How to Use This Database

MOST IMPORTANT:  In instituting a SEARCH, put as little information as possible!   If at all possible, put only the last name or if there are many possible spellings, put only the minimum number of letters and then a "%" sign as a wildcard.   For example, for the name Wolf, there are possibilities of it being spelled Wolf, Wollf, Wolfe and so forth.  In the last name column, put only Wol% and all names beginning with Wol will be displayed.  By putting in first names, regiments, etc., you are limiting the number of records you will possibly see.  Also, if looking for soldiers in a particular state, spell out the name of the state entirely.   Field of service generally refers to the several branches of service: infantry, cavalry and artillery but also includes Navy, Rangers and a few different legions, etc.  For this database, the least amount of information entered will produce the largest amount of possibilities of results.  Good luck!

There are many bits of information available here and I wish to see that you do not miss any of it. First, you may search by many fields…..last name, company, regiment, field of service, etc. Use these fields to find the person or persons you are seeking. Clicking on an individual soldier will give you additional information such as dates of birth and death, if known, cemetery, county or Parish where cemetery is located, state served and whatever notes I have such as additional service records.

Remember to go to the Appendix page when so directed by a letter or letters in the Appendix field.

Information in the "Battalion" field will differentiate between the branches of service, for example…..the 9th Louisiana Infantry, the 9th Battalion Louisiana Infantry and the 9th Battalion Louisiana Partisan Rangers were all separate units that served in entirely different parts of the war. Cavalry units and artillery units are particularly difficult to categorize as so many times they used their Commander's name and not a number designation. See the "Notes" field for exact description of many artillery, cavalry and partisan ranger unit designations. The "Regiment" field was not set up to handle names. In addition, several regiments overlapped numbers and I have attempted to distinguish them where known. These are the known duplicate uses of Regimental numbers:

1st Louisiana Infantry - Nelligan's and Strawbridge's

28th Louisiana Infantry - Gray's and Thomas'

3rd Louisiana Cavalry - Harrison's and Wingfield's