There are so many fantastic books we would like to review for you on this blog. Many titles are new, so we want to let you know about them immediately, while others are older but worthy of examining in greater detail because their importance does not fade with time. So it is with Genealogical Resources of the Civil War Era: Online and Published Military or Civilian Name Lists, 1861-1869, and Post-War Veteran Lists, by Dollarhide.
In this book, published in 2009, Dollarhide looks past the traditional soldier and regiment records and examines documents relating to the population as a whole. He helps readers identify where to look and how to find resources for anyone living during the decade of 1861–1869. This book is a guide to the various records which list names of both soldiers and civilians. Perhaps more than any other war in American history, did the Civil War touch the lives of every citizen, regardless of race, age, or location. For this reason has Dollarhide written this book to help locate individuals and families and not just the soldiers who fought in the war.
The book is broken into four parts. Part I is an introduction to the war. From there, this book takes a unique twist. Dollarhide categories records into 20 sets, or groups. Each “research group” covers a unique record set. There are 10 research groups for nationwide resources and 10 for statewide resources. Parts III and IV provide a bibliography as well as additional resources for county and local records. Adding to the book is a forward by this site’s own Leland Meitzler.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Part 1 – Introduction to the Civil War Era
Free vs. Slave States, Jurisdiction
Part 2 – Descriptions and Examples of Resource Groups Available
Nationwide Resource Groups
RG 1 – Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (Online Database)
RG 2 – American Civil War Research
RG 3 – War of the Rebellion: Official Records
RG 4 – Indexes to Pension Files, 1861-1934
RG 5 – 1883 List of U.S. Pensioners on the Roll
RG 6 – 1890 Federal Census, Union Veterans
RG 7 – Roll of Honor & Veteran Burials
RG 8 – 1865-1867 Confederate Amnesty Papers – Presidential Pardons
RG 9 – Consolidated Lists of Confederate Soldiers & United Confederate Veterans
RG 10 – Index to Compiled Services Records Union Regulars, Vet. Reserves, Colored
Statewide Resource Groups:
RG 11 – Compiled Service Records (by state)
RG 12 – Index to Compiled Service Records
RG 13 – 1861-1869 & 1885-1945 State Censuses
RG 14 – 1861-1869 & 1890-1910 Name Lists
RG 15 – 1862-1869 Internal Revenue Assessments
RG 16 – Statewide Militia Lists
RG 17 – Confederate Pension Applications, Name Lists & Veteran Censuses
RG 18 – Indexes to Statewide Records
RG 19 – Statewide Lists of Veteran Burials
RG 20 – State Adjutant General Reports
Table 1 – Summary of Resource Groups Available for Each State
Part III – Statewide Name Lists, 1861-1869 & Post-War Veteran Lists
Online and Published Resources by State/Territory
[complete list of states and territories, listed alphabetically]
Part IV – The Best Civil War Resource Centers for Local & County Research
Inventory local & county name lists online
Inventory the top six Civil War resource centers
- Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT
- Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, IN
- Library of Congress, Washington, DC
- U.S. Army Unit Histories, Carlisle Barracks, PA
- Confederate Unit Histories, Hill College, TX
- Civil War Park & Historic Sites, National Parks Service
While we have reviewed many fantastic and widely popular books over the years, few authors have repeatedly and as prolifically caught the attention of genealogist like William Dollarhide. Add to your Dollarhide collection with Genealogical Resources of the Civil War Era: Online and Published Military or Civilian Name Lists, 1861-1869, and Post-War Veteran Lists, from Family Roots Publishing; Item #:FR0113.