Embedded Files
Our Process
To begin each project, we build a core list of essential details. At the very least, we aim to gather a soldier’s First and Last Name, Birth and Death Dates, or their Regiment. These pieces form the backbone of our research and help ensure each story is preserved with care.
Some of the lists we scour for are...
Memorial Day flag lists
News articles with veteran lists
lists from veterans associations
Lists created from physical visits to cemeteries looking for clues
Fully flushed out databases from previous historians
Starting with the basic facts, we explore a wide array of historical and genealogical sources, Bates’ roster, Ancestry, Fold3, regimental histories, Find-a-Grave (mostly just for family connections to align that we are looking at the correct person), CMSRs, pension records, muster rolls, and others to piece together each soldier’s story. We only confirm an identity once the evidence is consistently supported across multiple independent records, preserving both accuracy and respect for their legacy.
All gathered information is carefully entered into a primary raw database, organized by cemetery. These databases are available upon request (email witscivilwar@gmail.com to obtain a specific cemetery file.)
Soldiers whose identities cannot be fully corroborated are marked in red and referred to as “red letters.” Rather than remove these individuals, we choose to keep them listed, allowing room for future corrections. We believe it’s better to preserve a possible lead than risk losing the opportunity to uncover the truth.
As a final step, we strive to visit each cemetery in person to capture updated photographs of gravestones for inclusion in our reports. We refer to this process as “cemetery verification” a crucial effort to confirm that the grave is indeed located in the cemetery listed. Historical records can sometimes be inaccurate, and this step helps ensure that each soldier’s final resting place is correctly documented. We also scour sources we have to see if we can find a picture of the soldier to add to their reports as well.
Once cemetery verification is complete, we transform the raw database into a polished report using our custom report-writing system. These final reports are shared with historical societies, churches, and cemetery organizations that care for the final resting places of Civil War soldiers.
We aim to provide these institutions with physical copies to ensure the data is preserved for future generations of heritage seekers. Each report includes gravestone photographs, compiled biographical data, and brief summaries of regimental histories.
Reports are available free of charge to churches and historical organizations just send a request to witscivilwar@gmail.com.
Individuals may also request cemetery reports; we simply ask for a kind donation to help sustain our mission and continue honoring these legacies.
NOTE: If you need help with researching your Civil War Heritage feel free to contact witscivilwar@gmail.com , we will gladly help connect you to your Civil War Heritage
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