soldiers

  • Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)

    Nov 21

    If you had an ancestor who fought for the union (Northern) side, you have to check if they ever joined one of the many GAR Posts that formed from the 1880s and stayed well into the early 20th century. Those that joined had served in the US Army during the American Civil War of 1861-1865. This site online for the GAR can be a great resource of fi...

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  • Veterans Day

    Nov 11

    It was the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when an armistice was signed ending the 'Great War', the war to end all wars. However, as we know from history, that name would later become World War One. In 1921, was when an unknown World War I American soldier was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. It would become known offic...

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  • Info in World War One Draft Cards

    Aug 29

    With Europe at war during what was called 'The Great War' beginning in 1914, America felt it needed to be prepared to expand their army if called on. So a special draft registration form was created for males born from September 11, 1872 to September 12, 1900. It didn't matter if they were born in a different country, if they were living in Ameri...

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  • Prisoners of WW One

    Aug 2

      Wars and the casualties they bring are never pleasant. Everyone has in their family tree, ancestors who served in times of war, not just in military service to the United States but many also for their native homelands in Europe or for Canada. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has worked for decades to be that helping han...

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  • Massachusetts ‘Dough-boys’

    Jul 19

    The term 'dough-boy' goes back to the Mexican-American War of the 1840s and referred to young men who left their schooling to join the Army and later had dust (like flour dough) all over them from marching in the dry lands of Texas into Mexico. It became very popular term to refer to any soldier in the Army or in the Marines during World War I. B...

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  • Canadian Soldiers – WW I

    Jun 5

    The Library and Archives of Canada have updated and placed additional scanned military registration forms for the soldiers who served during World War I (1914-1918) to their database. If you had searched before, try again. Many of the forms completed were Volunteers for the Canadian Expeditionary Force and questioned at the place of enlistment t...

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  • Memorial Day 2015

    May 25

    Monday, May 25th is a Federal holiday, Memorial Day, but more important it that time set aside to remember the American soldiers over the decades who gave their lives in defense of the United States. This observation, first known as 'Decoration Day' honored the fallen soldiers, Union and Confederate, who died during the 1861-1865 American Civil...

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  • Civil War Writings – Letters Home

    Apr 5

      Most people will find at least one ancestor on their tree who served in some form during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Since people are fascinated with this time frame in American history, many archives and records have been saved over the decades. A good online resource is Civil War Archives.com. This site has Union and Confederate ...

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  • Boys in Blue of Illinois

    Mar 5

    During the American Civil War (1861-1865), the 'Boys in Blue' were the Federal Union army soldiers. Those in the Southern Confederacy were considered the 'Boys in Gray'. Both due to the color of the uniform. If you had an ancestor who served from the many Illinois (Union) Army regiments, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library has s...

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  • Civil War Medical Records

    Jan 19

    During the American Civil War of 1861-1865, the governments issued uniforms both Confederate and Union sides which included socks, undershorts and drawers (underwear). However, those items didn't get cleaned that often, especially the underclothes, so a major source of germs. Men many times requested additional underclothes be sent by their famil...

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