and numerous Union soldiers were reinterred there. Have you checked their records? Even if they did not have names they might have made a note on where the bodies were originally buried.

Oh Wow. There is a paupers grave on the same side to Bethel Cemetery, many other grave yards. I had no idea there were so many until I began researching.
I was told by one of the local historians, that since my GGG Grandfather( who was a pilot/recruiter) he did not registered with the Union army,( I dont know how he knows this) and because he wasn't registered, he would not have had a place at any of the National cemeteries. I found a Civil War claim from my GGG Grandmother where she listed the items taken from her farm, and the circumstances of her husbands death, which was an amazing find.
I was hoping maybe a Knoxville undertakers log would have survived, but I haven't found one. Thanks very much for your help.

 

[lupaglupa]

I tried all of the churches which were functioning at the time of my ancestor's death, since a contemporary record shows she had a funeral, but none of them had a record of it. I took me three years to find the diary entry that gave her death date and place. Sometimes you just have to keep at it. Good luck!

 

[CMHartz]

Wow! I wondered if the information I am looking for is in a book. Thanks very much!