Company books

[Bullyboy]

I'm doing research on a particular regiment and was wondering how does one go about getting a hold of the company books like the Regimental Order Book or the Clothing Book. I know if they exist they are most likely in the National Archives, but can I order a copy of the books from the archives or would I have to visit the archives to look at them?
If I can order a copy of the books can someone give me a clue as to the possible cost?

I know the Company Books potentially hold some really great information about a regiment so I would really like to get this information if it is possible.

Thanks,

Jay

[Andrew German]

Re: Company books

Hello Jay,

Whatever regimental papers and books were turned over to the National Archives are in Record Group 94 and held in the main building on Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, DC. They may (or may not) include descriptive books, clothing books, and order books, as well as unbound records, correspondence, and muster rolls. There is an index to the holdings of each regiment (at least the number of books if not the type). Check the Archive Web site to see how to make contact for info. If they can tell you they have what you want, you'll have to go there to see it. They have scanners so you can copy pages.

The archives also has a military service file for each soldier, which occasionally include information of interest. Of potentially more interest are the pension files. Most are sad records of the physical decline of old soldiers, sometimes with comments from their comrades regarding their service disabilities. However, those filed by the parents of deceased soldiers sometimes contain correspondence from the field, offered as evidence that the soldier was supporting the parents with money sent home.

If the NARA does not have the books for your regiment there's an outside chance they might be filed somewhere in the state archives, or even at the Army history center in Carlisle, PA.

Anyway, start with the Archives.

Good luck,
Andrew German

[Joe Burdick]

Re: Company books

Not being able to go to NARA, I paid for microfilm copies of Muster Rolls, Morning Reports, Descriptive Rolls, Returns, Record of Events, etc - the Muster Rolls had the most valuable personnel information, but are a large form - and there is the matter of making copies from the microfilm - some libraries have readers with printing capability, others can be copied to a flash drive. 1999 - 2001 prices were pretty steep, but there are around 500 images to a roll of 35mm microfilm. How much would it cost to get to DC, and your stay there until you got what you needed. Some State Archives or Historical Societies have the Muster Roll Cards on 16mm microfilm - that gives a usually accurate report of the individuals history, but not as complete as the service record. What I found on Company Books for my Regiment was about 90% useless information, but that 10% was good info. Also, "footnote" has service records for some states and other data available - you have to subscribe for most of that info, but it's reasonable. They havent copied unit or regimental records - don't know if they will. Contact NARA and tell them what you're after and find what formats are available for reproduction.

Good Luck,
Joe Burdick; 6th Indiana Cavalry

[Bob 125th NYSVI]

Re: Company books

Jay:

Since you're in NY are you looking for info on a NY Regiment?

If so also contact the NYS Military Museum in Saratoga Springs. They have an awful lot of material on NY Regiments (including for example the 125th NY's flags) and I don't know if they'll make copies of stuff (with budget cuts probably not) but they are pretty good about giving access to their material and it is at worst an overnighter for you.