Researching Union and Confederate Graves

As you have done your family history and tree, you may have located individuals that you for sure served in the US Union Army or Navy or with the US Confederacy Army or Navy. There may be some you are not sure if they with either side during the American Civil War 1861-1865. One method to learn more is to check if on their headstone there is anything written related to such military service.

For both conflicting sides in that war, there is an online source to check the known headstones, names and locations. It doesn’t mean they died while in the service, many headstones were so marked as veterans decades after the conflict.

To search begin with the database of Civil War Soldiers (both sides). This will have all branches, regular Army and volunteers along with the Colored Army troops.

The Union Side

There were between 2 million Union Civil War Veterans, but also count those who operated the supply wagons, field hospitals, etc, the number was 4 million. Due to mass burials, unreported battlefield losses, burials at sea and other circumstances, it can not be expected that there is a 100% complete register all Union graves. This source provides what is known.

To search start with a surname, especially if it is an unusual surname. Look down the listing provided and see if any given name (including middle name) or location match what is known. If one of interest appears click on the name to show what is known information. There might be the person’s birth and death date, their years of military service, where they are buried, which military unit and regiment he served with. The Union Colored Troops are included.

Confederacy Side

There were about 750,000 soldiers who fought in the Civil War for the Confederacy. However count those who ran supplies to regiments, operated the hospitals, etc, the number is 2 million total. The database will show all listing for a surname you submit, including those who served with the Confederacy or Union.

Even if you are not sure of any ancestors from either side who served, put in your family surnames and see what full names appear, and especially where were they from. You just might learn of some ancestors you had not found yet.

Photos: Soldiers Database-Lt Joseph Groff of MD; Freedmen’s Warriors; John Groff grave info in PA; Confederacy soldiers from Ala. and Union soldier.

Related FamilyTree.com Blogs:

Civil War Union Colored Troops

Civil War Medical Records

Georgia Confederates After the Civil War