One hundred and fifty years since the end of the American Civil War, there is still so much to learn about our ancestors who were a part of that major historical event. It is generally easier to locate military records and photos on those who served on the Federal Union side. However, finding information on those who served with the Confederate side (the Southern states) can present to the researcher a greater challenge.
Using the free FamilySearch.org database of Confederate Officers Cards Index just might help in that search. There are scanned some 207,550 handwritten cards, all in alphabetical order by their surname. As you look through, some cards also have additional information on the next card (which is the back).
So check several cards before and after you locate one one you were searching. You might also find a relative to the ancestor you were searching.
The information will vary. Most have the soldier’s name (sometimes only initials for given names), also the state they served in a military unit (not necessary their home state), plus the regiment and company they were with, along with their rank. What is very good to have is if is written they resigned from the service and when, were killed, and how long they served. If you are very fortunate, more details beyond their military service is provided, such as their schooling and their occupation after the war and when they died years later.
You can download a card to your computer you are interested in or print it from the site.
These were officers in the Confederate Army from all the southern states. Using the search of FamilySearch.org, there are indexes with information from several southern states relating to their soldiers (non-officers).
Photos: Tennessee’s James Trimble Brown portrait, Cards on John Kerr (front-back), Homer Key who died of disease in 1862 and Abel Williams.
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