Death Record Remarks: U.S., Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, 1861-1865

PLKeeley

Cadet
Joined
Apr 27, 2019
Hi all, in reviewing this I see the last column on each page of the document says “Remarks” and each entry usually has a person’s name (no apparent relationship to the dead soldier to whom it relates) and immediately following that name are the letters: “R.S.” - anyone have any idea what this stands for? - Thanks!
 
My guess is the initials stand for Regimental Surgeon, who recorded the death. Other abbreviations would be for that person's position.
 
Wasn't sure where to put this, but did anyone else know that Ancestry has headstones for Vicksburg Military Cemetery on digital files? Basically pictures of headstones that are searchable. I didn't know that until this evening.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/natcemvicksburg/

And for those who didn't know Ancestry has digital images of the burial ledgers the Union Quartermasters used to find and move bodies do the new national cemeteries. Here is the link to that set.
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/burialregisterspostscemeteries/
 
Hi all. Am new to CivilWarTalk. Saw this post and was interested in your thoughts on my 4G Uncle’s entry in remarks “A. C. Reg. 55”. William H. H. Stratton was killed July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg charging the Bliss Barn. Co F, 12th Reg NJ Volunteers. Any help/ideas much appreciated! Thanks
 
Hi all. Am new to CivilWarTalk. Saw this post and was interested in your thoughts on my 4G Uncle’s entry in remarks “A. C. Reg. 55”. William H. H. Stratton was killed July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg charging the Bliss Barn. Co F, 12th Reg NJ Volunteers. Any help/ideas much appreciated! Thanks
I can only think of Army Corps...but not sure.
 
Hi all. Am new to CivilWarTalk. Saw this post and was interested in your thoughts on my 4G Uncle’s entry in remarks “A. C. Reg. 55”. William H. H. Stratton was killed July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg charging the Bliss Barn. Co F, 12th Reg NJ Volunteers. Any help/ideas much appreciated! Thanks
I don't know but I'm guessing @lelliott19 might
 
Hi all. Am new to CivilWarTalk. Saw this post and was interested in your thoughts on my 4G Uncle’s entry in remarks “A. C. Reg. 55”. William H. H. Stratton was killed July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg charging the Bliss Barn. Co F, 12th Reg NJ Volunteers. Any help/ideas much appreciated! Thanks
I don't know but I'm guessing @lelliott19 might
I'm sorry I dont know off the top of my head. It might help to see some of the other entries. Can you snip the page so we can see what some of the entries say? Maybe @ErnieMac would know?
 
I'm sorry I dont know off the top of my head. It might help to see some of the other entries. Can you snip the page so we can see what some of the entries say? Maybe @ErnieMac would know?
There were two others with remarks the same. Other remarks has the appropriate R. S. abbreviation for regimental surgeon or with an A for assistant regimental surgeon.

His place of death was one of the hospitals of the 3rd Division 2nd Corps at Gettysburg
 
Here are the images:

Screen Shot 2020-05-20 at 5.52.43 PM.png
Screen Shot 2020-05-20 at 5.53.20 PM.png
 
Hi all. Am new to CivilWarTalk. Saw this post and was interested in your thoughts on my 4G Uncle’s entry in remarks “A. C. Reg. 55”. William H. H. Stratton was killed July 3, 1863 at Gettysburg charging the Bliss Barn. Co F, 12th Reg NJ Volunteers. Any help/ideas much appreciated! Thanks

I'm beginning to think this is a hospital notation of where the information about his death was taken from. I'm seeing similar notations but with different numbering.
My best educated guess at this point is A.C. is either Army Corps or Ambulance Corp, Reg. is register and the 55 referring to the page number where his name is found.
 
Yes it does. Any idea how to find what that register is and if it still exists, maybe where to find it? According to family, he was then buried. Not sure where but I got what I think is a clue in a story in the N.Y. Herald by Thomas Knox published July 9th where he mentions seeing some graves of some 12th NJ soldiers. Need to dig out the quote.
Then somehow later, he ends up back in NJ at the family’s church cemetery. Trying to connect all of the dots. Fascinating fun puzzle! I appreciate the help!!!
 
I'll give y'all some more food for thought. IMO these records were composed by War Department staff some years after the end of the War, probably in the same time frame that the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion were compiled. They are sorted by 1. State, 2. Year, 3. Month of year, 4. Regiment and 5. First letter of surname (not completely alphabetical). I am guessing that the A. C. Reg. 55 stands for something like Army Casualty Register #55 and that Corporal Stratton's death did not show up in a surgeon's record.
 
these records were composed by War Department staff some years after the end of the War
..and as such are not always reliable, sadly.

It's less surprising to me that he ended up back in the family plot. People who could afford it did have remains moved after the war.
 
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