The genealogical researcher with Confederate ancestry will likely benefit from the Newberry's collections in the attempt to identify an ancestor's regiment, as well as to learn about the veteran's experiences and the history of his unit. The Newberry is creating pathfinders for genealogical research in states of the former Confederacy, as well as in border states from which Confederate troops were recruited. Confederate titles are likely to be listed in these pathfinders as well.
Dornbusch, Charles. Regimental Publications of the Civil War (vol. 1), continued as Military Bibliography of the Civil War (vols. 2, 3). New York: New York Public
Library, 1961-1972. Supplement published as vol. 4. Dayton, OH: Morningside,
1987.
Call No. Local History Ref Z1242.D6 (2nd floor open shelf).
Confederate unit
histories and personal narratives listed in vols. 2 and 4. This should be the
first stop for the researcher looking for regimental history citations, although
many unit histories have been published since the 1987 supplement. If you find
an interesting citation, check the Newberry catalogs to see if the Library
holds that title (some Newberry call number annotations are marked in vol. 2).
You can also check the computer
catalog under the "Confederate States of America" subject heading for
regimental histories (for example, "Confederate States of America. Army. Alabama
Infantry Regiment, 27th." These guides are also important:
Neagles, James C. Confederate Research Sources: A Guide to Archive Collections. Salt Lake City:
Ancestry, 1986.
Call No. Local History Ref CD3047.N42 (2nd floor open shelf).
Neagles, James C. U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1994.
Call No. Local History Ref Z1249.M5 N43
(2nd floor open shelf).
There are many Confederate rosters, pension lists, etc. in print. Although some states of the former Confederacy have yet to generate a definitive published roster, such lists do exist for several of them. Many of these are shelved as part of the 2nd floor open shelf collection (Local History Ref E548 - E581 range). Also consult pathfinders for the individual states as they become available. The following may also be helpful:
Hewett, Janet B. The
Roster of Confederate Soldiers. Wilmington, N.C.: Broadfoot, 1995. 16
vols.
Call No. Local History Ref E548.R67 (2nd floor open shelf).
Not divided by state.
Essentially a transcription of the index to the compiled service records of
Confederate soldiers, previously only available on National Archives microfilm.
Helpful for researching soldiers from states with no published rosters or in
cases where the state of the veteran is unknown.
Confederate
P.O.W.'s: Soldiers & Sailors Who Died in Federal Prisons & Military Hospitals in the North. Transcription of 1912 War Dept. compilation.
Call No. Local History Ref E548.I55 (2nd floor open shelf).
In addition to rosters, regimental histories, and personal narratives, the researcher may also wish to consult other historical accounts. Check both the card and computer catalogs under the names of battles and campaigns. The following sources may also be useful:
Confederate Veteran.
Call No. Local History Ref E482.C74 (2nd floor open shelf).
Veterans'
magazine published 1893-1932. Accompanied by an excellent index in three
volumes.
Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the
Rebellion. Washington, 1897-1927. 128 vols.
Call No. Local History Ref E464.U6 (2nd
floor open shelf).
Contains communications and reports from the regimental
command level on up. Index volume for entire set gives series and volume
citations. The researcher should then consult the index of the cited volume for
a page number. Officers are more likely to be mentioned by name than enlisted
men. An incomplete Supplement
series published by Broadfoot (1994-) is shelved following the original
Official Records set.
Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies. New York: Facts on File, 1992-1995. Call No. Local History Ref E546.S58 (2nd floor open shelf). Brief unit histories.