What was your reaction when....

[JD Mayo]

When you found out you had ancestors on both sides of your family in the civil war not just by marriage but by blood to what was your reaction?

 

[Virginia Dave]

Amazed

 

[JD Mayo]

I was as well and not because they where not back then I'm sure.

 

[lupaglupa]

I don't have direct ancestors on both sides but the brother of one of my great-great-grandfathers fought for the Union. It didn't seem like a big deal to me - more a function of where they lived than anything else. Now if I had found one of my Mississippi kin had crossed over to fight for the Union - that would have been a surprise.

 

[JD Mayo]

I don't have direct ancestors on both sides but the brother of one of my great-great-grandfathers fought for the Union. It didn't seem like a big deal to me - more a function of where they lived than anything else. Now if I had found one of my Mississippi kin had crossed over to fight for the Union - that would have been a surprise.

My great great grandmothers brother was in the Union army but they had him removed after the order issued order number 11 in Missouri. So then he later adopted his Confederate Nephew.

 

[bankerpapaw]

I was amazed to find out my Great Grandfather switched sides!!!

 

[Desert Kid]

Confirmation and relief.

I was told growing up that they were there. Just didn't have the names.

 

[J. D. Stevens]

One great grandfather fought for the South and one great grandfather fought for the Union. Both did their duty as they saw it. I'm proud of both.

 

[mofederal]

It didn't bother me a lot, so I had relatives who were Missouri Confederate Guerrillas on one side and some who fought them as a members of the 17th Illinois Cavalry on the other. It was just the way it went then. I might have had other relatives in the Confederate Army in the Western Theater fighting against my relatives from Illinois and Ohio in the Army of the Cumberland.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

It worried me. I mean, it made me wonder what kind of a rupture it caused inside the family at the time, maybe highlighted how fractured was our country. Some had migrated south, some years before the war, another branch family members migrated north- cousins were in uniform in both armies. I know they were in touch, it was close enough that they did.

So it just worried me. What kind of a rupture it made.

 

[JD Mayo]

I was amazed to find out my Great Grandfather switched sides!!!

Any specific reasons and why?

 

[TerryB]

So far I've found no ancestors who fought for the Union, even as described in the OP.

 

[BillO]

As an adult I found I had a Major Brooks on my Mothers side, her Grandfather, who had a place in central Virginia. I was interested in what branch of service and what unit he might have served in. 2 trips to 2 different courthouses and I discovered that that was his name and not his rank. Oh well.

 

[MackCW]

I'm sure I have Confederate ancestors but so I've only discovered two gentlemen who fought for the Union. Going to start digging a lot more.

 

[JD Mayo]

I'm sure I have Confederate ancestors but so I've only discovered two gentlemen who fought for the Union. Going to start digging a lot more.

Do it you'll get obsessed doing it like I did and you'll might find out that you'll have a bigger family than you think.

 

[Cactus Jack]

I shrugged my shoulders. Not like there's anything I can do for or against their decisions.

 

[Tennis]

Our family came to Virginia in the late 1600's.

Very predictable that relatives would fight on both sides.

 

[Kyle Kalasnik]

Very intrigued, both of my maternal grandfather's great granderfathers (my 3rd Great Grandfathers) served. One in the Union Army the other in the Confederate Army.