DABF
ADHA Civil War Service Cards Database
Tue Jul 24 15:01:05 2001


Ala. Archives is creating a wonderful new online database from its Civil War Service Cards file. I have used the MF source and was able to find records confirming family participation in the Home Guard as well as the CSA regiments.



http://www.archives.state.al.us/civilwar/
From its site:

Alabama Civil War Service Cards File

The Alabama Civil War Service database is being created from an 8 x 5 card file maintained by the Alabama Department of Archives and History from the early 1900s until 1982. As staff came across information related to Alabama individuals during the American Civil War a card was created. Information on individuals exempted from military service or who served in the militia or home guard are included. If new information was discovered from another source, another card
was created. Multiple cards for an individual often exist. Sources include muster rolls, governors' correspondence, veterans' censuses, manuscript collections, newspapers and pension records. Names, places and events are often inconsistently spelled. This card file is in no way inclusive. Every card has empty fields.
Because much of the documentation relating to the Army of Tennessee was lost, soldiers that served in that army tend to be poorly documented. The cards are arranged alphabetically by last name; however, they are closed and microfilm is available.

Alabama Civil War Service Database

The advantages of the database over the current card file are that it can be used through the internet at home and that it can be searched in a variety of ways.
Because the card file is so large and the input of this material relies largely on volunteer help, the process of data entry is extremely time consuming. This database will become available in increments of a letter at a time as each letter is completed. Currently all entries under the letters A - B are available. (Over 28,000 individual cards) When an entire letter is completed it will be added to the database. It is estimated that there are a total of 200,000 cards in the file. Names starting with any other letters can be searched on microfilm at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery, or you can submit an online reference request. Data entry is based on the Civil War Service Card File. Because of time constraints no attempt is made to validate the information on the cards. All the information on each card has been entered into the database.