Company D, 12th New York Volunteer Infantry

Smelper

Cadet
Joined
Mar 21, 2012
My great, great grandfather, George Henry Weeks, enlisted on November 17, 1861 in Company D, 12th New York Volunteer Infantry. He was a drummer and was 17 at enlistment. Where can I find his enlistment records? Not sure of exact New York location; he was born in New York City. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
 
A quick search suggest the 12th was rounded up from the Elmira area. Here is the link I am using to just look: http://web.cortland.edu/woosterk/genweb/12_inf.html
It does seem to come from a single indivdual though, so take it with a grain of salt? Although this person at least updates the page when new information is brought in. I shall keep looking for you though!

Also, it appears there was George Henry Weeks, who fought through the Civil War and ended as a Brig. General during the Spanish American War, so you might run into trouble deciphering those two.

I'm not very good at researching, so I hope your efforts are better than mine!
 
Here's what I've got on George H. Weeks from the New York State records.

WEEKS, GEORGE H.-Age, 18 years. Enlisted, November 17, 1861, at New York City; mustered in as drummer, Co. D, November 22, 1861, to serve three years; captured at the battle of Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863; paroled at United States Ford, Va., May 15, 1863; mustered out, September 19, 1863; rendered supernumerary.

Not a lot to go on but it's a start.

R
 
Smelper--

First off, welcome aboard the forum from Hampton Roads, Virginia. Good to have a new "recruit."

There are two ways you can obtain service record info on your ancestor. First, you can try the ancestry-type websites such as Fold3, which specializes in military records, or Ancestry.com but both of those require membership fees. You can also try the free site for Civil War records at LDS Family Search (www.familysearch.org/civil-war ). Second, you can order the compiled service record from the National Archives, which costs $25. That info follows:
National Archives--Compiled Military Service File:
Order compiled records based on military service in the United States Army for regular forces raised by the Federal Government (officers who served before June 30, 1917 and enlisted men who served before October 31, 1912).
https://eservices.archives.gov/orde...SWEHo=eservices.archives.gov&SWETS=1338933157
With the National Archives, you are charged only if they find your ancestor's records. They can send you photocopies on paper or scan the records onto .pdf files and send you a CD. I've found the compiled service records useful, although they don't normally have a lot of in-depth info in them. You can also order pension records from the Nationa Archives if your ancestor or his survivors filed for a veteran's pension post-war. The pension records have the potential to hold lots more family-type info on your ancestor, but they cost $75.
Good luck with your search. Your ancestor sounds like he had an "interesting" time in the war. Let us know what else you discover, or feel free to come back with more questions.
 
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