Military Monday - Philip Kuhn and the Grand Army of the Republic

Fraternity ~ Charity ~ Loyalty

The Grand Army of the Republic, or GAR, was founded April 6, 1866 as veteran's organization for Union Civil War soldiers. The organization's constitution sets forth the following aims:

1st. The preservation of those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together, with the strong cords of love and affection, the comrades in arms of many battles, sieges and marches.
2nd. To make these ties available in works and results of kindness, of favor and material aid to those in need of assistance.
3rd. To make provision, where it is not already done, for the support, care and education of soldiers' orphans, and for the maintenance of the widows of deceased soldiers.
4th. For the protection and assistance of disabled soldiers, whether disabled by wounds, sickness, old age or misfortune.
5th. For the establishment and defense of the late soldiery of the United States, morally, socially and politically, with a view to inculcate a proper appreciation of their services to the the country, and o a recognition of such services and claims by the American people.

   - "Constitution of the Grand Army of the Republic." History of the Grand Army of the Republic. Beath, Robert Burns. Bryan, Taylor, & co., 1889. Pgs. 44-45.

The GAR grew to have more than 7,000 posts and at its height in 1890 it had more than 400,000 members. It became a strong advocate for veteran pensions and also had a strong hand in winning the elections of republican candidates. The GAR is also credited with founding Memorial Day. It began as a request from General John A. Logan, then commander-in-chief of the GAR, to all post members to place flowers on the graves of fallen comrades on May 30, 1868. It was called Decoration Day and soon caught on around the country. A female auxiliary, the National Women's Relief Corps, officially began in 1883. The GAR was formally dissolved in 1956 upon the death of it's last member. The legacy of the GAR then passed to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

My ancestor, Philip Kuhn, served in "The Recent Unpleasantness" as a musician in the 120th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He enlisted on September 2, 1862 and remained in service for the entire war, discharged on July 8, 1865. His service included a period in the prisoner of war camp just outside of Tyler, Texas: Camp Ford.

Philip was a founding member of the Grand Army of the Republic, George Graham Post No. 92 on July 4, 1882 in Seneca, Kansas. He was also an active member of Centralia Post No. 188 in Centralia, Kansas.

Philip served as adjutant and chaplain as well as providing music for various events; he was a musician after all. He also shared the story of his time as a prisoner of war. The following is the newspaper story about a GAR Post No. 188 fundraiser held in 1887 as printed in The Centralia Journal, Centralia, Kansas (I have added some formatting to make reading easier):

The G.A.R. Gastronomic and Literary Feast

     The Grand Army Dinner and entertainment last Friday evening, was a grand success, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather. The dinner was superb and abundant. The solicitors scoured town and country and everybody seemed glad to encourage the boys who wore the blue. By time the clock struck twelve, tables for 100 guests were bountifully spread and literally groaned under the accumulated eatables, consisting of vast quantities of cake, pies, meats, huge paps of port and beans --"The army bean white and clean." The onslaught of this formidable array continues until after 2 o'clock, some of the guests eating as though they were hollow to the bottom of their boots. But after all had done their best there was enough left to feed half a regiment. This surplus made many needy families of the town happy.

     The evening entertainment was opened with "America," by a choir of about 20 singers, under the leadership of Prof. Bowman. This was followed by a recitation of a poem by Comrade Wheeler, entitled "Tender-foot and Grey back," written by Chaplin Lozier. "The Army Bean" was then forcibly rendered by the choir, followed by the recitation "Kentucky Bell," by Winifred Spaulding, which held the audience spell-bound. "They've grafted him into the army," was given as a solo and chorus. Mrs. Jennie Stickel, the soloist was in costume and exhibited "The very same pants that Jimmie used to wear," Mrs. Stickel impersonated an old lady singer to perfection. Miss May Preston then recited an original poem, "The Army of the Republic," and lost none of her prestige, either as author or speaker by this effort. "Blue coat and Miss Dixy," was successfully given by Ruben Mather and Miss Spaulding. "Babyton is falling," was rendered as a solo by Will Hostlander. This was followed by the recitation, "The prisoner for debt," by G.W. Pampel.

     While a camp scene was being prepared, Commander I. Stickel narrated some personal incidents of the war, on the Vicksburg Campaign; with 20 cavalry he charged a force of 80 mounted rebs, wounded and captured 30 of them without losing a man. This statement was taken from an official report made at the time, which is now in his possession. He also related a ludicrous incident of a lieutenant who was ordered out on a scout while he was having his only shirt washed. "Tenting on the old camp grounds," was then rendered very effectively. The stage presented an old time camp scene, with tent, campfires, muskets and soldiers scattered around playing cards, making coffee, etc.

     Miss Minnie Carr, of Goffs, then recited "Sheridan's ride," displaying no ordinary powers of elocution. Comrade Wheeler then recited an original poem, "The boys in Blue.Bro's, assisted by Rev. Bush, Joe Kincaid and John Tohm, then sang "Kingdom Coming," in good style, which was followed by Mr. Oberedorf reading some very interesting abstracts from his diary kept while in the Confederate service, his "dream" being very remarkable, and we trust it may never be realized, if he is to be the victim to "mark time." Comrade Root sandwiched some of his foraging stories between this and Mr. Kincaid's speech. Kincaid wore the Grey in Tenn, and was captured at Chattanooga, and gave many incidents of the war as seen from the other side. One of the Ex-confederate speakers, David Jessie, was unable to be present. Will Holtslander gave "Old Shady," as a solo. Comrade I.A. Stickel gave some accounts of the capture at Holly Spring, Miss., by the rebs; while making a charge he was surrounded and pounded over the head and shoulders with empty shot guns, but with his noble horse and making good use of his spurs and saber, got away.

  

     Comrade Birchfield related a goose story, and the Exercises closed with "Marching through Georgia." The singers and others marched around the stage waving flags and hats, while singing the chorus. Miss Nettie Kuhn sang the solo. This was one of the best things on the program. The large audience separated feeling that they had been highly entertained. They netted between $45 and $50, and would have been much larger had it not been for the snow storm that raged during the day and night.

The Grand Army Badge, presented to all members upon their induction in to the society.

To read more about the Grand Army of the Republic visit the following links:

The History of the Grand Army of the Republic, a free Google ebook.
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
The Grand Army of the Republic and Kindred Societies, Library of Congress reading room
Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library

Civil War Pension File...Is it worth it? - Military Monday

Last week I received the full military pension file (NATF 85D) for Joseph M. Creed that I first mentioned here. The file came in less then a month. I received two CDs with PDF files and amazingly, there were still additional documents so I had to send another $16 to the NARA for the last of the copies. All told the file cost me $91. Was it worth it?

The long and the short is no, with a caveat. I must first point out that I have completed quite a bit of research on this particular ancestor over the years. I have been to the county where he lived the last half of his life, I have visited his grave. I have spoken to the local historian there, I have ordered land documents, I have every file available on Fold3 for Joseph Creed. I have even located photos through a distant cousin. So what was I hoping to learn from a pension file? I suppose I was hoping to learn a little more about his service. I know the units he was assigned to, but I was hoping that I would glean just a little more about his actual experience.

Alas, that was not to be. In fact, I must admit that I learned very little that I didn't already know. I now know that he had the measles during the war which he claimed caused the health problems he faced at the end of his life. I now know his brother-in-law's wife's maiden name. Obscure, but nice to know anyway.

So, is a full pension file the right option for you? It depends. Don't get me wrong, I'm always glad to add another piece of evidence to my pile so I'm happy I ordered the pension file. But I don't know that I would do it again, at least not for an ancestor I had few brick walls on. In my case, the pension file served to round out my information on this individual and add another source to my list. However, if you have a civil war ancestor that you know very little about the pension file is worth your money. The NARA does offer a Pension Documents Packet for $25 which provides the most genealogical rich documents of a Pension Application file. This is a more cost-efficient option, but would leave out quite a bit of the "meat" that may be found interesting. Here are just some of the genealogical items contained in the file (Note: File contents will vary).

• Soldier's birth date and location
• Soldier's physical description
• Wife's maiden name
• Affidavits indicating marriage date, place and names of individuals present
• Affidavits of service-related injuries (in my case this included statements from the neighbors that noticed his frostbite!)
• A full list of children with names and birth dates
• Physical description
• Military unit and time served
• Places lived since military service

A list of Joseph M. Creed's children and their birth dates.

Overall the full pension file is full of fascinating information and is a must have for someone very interested in their ancestor's military history. If you are just looking for names and dates I recommend the Pensions Document Packet (NATF 85B).

Military Monday - Ordering Civil War Pension files through NARA eServices

I finally broke down and spent $75. On a pension file. Am I crazy?

I recently read on several other genealogy blogs that fellow researchers had ordered the Civil War pension files for their ancestors. I have many ancestors that fought in the Civil War but once I saw the steep price tag for complete pension files ($75 for the search at the NARA and up to 100 copies) I was leery. Was it really worth my money? What would I learn that I didn't already know? And most importantly, if I couldn't justify ordering a pension file for every ancestor, how would I narrow it down?

I have read that pension files are very rich with family information. It makes sense, because they were used to prove service and family relationships in order to delve out money. And we know the government is thorough when investigating how it will spend its money. The government paid pensions for the following reasons:

1. The former soldier became disabled and was unable to support himself, or he became an invalid because of wounds or illness which occurred while he was in the Service.
2. The soldier was a volunteer whose State unit saw Federal Service.
3. A widow’s pension was awarded to a woman and children whose husband and father served in the war.

There are two types of pension file reproductions that you can order. The first, the Pension Documents Packet (NATF 85B), costs $25 and includes eight documents with the most genealogical rich information. The second option is the Federal Military Pension Application - Civil War and Later Complete File (NATF 85D), which includes all documentation in the pension file. The pension file could include marriage certificates, death certificates and discharge information, among other things.

Some of my ancestors inadvertently helped me to narrow down which pension files I would have to order by being Confederate soldiers. Those pension application files are kept at a state level which would require a request to each of the different state archives, a project for down the road. Other ancestors were Union soldiers, but did not see federal service. I am now narrowed down to the following ancestors:

Joseph M. Creed
Philip Kuhn

Both were Union Soldiers in my direct line and I have located pension index files for them. If I have to choose which to order I choose to not choose. That is a choice, right? But I will save ordering Philip Kuhn's file for later. I have already discovered Civil War letters written by Philip and I am very familiar with his service record. Joseph Creed is more of a mystery. He was a member of the Cass County Home Guards (Missouri) and the 9th Regiment, Kansas Calvary. I have no idea why his service crossed the state line and what happened that led him to see federal service. So the winner is Joseph M. Creed for $75. I hope it is well worth it!

So off I went to the NARA to place my order. I have found the easiest way to order reprodcutions from the National Archives is through their eServices site.

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Set up a user ID and password on the right-hand side of the screen. Once you have logged in click on the Order Reproductions button in the center of the screen or the tab at the top of the page. 

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Note the red circle. These are quick links to Military Service and Pension Records. Following this link brings you to a screen listing all of the military service and pension records available for order. I have circled the two Civil War files mentioned above:

Click to enlarge.

After choosing the type of file you would like to order, the site asks for all the pertinent information to conduct the search to include the veteran's name, unit, pension file application number (if known) and other information. The rest of the steps to order the file are similiar to ordering anything online. I have ordered many items through this site and my favorite part is the order history found in the My Account section. You are able to track all of your past orders and see where current orders are in the process. Note my most recent purchase is already being serviced!

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Note that there is no charge if the NARA is unable to locate your requested records, but their search can only be as good as the information you provide. I hope this tutorial drives others to order their ancestor's pension files. I hope that it is worth it for all of us!

For more information on Civil War Pension files at the NARA see here.

Military Monday - Prisoner of war...how many times?

Colonel H. Megonnigil was my fourth great grandfather and had a surname that I both love and hate (see my lengthy discourse here and here). I have found nothing in addition to what I mention in these previous posts. But I did do a little research on Colonel's time as a prisoner of war in 1863.

Colonel, who was not a colonel at all, served in the 6th Missouri State Militia Cavalry as a bugler. His records show that he enlisted on December 17, 1861 for the duration of the war. He was mustered out January 16, 1865. Throughout the war he was reimbursed for the use of his horse and equipment. A nice extra bonus, I imagine. Unfortunately, poor Colonel's horse and equipment were taken by the Confederates at the Surrender of Neosho, Missouri on October 4, 1863.

Maj. Eno, commander of the 8th Missouri State Militia Cavalry, provides this report regarding the capture of the 6th M.S.M.

Report of Maj. Edward B. Eno, Eighth Missouri State Militia Cavalry, of action at Neosho, Mo.

NEWTONIA, October 5, 1863--11 a.m.

COLONEL: Reached here with force from Cassville at 4 a.m. Shelby attacked Captain McAfee at Neosho yesterday, capturing him and his whole force, 165 men, with a train of 6 wagons loaded with subsistence. Captain McAfee fought them as long as he could, but they knocked the court-house down with their artillery (three pieces). Their force is 1,200 or 1,500 strong. They left Neosho for Carthage about 4 o'clock last evening. About 200 prisoners paroled have arrived. I suggest that you order the artillery, with the balance of the cavalry, to join us here, when we could push on and be further re-enforced at Greenfield. Shelby will march night and day to reach Jackson County. If we start after him, subsistence must be sent after us. We have five days' rations. Will arrive to-day.

E.B. ENO, Major [Eighth] Missouri State Militia [Cavalry]. to Col. J. Edwards, Springfield*

It is unclear whether Colonel Megonnigil was among the number of 6th M.S.M. captured, but it is certain that his horse was.

But Colonel's records show this was not his only time as a captive. Among Colonel's civil war files is his prisoner of war record. Similar to his time in Neosho, Missouri, he was only held captive for one day:

The document states that he was captured and released at Roseville, Arkansas, on September 26, 1863. Just nine days prior to his surrender at Neosho, Missouri. I currently live in Arkansas and couldn't help but try to find the location of Colonel's capture. This is all I could find:

I kid you not. It wasn't even listed on most maps that I looked at. I did not have time to visit the county historical society for more information so this little sign was all I found. Was Colonel really here?

Well, it turns out that if you flip over the P.O.W. card shown above you find this:

The last line of this record reads: "No record of Capture at Roseville, Ark. Sept. 26/63." So there you have it. According to the Adjutant General's Office Colonel wasn't there. The only record I find of a skirmish at Roseville, Ark. is November 12, 1863, well after his supposed capture and release. It appears that my research and drive across the state of Arkansas were based on the misinformation of a clerk. I'm pretty sure somewhere he is laughing.

* - Ancestry.com. Official records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 1861-1865, Vol. XXII, Part 1, page 658; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M262, 128 rolls); National Archives, Washington, D.C.

On TV: "Civil Warriors" - Tracing the Civil War through descendants

Once again my constant channel flipping has introduced me to a great show. Yesterday I came across "Civil Warriors" on the National Geographic Channel. It re-creates the Civil War through the words of those that lived it and follows their descendants as they see what the war was like through their ancestors eyes. Not only is it fascinating to hear the first-hand accounts of the war, but the producers have turned historical photographs in to "video" of the time period. I very much enjoyed the episode I watched. It is not so much a "genealogy" show, but more a historical look at the war through first-hand accounts. Sadly, there will only be three episodes. For more information on the show, albeit not much more, check out the National Geographic Channel website.

Sesquicentennial of the beginning of the American Civil War

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the American Civil War. It also marks the beginning of four years of remembrance of a very dark period in American history. It was four years of horrendous death, loss and anger, but also of monumental steps toward the freedom of African Americans and the creation of a stronger Union as a whole. I have so many ancestors that participated in the Civil War on both sides of the conflict that I could not hope to list them all here, but I will be spending the next four years covering their participation in the war through a series of posts entitled Civil War Remembered. These posts will track each ancestor through the next four years as if we were 150 years in the past. Through these posts I hope to have a better understanding of the sacrifices and the time that each Soldier and family invested in the conflict.

Attack of the City Belle - Military Monday

The 120th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry had been in Louisiana for ten months before they received orders in May 1864 to join Major General Nathaniel Banks in Alexandria, Louisiana. The regiment boarded the transport City Belle in Baton Rouge in May 1864 to begin the journey towards Alexandria to take part in the Red River Campaign.

On May 8th, 1864 the City Belle came upon a surprise attack at Snaggy Point, Louisiana by Confederate cannons hidden behind the levee along the river. The first shells were directed at the wheel house and the boiler, the steam of which killing many of the animals on board.  Muskets balls tore through the ship "as if it were paper." The 120th O.V.I. had 425 men on board the vessel, 200 escaped and the rest were either killed or captured. The following is an account of the attack by Philip Reymer Kuhn written in a letter from Camp Ford Confederate prison near Tyler, Texas to his wife, Bertha. Spelling and syntax errors are the author's own.

"Well I will try and tell you this time how we liv and how we where captured. We had orders to go to Alexandra and our Colonel would obey orders no difference what came in the way so we went up Red River till we got captured and lost our Colonel and everything we had and the 120st to. We had warning by some of the citizens along the river to not go any further or we would be fired in to and shure enough we was in less than an hour. The second shot from the rebs killed the pilot and the boat swung around and the bow of the boat struck the shore and the boys commenced jumping off but the boat floted toward the middle of the river and they still kep jumping in the river throughing there arms in with them and I thought it was the best thing could do to for the rebs was firing the shell and canister into us as fast as they could so I jumped over bord and swam ashore and was soone a prisoner. The where too other colonels killed besides our. They where seven killed out of our regiment besides several that belonged to the other regt and some wouned. I lost everything I had and my likenessess too for I had them in my knapsack and it was burnt with the boat. The rebs did not take much of the boat after it surrendered for they were afraid of the gunboats coming so they mad short work of it."

Dr. John C. Gill, assistant surgeon for the 120th O.V.I. wrote the following in a letter to his friend Dr. Capener, as printed in the June 30, 1864 Ohio Plain-Dealer:

"They [Confederates] allowed us to pass one battery and to approach to about 100 yards of another one that was planted nearly half a mile above, when it opened on us with shell, and at the same time, volley after volley of musketry was poured upon us like hail. The first shell was directed at the wheel house. It carried away a portion of the roof. The second shot was at the boiler. This shot was effectual, having struck the boiler and allowing the steam to escape, killing many horses, mules, and I have no doubt, several men, as many jumped into the river at that time. Now both batteries opened on us, and a constant fire of musketry. The scene on the boat was terrible, the balls passing through the boat as if it were paper. The wheel was shattered to pieces while the pilot was at it. He, poor man, was shot three times, once with shell and twice with minnie balls, which caused mortal wounds. I was standing by my state-room door when we were first fired into; a shell came through the cabin and passed through my state-room about a foot over my head, completely covering me with feathers and bedding; the only injury it did me was a slight scare."

Captured soldiers from the City Belle attack were marched to Camp Ford near Tyler, Texas, where most remained until the close of the war. General William Tecumseh Sherman would later call the Red River Campaign "one damn blunder from beginning to end." Philip Kuhn was a principal musician for the 120th and my 3rd great-grandfather.

Follow Friday - Civil War research websites

The May 2011 issue of Family Tree Magazine is a special edition dedicated to the civil war. One of the articles lists the magazine's picks for the 10 best websites for Civil War research. This inspired me to share some of my go-to websites, or interesting options, for Civil War research. I won't rehash those they listed, except for a couple that I just couldn't research without.

Soldier Group, between 1861 and 1869, Civil War Photographs Collection,

Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

• Civil War Soldier and Sailors System. Terrific. Enough said.
• Finding Information on Personnel Participation in the Civil War (this link will open a .PDF file). A research guide prepared by the National Archives that gives great information on how to track Civil War Soldiers through National Archives records.
• Civil War Genealogy Resources at the National Archives. Link to helpful information on requesting Civil War records and files from the National Archives.
• Missouri Digital Heritage. The military section of this site have a lot of information about Missouri Civil War veterans and documents about the war.
• 120th Ohio Volunteer Infantry hosted on Rootsweb. I learned so much about my ancestor, Philip Kuhn, through this website. Not just genealogy data, but what he must have gone through during the war.

The 150 anniversary of the start of the Civil War starts in April this year. Here are some sites I am following to see what celebrations and events are taking place and where:

• Civil War Trust. this link offers a wealth of information about Sesquicentennial activities across the country.
• National Park Service Civil War. This site will be new in April, but still offers numerous links about civil war sites and celebrations across the country.
• Share Your Story about the Civil War in Appalachia. This is a site put together by the Appalachian Regional Commission as an effort to gather Civil War stories from across the Appalachian region. If you have an civil war veteran or family from this area, which stretches from New York south to Mississippi, this is a great opportunity to share your story.

State Sesquicentennial websites:

Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission
Connecticut commemorates the Civil War
The Civil War in Georgia: Commemorating 150 years
Illinois Civil War Sesquicentennial
Indiana’s Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration
Kentucky Civil War Sesquicentennial
Maine's Civil War Sesquicentennial
Michigan and the Civil War
Mississippi Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission
Missouri Civil War Sesquicentennial
New Jersey Civil War 150th Anniversary Committee
New York State Civil War Sesquicentennial
North Carolina Civil War Sesquicentennial
Ohio Civil War 150
Oklahoma Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission
Pennsylvania Civil War 150
South Carolina Civil War Sesquicentennial
Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial
Virginia Sesquicentennial Commemoration of the American Civil War
West Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission
Wisconsin Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission

 

Updates and new web site releases happen often, so if your state doesn't yet have a page check back often. Guess what else? After typing it so many times I now know how to spell SESQUICENTENNIAL.

Thriller Thursday - Jesse C. Turnage, murdered by guerrillas

Missouri was rife with confederate guerrilla action throughout the Civil War. In an effort to combat the growing guerrilla problem in the state, Major General Harry W. Halleck, then Commander of the Department of Mississippi, issued General Order #2 on 13 March 1862. A portion of the order read as follows:

"Evidence has been received at these headquarters that Maj. Gen. Sterling Price has issued commissions or licenses to certain bandits in this State, authorizing them to raise "guerrilla forces," for the purpose of plunder and marauding. General Price ought to know that such a course is contrary to the rules of civilized warfare, and that every man who enlists in such an organization forfeits his life and becomes an outlaw. All persons are hereby warned that if they join any guerrilla band they will not, if captured, be treated as ordinary prisoners of war, but will be hung as robbers and murderers. Their lives shall atone for the barbarity of their general."

Heady stuff, and clear that guerrilla activity would not be accepted by Union forces in the state of Missouri. Brigadier General Schofield, Commander of the Department of Missouri, created the Enrolled Missouri Militia in July 1862 in a further effort to thwart the guerrilla activity. The Militia was considered a part-time force, called in to duty for emergency and garrison-type policing duties. Its formation then freed Missouri State Militia troops to actively hunt the guerrillas.

Jesse C. Turnage enrolled in the Enrolled Missouri Militia October 2, 1862. The story goes that on 18 July 1864, 2LT Turnage was on leave and working in his fields in Ray County, Missouri. "Bloody Bill" Anderson and his gang of guerrillas came upon Turnage, and knowing his role in the Militia, tied him up and interrogated him. Anderson then decided that Turnage would die and a member of his gang cut the Soldier's throat. The story continues that the gang then went to the Turnage family home and forced Turnage's wife, Esther, to make them food.

William T. Anderson, known as "Bloody Bill"

A tragic story, but is it true? This incident took place in Ray County, Missouri, and I can find no copy of the local newspaper for that date. Library holdings stop a week prior to 18 July 1864. But such an event must have been recorded in the daily reports of the 51st EMM. The Cornell University Library has digitized the entire volume of The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. In this publication I was able to find a report dated 18 July 1864 from Joseph E. Black to Brigadier General Clinton B. Fisk. The report states in part:

"On the 18th they [guerrillas] passed northwest of Richmond, about seven miles from the city, murdering Lieutenant Turnage, of company D, Fifty-first Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia...Lieutenant Turnage was shot three times in the head and his throat was cut from ear to ear."

So the story is true and more gruesome than I was aware of. I have yet to determine the validity of the guerrillas then forcing themselves into Turnage's home. While the above is not conclusive proof that "Bloody Bill" Anderson was actually involved, it does show the savage nature of the Civil War in in the state of Missouri. The fact that it was attributed to Anderson also shows that, while it may not be fact, it was definitely an example of his modus operandi and an example of how he earned his terrible moniker.

Sources: Maj. Gen. Halleck's General Order #2: The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate armies. ; Series 1 - Volume 8, pages 611-612.
Joseph Black report to Brig. Gen. Fisk: The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate armies. ; Series 1 - Volume 41 (Part II), page 252.

Alright, I'm finally going to do it

Alright, alright, alright...I give up already. I have come to several dead ends in my genealogy research that I can't get out of my mind and I think I have finally come to the point where I have to pop the cork and...visit the LDS church! DUN, DUN, DUN (she sings aloud)!!!!!

No, it isn't that big of a deal. Honestly, I can't really say why I have yet to utilize the LDS records as a resource. Actually, that's a lie. I know exactly why I haven't gone to a Family History Center (FHC): I'm afraid. I am not a religious person and even though I know that volunteers at FHCs do not proselytize I am still nervous to cross their threshold. I am also inherently a shy person and the idea of walking in to a strange place to do something I've never done before makes my skin crawl.

Yet I am drawn to the myriad of resources that may be able to break down my brick walls. I have one major obstacle that first comes to mind:



Marcellus White's headstone in Lavelock Cemetery, Hardin, Missouri.

 Marcellus White. Marcellus is my third great-grandfather on my mother's side. He lived most of his life in Ray County, Missouri, and family stories state that he came from the Roanoke area of Virginia. There are no records for Marcellus in Missouri. There are no probate documents, no death record, no obituary. Not even a miscellaneous newspaper article. I have three census records and a photo of his headstone. Based on information in the book 1881 History of Ray County, Missouri, compiled by the Missouri Historical Company, I know that Marcellus served in the civil war on the confederate side. The book only mentions his participation: no unit information or state affiliation. A search on the National Park Service's Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System yields two entries for Marcellus F. White, both from units in southwest Virginia. One entry is for the 9th Virginia Infantry and the other is for Salem's Flying Artillery, both units being created in the Roanoke area of Virginia.

With that information in hand I went to Footnote.com to see what records they might have. A search for Marcellus F. White finds an entire Confederate Civil War Service record. It traces Marcellus from his enlistment in Salem, Virginia in 1861 to his parole at Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865. It is a fascinating set of documents. There is only one problem: I have no idea if this individual is "my" Marcellus.

I have found several online family trees that connect Marcellus F. White of Missouri to the White family of Roanoke, Virginia. None of them include sources. I am a stickler about sources. If I can't find a source for a detail, or at least several different sources that could lead to the same conjecture, than I try to not put the information in my tree. I have one source that may link Marcellus to Virginia. An 1850 census from Roanoke, Virginia lists a Marcellous [sic] White, age 18, living with his parents: Edmond P. and Sally White. This is the only tentative link I have between the two states. I know that Marcellus is a fairly unique name, but I have found several other Marcellus Whites while searching through Virginian documents.

So now we come full circle to the LDS archives. I have found many, many microfilm reels in their library catalog that may help me in all my family lines. For Marcellus I have found the resource Marriage licenses, 1838-1853; marriage register, 1853-1918 (1919), from the Roanoke, Virginia County Clerk. If Marcellus is on the document, it may contain his parents' names, or at least something a little more concrete. Plus it would verify his wife's information as well.

I suppose I'll do anything for a resource, even stretch out of my personal comfort zone. Wish me luck!