Fun Feature: Have you noticed that the image on the Fold3 landing page for the Civil War Collection changes from “Civil War” to “War Between the States” when you move your cursor over the 150th-anniversary logo? Give it a try. It’s one of the many ways Fold3 recognizes the history of the U.S. Civil War from both perspectives—North and South.
This month, in the spirit of paying tribute to those who fought for the South, Fold3 is offering free access to its rich collection of Confederate Civil War records.
Several of the records and publications from the National Archives’ War Department Collection of Confederate Records (RG 109) are digitized and appear on Fold3. These include Confederate Compiled Service Records, both the Union and Confederate citizens files, and Confederate Casualty Reports. All titles from RG 109 available on Fold3 are listed here with links to each title.
Additionally, Confederate Amnesty Papers, the Confederate Navy Subject File, the Turner-Baker Papers relating to Civil War Subversion Investigations, and files of the Southern Claims Commission are included as part of the free Confederate content for the month of April. Of unique interest, explore the compiled service records for the “Galvanized Yankees,” Confederate prisoners of war who were released by enlisting in the Union Army. Most of the CSA files contain a soldier’s declaration of “Volunteer Enlistment” with an oath of allegiance to the USA.
Learn more about your southern ancestors and those who fought for the Confederate States of America within the Civil War Collection on Fold3.
>> Fold3 recognizes the history of the U.S. Civil War from both perspectives—North and South.
This month, in the spirit of paying tribute to those who fought for the South,<<
In my home state of NM, a man has been charged with a misdemeanor for flying a Confederate flag on his flag pole with the American flag.
Many ignorant people are publishing comments calling him a racist, a traitor, and worse.
Though my family is from the South, and more than a few of my ancestors died in the War between the States, I knew only what I had been taught in school about that time in history (which as you can imagine, wasn't much.)
As I have studied and learned more about what happened before and during and after the war, I understand that this war cannot be comprehended by thinking of it in "black and white" terms.
Thank you for being committed to helping to tell the story in an unbiased way and helping to open people's minds.
I need to find out what my ancestor did for the Confederacy in San Antonio, Texas during the Civil War. He did not serve in the military but did work for the CSA. How do I find out what civilian position he held, where and how long? His occupation and training was as a tailor and he knew how to operate a dairy so I thought he may have worked in one of these areas.
Anne Stewart
I need to find out what my ancestor, Heinrich Seidensticker of Comfort, Texas, did for the Confederacy during the war. He did not serve in the military on either side. He was trained as a tailor and knew how to operate a dairy, so I thought he might have worked for the CSA in one of these areas. Other men from Comfort worked as lime kiln operators and carpenters but we don’t know where to look for our ancestor and his activities during the war.
Thanks, Anne Stewart