Searching civil war soldier databases by initials?

[Papa Frinkle]

Howdy there, I'm trying to find a man with the initials G.H.T who served in company H of an unknown regiment. I haven't been able to figure out if there's a way to search records by the first letters of the names rather than the names themselves. Does anyone here know? Thanks!

 

[UCVRelics]

Howdy there, I'm trying to find a man with the initials G.H.T who served in company H of an unknown regiment. I haven't been able to figure out if there's a way to search records by the first letters of the names rather than the names themselves. Does anyone here know? Thanks!

3 letters is easier than 2 but its been my experience that it will be impossible without more info. The regiment would be VERY helpful.

 

[Bob Velke]

I can do that search for you. Union or Confederate?

 

[lupaglupa]

Wow. Do you have any more clues than that? State? Side? The more you can narrow it down, the better.

As a technical answer, there are ways in some databases to use wild card symbols to allow for open ended searches - so Ed** might give you a return for every word that began with the letters ED. But I don't know if you can use those for three single initials.

 

[Bob Velke]

Well, here you go but keep in mind that there are a lot of G.T.'s for whom no middle name is recorded in the military records. Likewise some G.H.T.'s for whom no company is listed.

This is from the Soldiers and Sailors database.

 

[UCVRelics]

Well, There you go take your pick. Finding all those is great but does it help him ID who he is looking for? The regiment would be very helpful.

 

[Bob Velke]

Finding all those is great but does it help him ID who he is looking for?

I gave him what he asked for. If he has a sword or something else that is inscribed with the initials, then maybe the rank will help him to narrow it down to a handful.

 

[Papa Frinkle]

Thanks a lot guys, especially you Bob. How to you do that search? I use the soldiers and sailors database fairly frequently and I can't figure out how to isolate men with certain initials or from certain units.

The initials in question come from a model 1855 Springfield rifle musket, so it's probably infantry. The side is unknown, however it might be confederate as the pitting patterns concentrated on the breech indicate the possible usage of the more corrosive, British caps that were used by the confederacy. There appear to be other names scratched into the wood but I cannot discern them very well. The 'GHT' actually is located inside the patch box. The 'H' that presumably designates the company it was issued to is stamped into buttplate. I have not found any other markings thus far.

The best way I can think of to narrow this down further is to attempt to see what units may have been issued M1855s. That could be a messy business.

 

[Bob Velke]

How to you do that search? I use the soldiers and sailors database fairly frequently and I can't figure out how to isolate men with certain initials or from certain units.

You can't. I have a copy of the S&S database.

I'm working on a web site that will allow you to do those kinds of searches - plus phonetic searches, wildcard searches, and much more. I hope that it will be ready for the public before the end of the year.

 

[OldSarge79]

Disregard this post. Already covered.

 

[Papa Frinkle]

You can't. I have a copy of the S&S database.

I'm working on a web site that will allow you to do those kinds of searches - plus phonetic searches, wildcard searches, and much more. I hope that it will be ready for the public before the end of the year.

What do you plan on calling it? That will be so extremely helpful for identifying pieces of equipment. Keep me posted, and thanks for doing ACW researchers everywhere such a big favor!

 

[DixieRifles]

This is from the Soldiers and Sailors database.

I have pretty much given up trying to search Soldiers and Sailors NPS database. It used to be user-friendly but now I get too many No Hits or Too Many Hits. I seem to find people just as easily on FOLD3.
I haven't used it in a couple of years---maybe I should try it.