Several of the volumes were used to create compiled service records. This card from the service record of Corporal Thomas Ferguson was abstracted from information on the fifth line of this roll of the 2nd New Jersey Regiment, January 1, 1777.

Orderly books include rosters, instructions relating to troop movements, camp regulations, reprimands, promotions, and findings of courts martial. A 1778 orderly book from Providence Headquarters details the results of three courts martial where one man was pardoned for falling asleep at his post; another sentenced “to be shot to death” for “stealing, insolence, disturbing the camp,” and additional violent actions; and a third was “to be whipped one hundred lashes on his naked Back” for stealing a rifle.

“Oaths of Allegiance, Fidelity, and of Office” are in volumes numbered 165-168. There we find the Oath of Allegiance of Abraham Rand, in which he declares he owes “no allegiance or obedience to George the Third King of Great Britain” and will “defend the said United States against the said King George Third.” It is followed later by Rand’s Oath of Office, in which he swears to “faithfully, truly and impartially execute the Office of Sub Conductor of Waggons.”

Within a 1779 list of military requisitions, we learn that fifes were delivered to one brigade, sheepskin and lead aprons to another, while Artillery Artificers received a bolt of duck cloth and a pound of twine. Other items seen frequently within the supply accounts include drum sticks, muskets, belts, and bayonets.

More information and examples are available within Fold3′s description of this title. Documents discovered in the “Numbered Record Books” round out stories and fill in gaps. They are overlooked evidence, underappreciated records, and hidden tales from our nation’s history. They now await your discovery.

Mexican War Service Records contain valuable first-hand information about battles, troop movements, officers, and soldiers. While the United States had a standing army at the time, most of the soldiers who fought in the Mexican War were volunteers from various states. At present, there are five sets of records on Fold3 with information on forty-four units, and the men who served in them, from Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and the Mormon Battalion.

Muster Rolls provide details on Promotions, Payments, Casualties, Those killed in battle and deserters, as well as physical descriptions. Unit information includes company muster rolls naming recruits, deserters, and those on special assignment; and regimental returns with battle histories and casualties. Company locations—the National Palace Mexico, Lobas Island in the Gulf of Mexico, and Camp nr. Jalapa Mexico—provide geographic perspectives.

Other titles on Fold3 round out the Mexican War Collection. If you’re interested in a Pennsylvania soldier, alphabetical service record abstracts in the Pennsylvania Archives match the imaged service record cards within the state’s two regiments. For Mormon Battalion soldiers, you can pair service records with the Mormon Battalion Pension Files.

Explore the Mexican War Service Records to learn more about the men who served in this geographically critical war.

September 17, 1862, was the bloodiest day in American military history. The Battle of Sharpsburg (also known as the Battle of Antietam), fought in Maryland near Antietam Creek, resulted in over 23,000 casualties.

Accounts of the battle, written by Southern officers, can be found in the Confederate Casualty Reports on Fold3. Reports typically contain narratives of unit activities in battle, followed by lists of casualties: the dead, the wounded, the missing, and those taken prisoner.

Beginning with the report of Col. O.E. Edwards of the 13th South Carolina Infantry, and ending with the casualty list written by Capt. W.T. Poague of the Rockbridge (Virginia) Artillery, five official reports offer first-hand accounts of the Battle of Sharpsburg, also known as the Battle of Antietam.

Col. Edwards wrote how his men took position “along a fence-line on the edge of the corn; and there received the enemy upon our left, drove him back across the field, and held the ground till the action closed at 8 P.M.” He lost one man and fifteen were wounded.

Capt. Poague wrote, “Wm. Effinger stunned and burned in face by explosion of a shell,” then added that fourteen horses were killed or wounded. He concluded, “All the men and officers acquitted themselves most admirably. I cannot avoid entertaining a feeling of pride in having the command of such men.”

The Confederate Casualty Reports bring a unique perspective of military engagements in the Civil War. They are arranged by state, then by battle. Some reports include insights by Fold3 members, providing additional context or history. For example, with the Meredian Expedition, a comment about Forrest’s Cavalry explains that the 7th Tennessee Cavalry was also known as Duckworth’s Cavalry, commanded by Colonel Leonidas Duckworth.

From Chickamauga to Gettysburg, Vicksburg to Fredericksburg, these records include soldiers’ names, battle strategies, tributes to the troops, Indian encounters, and scouting reports. Access the Confederate Casualty Reports for more details.

War of 1812 Pension Files^Free

Records in the War of 1812 Pension Files reveal details of each soldier’s service and family. In a declaration made by widow Mary Abbott, she elaborates upon her late husband’s engagements in Ohio after stating that he was "out three times in the War of 1812."

Mexican War Service Records

From 1846 to 1848, the war with Mexico determined the southwest border of the U.S. as we know it today. The Mexican War Service Records launch Fold3′s commitment to bringing records of this strategic war to our members.

Confederate Casualty Reports

From skirmishes to major battles, documents within the Confederate Casualty Reports describe a unit’s role in the conflict and detail casualties, from killed to missing to “slightly” wounded. A few reports from the Battle of Sharpsburg (also known as Antietam) on September 17, 1862, relate the action from several units, beginning with the report of the 13th South Carolina Infantry.

World War I Officer Experience Reports

The World War I Officer Experience Reports reveal intriguing accounts by engineers in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). Some reports go beyond military and engineering terms to provide remarkable, sometimes poetic insights, like this January 6, 1919, account of a torpedo attack on a convoy hours after the writer described “the dark forested shores of North America” as “a mere fringe on the horizon.”

WWII "Old Man’s Draft" Registration Cards

In 1942, men between the ages of 45 and 64 were required to register for the draft in order to create an inventory of those who could provide essential skills to the home front during World War II. The “Old Man’s Draft” Cards are the result, complete with addresses, dates, and physical descriptions of each registrant.

Watch for more to come as these titles continue to grow and others are added.

Here are a few questions that you may have about this change:
Which titles will be removed and which will still be available on Fold3?
All titles from SmallTownPapers and Gannett will be removed.  Nearly all of these titles are from our newspaper collection.  To help you see which titles will be affected, we’ve collected those that will be removed into a category called “SmallTownPapers and Gannett” in the “Other Records” category of the browse on the site until they are removed on the 15^th.

Only titles from SmallTownPapers and Gannett will be removed and we will still have great historical newspapers on the site including The Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Washington Post, The Atlanta Constitution and The London Times.

What about images from these titles that I have added to my Gallery or downloaded?
All Gannett images will be removed from the site and will no longer be accessible on Fold3. From the SmallTownPapers collection, we have negotiated ongoing rights to images to which users have contributed (for example, bookmarked, commented on, annotated, spotlighted or added to their Gallery or to a memorial page). All other SmallTownPapers images will be removed from the site. Of course this will not affect any copies of images you have downloaded to your hard drive.

How does this affect other titles on Fold3?
This only affects titles from SmallTownPapers and Gannett. We have ongoing rights to all the other titles on the site and have no plans to remove any other content.

Lindon, UT (May 10, 2011) – Footnote.com is pleased to announce the first online publishing of the War of 1812 Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Applications. In cooperation with the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) and the National Archives, Footnote.com is currently digitizing millions of War of 1812 records and making them available on its site free of charge. The initial 1,400 images are available today and the collection will continue to grow weekly as the digitization process progresses. When completed, the collection will encompass 7.2 million images that will detail the histories of soldiers who fought in the War of 1812 and their families.

While the project is currently underway, its long term completion is dependent on the availability of additional funding. FGS is proud to be spearheading a national fundraising effort to ensure the completion and expedite this valuable endeavor. The organization is actively seeking donations from genealogical and historical societies, patriotic and military heritage societies, and any interested corporations or individuals. iArchives, Footnote.com’s parent company, is providing a dollar-for-dollar match of each donation through a provision of services. To learn more and contribute to the project, visit www.fgs.org/1812 or www.footnote.com/1812pensions.

“This is just the first step in a multi-year journey to bring the War of 1812 documents out of the National Archives and into the digital world,” said Brian Hansen, General Manager of Footnote.com. “We are privileged to bring such historically rich documents online, so they can be accessed in schools, libraries and homes where they can be available free for future generations.”

Footnote.com’s database of Revolutionary War Pension Files has proven to be the most popular set of records available on the site. It is anticipated that the War of 1812 Pension Application Files will create similar interest from family historians, genealogists and military researchers. The War of 1812 Pension Application Files include extensive details of the lives of these 19^th century veterans. The information may include:

• Veteran’s name
• Widow’s name
• Widow’s maiden name
• Service data and dates
• Age
• Acres Granted
• Year of Bureau of Land Management act
• Soldier death date
• Warrant number
• Place of residence
• Organization and Rank
• Marriage date
• Widow death date
• Additional names

About iArchives

iArchives is a leading digitization service provider and subsidiary of Ancestry.com (NASDAQ: ACOM). The company operates Footnote.com, the leading U.S. military record resource on the web with more than 72 million records online. The site provides searchable original documents, providing subscribers with a view of the events, places and people in the conflicts that shaped the American nation and the world. For more information, visit www.footnote.com.

About FGS

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), founded in 1976, links the genealogical community by serving the needs of its member societies, providing products and services needed by member societies, and marshaling the resources of its member organizations. FGS represents the members of hundreds of genealogical societies and engages in projects that help genealogical societies strengthen and grow as well as call attention to records preservation and access issues. FGS can be found on the web at www.FGS.org.

About the National Archives

The National Archives and Records Administration, an independent federal agency, is the nation’s record keeper. Founded in 1934, its mission is unique — to serve American democracy by safeguarding and preserving the records of our Government, ensuring that the people can discover, use, and learn from this documentary heritage. The National Archives ensures continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. It supports democracy, promotes civic education, and facilitates historical understanding of our national experience. The National Archives meets a wide range of information needs, among them helping people to trace their families’ history, making it possible for veterans to prove their entitlement to medical and other benefits, and preserving original White House records. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and on the Internet at http://www.archives.gov/.

In the naturalization and passport records on Footnote, you can discover interesting facts and stories about those who traveled through New York and other ports to begin new lives in America.

In order to become a citizen, an immigrant filed papers to meet naturalization requirements. These intentions, declarations, and oaths can provide biographical details of the immigrants, including where they were born and when they arrived in the U.S.

Passports can also reveal interesting details, as they describe the traveler’s physical appearance, where they were born, and if they were traveling with family members. A large number of passports were issued for naturalized citizens so you can frequently find passports and naturalization records for the same people.  Here are two examples:

Frederick A. Mehrtens was a confectioner from Germany.  He arrived in New York on September 23, 1897, became a citizen on August 3, 1904, and received a passport five days later on August 8. He is described as healthy, with an oval face, high forehead, medium nose, and round chin.

Frederick’s Petition for Naturalization

Frederick’s Passport

Sachellarios G. Diamantis was born in Turkey on October 13, 1850, and renounced allegiance to the “Sultan of Turkey” in his naturalization papers. He arrived in New York, presumably through Ellis Island, in 1896. He requested a passport in 1902 in order to go abroad returning to the U.S. “within two years.”

Sachellarios’ Declaration of Intention

Sachellarios’ Declaration Oath & Petition

Sachellarios’ Passport

Edgar Allen Poe’s final hours

This story was found in the The Chicago Tribune on October 30, 1875.
Edgar Allen Poe was found sleeping on a park bench, he was carried to a hospital.
When told by the nurse that he was in the care of good friends, he replied:

“My best friend would be the man who would blow my brains out with a pistol… O, God the terrible strait I am in! Is there no ransom for the deathless spirit?”

He slept but his health continued to diminish. He awoke during his final moments to say:

“Doctor, it’s all over. Eddie is no more.”

When asked to hope and trust in God he replied:

“Self-murderer, there is a gulf beyond the stream. Where is the buoy, life-boat, ship of fire, sea of brass? Rest, shore, no more!”

His eyes rolled upward into his head so that only whites balls could be seen. He twitched and then died. It was midnight.

UFO scares trick-or-treaters

Here’s a story from the Project Blue Book – UFO Investigations from 1957. Two teenage girls see a glowing egg-shaped object in the sky over Primrose Acres, a suburb of Annapolis, MD.

Across the country, others see the same thing including an engineer at White Sands Proving Grounds in New Mexico.

The US Air Defense Command says only 1.9 percent of these reported sightings end up in the “unknown” category.

Man driven to suicide after medium threatens to reveal his murderous past

After a spiritualist had promised to reveal the name of a murderer, Mike Nelson—long suspected of killing a wealthy farmer—became alarmed and killed his two daughters and himself.

The medium had already stated where the body could be found. Read the front page story in the Washington Post from 1905.

Lizzie Borden. What happened to her?

Seven years after her parents were hacked to death with an ax in their home, Lizzie Borden takes her $350,000 inheritance (about $9.4 million in 2010 dollars) and moves into a more elegant home just a mile away. Read the follow-up story about her in this Small Town Newspaper in Wyoming.

Bobbing for Apples during World War II

This photo comes from the World War II Air Force Photos. Men of the 70th Service Group, based at Essex, England, duck for apples at the Halloween party sponsored by the Aero Red Cross Club on October 29, 1943.

On July 20, 1944, in an attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg detonated a briefcase bomb at Hitler’s Eastern Front military headquarters, the Wolf’s Lair. Once Stauffenberg detonated the bomb, he believed Hitler to be dead. He rushed back to Berlin to initiate Valkyrie in order to take control of the government and the military with his fellow co-conspirators. The scene in Berlin quickly turned to chaos as conflicting reports about Hitler leaked to the military and Hitler’s colleagues.   Once Nazi officials were assured that Hitler was alive, Stauffenberg and his associates were immediately arrested and killed shortly after midnight that night.

Stauffenberg and his men came devastatingly close to ending the Third Reich, the Holocaust, and Hitler’s reign of terror, but an early end to the war was not meant to be. Instead, these men paid the ultimate price for their disloyalty to their Führer.

Otto Remer was in charge of the home guard for Operation Valkyrie.  You can read his account of the coup attempt in the WWII Military Studies.

The WWII Foreign Military Studies, 1945-54 includes reports, interviews, questionnaires and more regarding major operations and events of World War 2.