What side was your family on during the Civil War?

[Sandpiper]

My forbears lived in southern Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas during the Civil War.

The ones that weren't Confederate soldiers were Confederate sympathizers.

How about the rest of you?

[crimson333]

1. the south

virgina and alabama

[Inland]

2. Pfft. Recent immigrants somehow avoiding service

[Vincardog]

3. My fancily was in Scotland Ireland France and Italy

I do not believe they had to pick a side.

[Book Lover]

4. The winning side

Oh, wait; four years that wrecked our nation and killed thousands; four years that wasted untold millions of dollars and destroyed a way of life (both North and South) without offering any replacement; four years that we all as a nation are still paying for... I guess nobody won.

[kcwayne]

5. Some were Yanks, and the others were hoping both sides

would kill each other off a leave the country, they were Cherokee.

[fishwax]

36. The Cherokee tribe was actually officially allied with the Confederacy

Though there were also Cherokee factions who fought for the union, the tribe (along with the rest of the five civilized tribes) were in alliance with the confederacy, carryover from understandable resentment towards the feds as a result of displacement. The confederates promised a degree of both autonomy and protection for the tribes, along with the old saying about "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

[kcwayne]

80. The ancestors that I know about lived in Arkansas and Oklahoma

The ones that lived in Arkansas lived in the Hot Springs area in very isolated areas. The ones in Oklahoma lived on a reservation. I never heard my grandmother or my great grandfather express any sympathy for the Confederacy. But my grandmother was the biggest racist I have ever known. She was half Irish, and she completely disavowed her Cherokee heritage. She hated blacks, Hispanics, and Indians. Go figure.

But at any rate, it is hard to map any tribe as being for or against the Union or Confederacy. So many tribes were massed together into common living areas that their own cultural identity was lost. The Cherokees that survived the Trail of Tears that pushed them from Georgio to reservations in Oklahoma became a mass of all tribes that were pushed west. The tribes did not speak with a single voice in these matters to the best of my knowledge.

[fishwax]

123. I didn't mean all Cherokee, or your ancestors specifically

and I'm sorry if I came across that way. Regarding your grandmother, it is certainly sad how many people of mixed blood felt/feel compelled to deny part of who they are, but it seems to happen all the time, including in my family's past.

Tribal identities were somewhat jumbled in the dislocation to Indian territory, and certainly one couldn't say that "all Cherokees" or "all" of any other tribe were in sympathy with either side. This is especially true because, for the five civilized tribes especially, the fractures brought on by Civil War reopened still fresh disputes over how to react to relocation. There were factions that steadfastly resisted it, and other factions that were more willing to go along with U.S. government plans. (To me, the dual nature of the conflict is part of what makes the conflict so interesting in this part of the country.) Among the Cherokee people, though, the most famous leader of the (minority) which supported removal was Stand Watie, who joined forces with the confederacy early in the campaign. The leader of the fight against removal, Chief John Ross, also signed an alliance with the confederacy, but not until several months after the conflict started and months after the leaders of the other four civilized tribes had allied with the confederacy. The Ross faction also repudiated the alliance with the Confederacy and rejoined the North in the middle of the war, but the Watie faction remained loyal to the Confederacy, and Watie was the last general to cease hostilities with the union.

So it is probably to complicated to state simply that this tribe or that tribe supported one or the other, and certainly all members of the tribe didn't speak with a single voice, but they did have leadership that allied them, by treaty, with the Confederacy, and there were several Indian regiments in the Confederate army (including Watie's Cherokee Cavalry). Part of the alliance was also self-preservation since, as the war started, the union (in violation of relocation treaties) pulled all troops out of Indian territory. With no federal troops to protect them and with Confederate troops moving into control of the territory, it probably seemed wise to ally with the south.

Anyway, I don't know much about tribal involvement outside of Indian territory, or of involvement by other tribes, but perhaps I'll look into that further. There's a book about the subject called "Between Two Fires," but I haven't ever read it. Rootsweb has an interesting primer on the role of the five tribes, though: http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Eitcivwar/civilwar.htm

[GR]

6. Both Sides...We Had Good Business Sense...

I heard that one of my relatives thought that he would make a killing by buying up slaves cheap before the war was over...hooboy did he goof...

Our good business sense has continued ever since... ;)

Incidentally, two brother in the family were on opposite sides during the war...

[CornField]

54. Same here -- some of mine on each side

[arcane1]

I would presume my family was Confederate

:evilfrown:

[Nikia]

7. Both

In fact, my great-great-great grandfather and his brother lived on either side of the West Virginia/Virginia border and burned each other's farms. It was literally brother against brother.

[THUNDER HANDS]

8. What Side Was Italy on?

And Russia.

And Poland.

????

[BurtWorm]

79. The European side

of the Atlantic. Same with my ancestors on both sides. Some were in Sweden, some were in the Ukraine and some were in the Slovakian Carpathians.

[JohnKleeb]

83. yeah same with my Slovak and Slovene ancestors

but my German-Irish ones were Yanks.

[yardwork]

127. More Slovaks!

Kleeb and I have discussed this before. Now Burtworm joins the crowd. Unfortunately, I'm not the one with Slovak heritage. I'm standing in for Mr. Yardwork, who won't post on DU because he heard it was full of conspiracy theories....

[roguevalley]

9. both side. they fought against each other at a battle too, a small

one. they could have cancelled me out of they had been better shots. :)

[johnnie]

10. My families stayed in Europe.

They came here in the 1880s. The genes are passed down on both sides. If there is a fight, I would rather kick back and have a few beers until the fighting is over. That's what my family was doing in Germany at the time.

[Taxloss]

39. I doubt it - what about the Franco-Prussian war?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco-Prussian_War

[johnnie]

45. Well, all I know is

My grandparents never mentioned anyone being in any war. I don't know if you ever tried to find about about ancestors in Europe, but it's not easy. Not for me anyway.
I'm sure that someone, somewhere in my family fought for something back then, but I have no records of it. So I can only say what I know.

[hfojvt]

102. It only lasted six months

and the Prussians had more of a professional army than a citizen army.

[Coventina]

11. Sadly, the South

I should specify, the side of the family that were here.

The other side hadn't come across the Atlantic yet.

[Texasgal]

136. Why is that sad?

It is part of history, no?

[RetroLounge]

12. The German Side.

They emmigrted in the 1880's... :D

RL

[name not needed]

13. North.

My great-great-grandfather fought for the north

[Mass_Liberal]

14. Cromwell's!

er.... woops! Sry, wrong Civil War.

[Xipe Totec]

15. The Deep Deep Deep South

Mexico. :evilgrin:

I've always believed that the Civil War was the real Moctezuma's revenge. Were it not for the squabble over the new territories becoming either free states or slave states, the Civil War would have never happened.

Just a thought....

[Bridget Burke]

93. The Mexican War did, indeed, bring the conflict to a head.

All that "new" land--should it be slave or free?

Most of my people weren't here yet. But they came from County Galway--not far from Clifden, where you'll see this marker.

[Xipe Totec]

122. Batallon de San Patricio

How well and often I think of them. That I why I always wear a buttoner made from Mexican green chiles on St Patrick's day.

Have you heard the story of the Great Arizona Orphan Abduction?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

16. And now for something completely different - SPANISH Civil War

My grandpa was a flaming Leftist Republican in the early 20th century. Dad was less vocal, although he was always for the Republic. When the fascist revolt broke up, the bad guys forcibly recruited my father. He weaseled out of having to shoot anybody and worked as a pharmacist and nurse, caring for wounded soldiers. He said that way he could live with himself because he was only saving lives.

Edit: afterwards he used his position in the Army a lot to get his Dad (who just couldn't keep his mouth shut) out of jail.

[the Princess]

17. My father's family was in Germany

And my mother's family was in Italy - one part Sicliy - one part - Naples.

[proud patriot]

18. My mom's mom's familiy was southern

By mom's dad is half native American but were
from the south.

My dad's dad's side was Canadian during the civil war
times . In fact my dad's dad is first Generation
American. My Dads' mom's family came over from
England during the civil war and were in the North.

[Piperay]

19. Unfortunately mostly the Confederate side

though there was one from that same side of the family that went with the Union (YAH!). My father's side of the family was still in Canada so they weren't on either side.

[Left Is Write]

20. My family wasn't here during the Civil War.

They were still living in Norway and Sweden. The earliest my family came over here was the 1880s.

[jarab]

21. My uncle Jonas ( KY Yankee) was on the Southern side when

he was hit ... but landed on the Northern side as he fell dead of an excellently aimed lung shot from a rebel near Murfreesboro, TN.
Those damn border states, ya know.

Seriously .... Most were Yankees from SE KY.

...O...

[hippiechick]

22. My family was in Eisenstrass, Bohemia

Didn't get to the US until 1875.


:hippie:

[Worst Username Ever]

23. Colonel Robert Barnard, 64th New York "colored" regiment

My great-great grandfather. We still have his original orders, signed by president Lincoln.

[Bouncy Ball]

34. wow, that is so cool!

[Taxloss]

38. Which battles was he engaged in?

This is fascinating.

[Worst Username Ever]

47. I have absolutely no idea.

It could be the 66th New York, but either way I am having trouble researching it. Nothing on the interent even brings up his name, but we have the huge oil-painting portrait of him with his insignia, his uniform and gear was donated to a New York Museum (i've seen it), we have his orders with all the signatures, including his comission to Colonol and his assignment to the 64th (or 66th) New York... but I'll be damned if I can find ANYTHING on him on the net. Drives me nuts, I want to find out more. We have things signed by Lincoln as well as Adams (he was secretary of war, I think, at the time).

[Taxloss]

55. Well, it's still amazing.

Be sure to post about it if you discover anything!

[Worst Username Ever]

57. I will most definetely!

Next time I am in CA (where all that stuff is now kept, at my grandparents' house) I am going to try and take down some more info so I can do a better search. I think it is pretty amazing stuff too, thanks!

[fudge stripe cookays]

104. Hey Worst--

His unit might have been absorbed by another. They did things like that back then.

Seems like that happened to one of the units one of my guys was in.

Here's a guy I found from here: http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/

Could he be yours?

Robert H. Barnard (First_Last)
Regiment Name 101 U.S. Col'd Infantry
Side Union
Company F&S
Soldier's Rank_In Colonel
Soldier's Rank_Out Colonel
Alternate Name
Notes
Film Number M589 roll 5

African American Civil War Memorial
Displayed as: Robert H. Barnard
Plaque Number: C-100

You can order pension files online here:
https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonline/start.swe?SWECmd=Start

If you spend a little extra and get the complete it has more info in it. A whompping $37, but definitely worth it.

FSC

[Worst Username Ever]

107. I'll be damned

That just might be him! Wow, I am bookmarking this thread and that site! Thanks!

[fudge stripe cookays]

108. You're welcome!

Looks like he got pretty high up the chain of command if it was him!

I adore genealogy. It's become my first love again (I set it aside before the primaries). PM me if you ever need any help. I can try to steer you in the right direction.

If you know what part of New York your guy came from I can send you to another great site for research.

FSC

[Worst Username Ever]

109. I am almost positive that is him.

Wow. I LOVE geneology, I have kind of been the only one in the fam to take an interest to it. I sat down with my grandparents over a series of Saturdays this past year and put together about a 4-cassette collection of their verbal stories, family history, etc (they are on my dad's side, Col. Barnard is my mom's). VERY interesting stuff, and it is on tape (or CD, if I get around to it) for my kids some day. Goodness, thanks again for your help, and I will likely be in touch again!

PS Before the family moved to CA, they were all out of Buffalo, NY. That is where I would start if I were to dig further, which I likely will.

[fudge stripe cookays]

131. Your wish is my command....

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyerie/

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyerie/buffalo/buffalo.htm

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyerie/ervital.htm

=)
Happy hunting!
FSC

[Worst Username Ever]

134. Awesome!

Thank you!

[skygazer]

100. Try the National Archives

I have over 300 pages of microfilm records about my great-great granddad who was a Civil War colonel, as well as many paper records, all from the National Archives.

Another source is the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, commonly known as the OR. It's a vast archive of 128 volumes that contains millions of records collects during and after the war. It's available on CD-Rom for something like $60. I have it - I will see if I can find any info on your ancestor.

[Worst Username Ever]

105. That would kick ass.

Now I am hoping that I got all the info correct, like the spelling. New York, and a Colonel for sure.


On edit, check the above post from FSC, I think she found something...

[Lizzie Borden]

24. the north

I had one great great grandfather (Ohio) who ran away at 15 years old to join the Union army.

[seemunkee]

25. For the North

My grandmother documented all the family back to our losing two people at the battle of Yorktown during the revolution.

[trof]

26. My G.G.Grandfather was the only private in the CSA army.

That's a fact.
You talk to anybody with ancestors in the Confederate Army and they were almost always Colonels. Captains at the very least.

Jesse Lambard is listed as a private in the 9th Alabama something-or-other. We deduce that he was the only private in the entire Condererate Army.
;-)

[Worst Username Ever]

110. On a related but-yet-unrelated note

I noticed that those who believe in reincarnation were always something spectacular in previous lives. "I was a great warrior" or "I was royalty." How come they were never peasants infected with syphilis?

[SoonerShankle]

27. Most were confederates

My surname is not common, but there are both white and black Shankles, implying that somewhere up the family tree someone owned slaves.

I did have one or two Billy Yanks to go with all the Johnny Rebs in the family geneology though. Even though I was raised in confederate territory, I tend to think more like a northern abolitionist.

I'm not all that surprised at the number of us who have confederate backgrounds; we dems used to be the dixiecrats...before we wised up.

[MrSlayer]

28. My people weren't here yet.

I'm third generation Italian American on my Mother's side and second generation German American on my Dad's side.

[Sporadicus]

29. I'm from Kentucky: Both Sides

One great-grandfather fought on the Union side, getting injured & confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He also drew some pittance of a government pension. He died in 1934 - the last Civil War veteran in the county.

A great-great-grandfather on another side fought for the Confederacy. He was captured by a particularly cruel band of Union soldiers and summarily executed.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

30. Both

1/4 were in Germany. 1/4 were in Iowa. 1/4 were in in Italy. 1/4 were in Georgia.

I'm using their locations to make this assumption, I don't really know for sure. :shrug:

[Mr. McD]

31. My grandfather and his brother fought for the Confederacy

Out of Virginia.

[trof]

37. Hold it. GRANDFATHER?

How old ARE you, exactly?
;-)

[Mr. McD]

46. Yes my grandfather. He was the father of 20 children

by two wives. My father was from his second wife, he was born in 1891 and was a veteran of WWI. He was 58 when I was born. I am 55.

[miss_kitty]

63. My family has similar stretched-out history.

on both sides.

[AngryLizard]

32. My family were slaves at the time

So, what side would that be, exactly? I like to think of it as right smack dab in the middle, as in "the middle of the crossfire."

My folks didn't move north until the early 1900s.

[MrMonk]

33. My family wisely stayed out of it by remaining in their home territories.

My mother's side were in the southern Apennines and did not fight against anyone who left them alone.

My father's side was too busy dodging Russian raiding parties.

[madison2000]

35. None of my ancestors were here in the 19th century except a Sioux

Indian from somewhere out west.

[Biased Liberal Media]

40. My dad's father was a Yankee...lived in Illnois n/t

.

[Cuban_Liberal]

41. The uninvolved one.

None of my family came here until after WW2...

[RamboLiberal]

42. My Great-Grandfather was 28th Pennsylvania Company F

Just a foot soldier. A little guy who was wounded 6 times and still came home to father 13 children in Cambria County Pennsylvania.

His unit fought at Antietam, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain in Tennessee and other battles, and marched with Sherman.

He was just a ground-pounder who never got higher in rank than private.

Was a thrill to see his name on the Pennsylvania monument at Gettysburg. His name is also on a monument in Ebensburg, PA.

Stephen Lance was his name.

Someday I have to try to trace that side of the family. Near as I can figure they were here before the Revolution. Probably date back at least to the French and Indian wars.

The rest of my family were immigrants from Germany and Slovakia who came here late 19th and early 20th century to work the steel mills and railroads of Western Pennsylvania.

[JohnKleeb]

86. Cambria? thats where my mom's family is from, but they werent here then

[fudge stripe cookays]

98. Wow! Do it now Rambo! This'll getcha started....

Stephen Lance (First_Last)
Regiment Name 28 Pennsylvania Infantry
Side Union
Company F
Soldier's Rank_In Pvt.
Soldier's Rank_Out Pvt.
Alternate Name Stephen A./Lance
Notes
Film Number M554 roll 68

from here: http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/

You can order pension files online starting here: http://www.archives.gov/research_room/genealogy/military/civil_war_records.html

Begin interviewing family members as much as you can before they're all gone. I had some good bones to go on to start with from my uncle. I've made a lot of progress in the last 4 years.

I was stumped on my great grandfather's sister, so sent for her husband's pension file the other day. It can take up to 4 months, but the information in them is AWESOME. You can get a lot about spouses, birth and death dates, etc.

PM me and I can give you some good spots to start with. Genealogy has helped keep me sane since the selection.

Take care,
FSC

[RamboLiberal]

103. Thank You - this info is very much appreciated

I will do it.

[fudge stripe cookays]

106. Yay! Here's more....

http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacambri/

and

www.genforum.com
(Put in queries about your area of search or your last names that you're searching for)

I've gotten in touch with 4 or 5 internet cousins I never knew I had before doing this. It is SO rewarding.

We're now in the process of considering a family reunion for the descendants of the 10 kids of my great great grandmother and grandfather. These families haven't known about each other since the early part of last century. Very cool.

FSC

[SOteric]

43. Italy's

[scarlet_owl]

44. I don't think any of my ancestors were in the country during that time.

[BlueStateGirl]

48. Union, Most of my ancestors fought in the 3rd Potomac Home Brigade.

[HuckleB]

49. Side? Umm.

There were some Southern Germans, some Northern French, but most were in Alsace, trying to figure out which side of they border they were on for the time being.

[Megawatt]

50. Northern (Ohio)

My great-great grandpa was a 16 yr old scout in Shermans Army.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

51. South

From Terrell Co, Georgia. Two of my great grandfather's brothers on my father's side were killed at Fredericksburg. Mom's folks lived in Alabama, don't know about any war service.

[solinvictus]

52. The South..

you damned Yankees! ;)

[LDS Jock]

53. the south of course

My whole family has been in the south since they crossed the ocean. Several ancestors fought in the civil war for the south.

[mtnester]

56. Both

and many of them were wealthy enough farmers to be able to "buy" someone elses place in their stead for the war

Some were officers, some also died, some were enlisted, some were heroes, some were deserters, some were dodgers...my ancestors fit the metling pot to a tee

[cally]

58. South, mostly....some north

I have ancestors on both sides. Most are on the South. A few were heros who opposed slavery and supported the underground railroad.

[Hobarticus]

59. Pvt. Thomas Larkin, Union...from Second Bull Run to Appomattox...

70th New York Rgt.

Took a ball in the butt at Second Bull Run, as did every other Union soldier running away.

[Catchawave]

60. Some Indiana Regiment ?

I'm assuming they were North?

Funny you should ask, I'm reading the "Battle Cry of Freedom" by James McPherson now .... both sides seemed pretty phoked up :nuke:

There were really no winners, just alot of dead people, and each side still isn't happy!

[5thGenDemocrat]

61. Both

I'm related to Ulysses S Grant through my grandmother H, but I relate more to my great-great-grandfather Garrett, who was a CSA volunteer at Fort Donelson (TN) in 1862, was captured (by troops under Grant), and spent the following three years as a Prisoner of War at Rock Island, Illinois.
John
So the two sides of the family were already fighting each other 85 years before they ever actually met.

[yardwork]

129. I'm related to Ulysses S. Grant through my grandmother, too

Actually, my great-grandmother on the maternal side. She was a Grant - I think she was his niece or something.

[miss_kitty]

62. both

Tennesee mom's side, Mass, Dad's side.

Maybe THAT'S why they got a divorce

[El Fuego]

64. The south on my mom's side.

My Dad's family were recent Finnish immigrants so they don't count.

But my Mom was from Tennessee, and ranted about the injustice of the Civil War her whole life. When I was a kid, she taught us that Yankee's were BAD BAD BAD. And Gone with the Wind would always be the greatest film of all time.

[NewJeffCT]

65. my family was in Italy, Sicily & Poland

so, they probably sided with the anti-slavery crowd, but i have no clue.

[IStriker]

66. Both sides. I'm from W Va. the state that came to be because of...

the civil war. The part above the Mason-Dixon line seceded from Va. and formed a new state (including a large chunk south of the line that had no idea what had happened until the war was over.)

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

67. My family was living in Canada and Europe back then.

They didn't come to this country until late 1800's, after the civil war.

[tsakshaug]

68. Norway

so I guess the north?

[vixengrl]

69. Family rumor has it that my great great (great?) grandfather

was Gen George B McClellan (McClellan's my mom's maiden name, but I don't know that much about that side of the family and I don't know much about geneaology, but my grandparents came to Philadelphia from Western PA, and last I heard, the General finished up in New Jersey. But those that hadn't come to America post Civil War from Germany or Ireland, were Northern.

[charlyvi]

70. Confederate.

My family was from Alabama, the site of the first Southern White House (Montgomery, Alabama) home of Jefferson Davis, I think.

[SoCalDem]

71. My family was in Ireland, France, Spain & Bohemia..

I doubt that they took any sides :)

[CBHagman]

72. All were either back in the old country or recent immigrants.

My Irish great-great-grandfather showed up in New York in January of 1864, aged about 34, so he probably missed everything (including the draft riots, by about six months). Other Irish relatives were already here (in the Northeast), but I have no idea if anyone actually served in the military.

All the rest of the family moved here later in the 19th or early in the 20th century.

We made up for missing the Civil War by sending my grandfather to France in WWII and my father to the Pacific in WWII.

[SarahB]

73. Both.

[rug]

74. the other side

[politicat]

75. Neutral or not involved.

Some were still on the auld sod, starving and getting beaten up by English landlords and agents.

The rest were Quaker, who, though they were involved in the Underground Railroad and in medical care for the wounded, did not participate in the actual conflict.

Yes, it's a long line of peaceniks that I come from.

Pcat

[BiggJawn]

76. Ludwig II

King of Bavaria.

[deadparrot]

77. A mixture.

Some were in Pennsylvania, some in Missouri.

Some weren't out of Europe yet.

[WMliberal]

78. both

And then there were those not yet in the U.S.

[pres2032]

81. my great-great-great grandfather took part in the Battle of Gettysburg

on the side of the North. Was part of the defenses on Little Round Top.

[JohnKleeb]

87. so your family has background in Maine I take it

Colonel Chamberlain was a great American hero.

[pres2032]

119. nope, one of the Pennsylvania regiments

[JohnKleeb]

82. werent here mostly but the ones that were, union supporters

I had a German relative in the 123rd Pennslyvania, he was at the early battles where the north was losing.

[Tyler Durden]

84. Mine were on the Canadian/Scottish German Irish side.

Not a single forebearer in this country before 1870. The Scots in Canada were on that side in 1812, having migrated there in the 1750's.

[Lenape85]

85. My mom's mom's side was confederate

Though part of that heritage is Native American also.

The other sides weren't in the country at the time.

[Tafiti]

88. Word is, not far down the paternal lineage...

...are slaveowners. <hangs head in shame> From Kentucky I believe. Goddamn I sound like an inbred. I'm not, I swear to you!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

89. on the other side of earth

[JVS]

90. 1st Minnesota

[catzies]

91. My dad's side was in Ohio's Underground Railroad. Mom's wasn't here yet

n/t

[jdonaldball]

92. PM me if you had a Confederate ancestor at Gettysburg!!!

My great-great grandfather was Sergeant George Yost of the 98th Pennsylvania Infantry.
He was wounded at Plum Run (the Wheat Field) on the afternoon of the second day of Gettysburg, July 2 1863, while he repulsed a charge by Alabamans and Georgians. It was the last charge of the Rebs on the second day of Gettysburg. He was in a hospital for six months and then came back to fight more, until he was hit by artillery and crippled at Cold Harbor in June 1864.
Any descendants of Alabamans or Georgians who were at Gettysburg, here? PM me if you know you are one! :-) I would like to find the descendants of the men who fought against my great-great grandfather at the Wheat Field at Gettysburg!
Or any who were on his side, as well! :-)
Or anyone whose ancestors were at Cold Harbor, or at Chancellorsville. My great-great-grandfather was wounded at those two places as well. His wound at Cold Harbor ended his career in the Army.

[underseasurveyor]

94. The Canadian Side.

:evilgrin:

Well, I can't help it if that's where they was :* ay ;-)

[livinginphotographs]

95. My mom's family was in kentucky.

Evidentally, they worked on the Underground Railroad.

My dad's family are Cajun, so (complete ignorance of my history) they were probably getting shitfaced and shooting gators in Louisiana or something.

[fudge stripe cookays]

96. Union, baby. All of em.

My great grandfather on my dad's side was too young to fight, but had two older brothers and a brother-in-law who fought. They enlisted once in Michigan and once in Wisconsin. Got sent to Libby Prison. One died very young from it.

The brother-in-law was in the 13th Wisconsin Infantry. I just ordered his pension file a few days ago. Got taken prisoner at Paint Rock Ridge, wherever that is. They were all privates.

My mom's side- my great great grandfather from Germany was a lieutenant in Pennsylvania. My family still has a bit of his old Union coat. I want to make a cool memory box with it included someday.

FSC

[LeftyMom]

97. The other side of the Atlantic

They didn't flee the impending shitstorm in Europe for another five decades.

[skygazer]

99. The North

Quite a few Civil War veterans, the most prominent of which was the Colonel who commanded the 69th New York, lead regiment of the Irish Brigade. His name was Robert Nugent.

He was badly injured at Fredericksburg and sent home to NYC to recuperate. While there, he was given duty as Assistant Provost Marshal General and was the guy who pulled the first name for the draft out of the hat, sending New York into a weeklong riot.

During that riot, his house was burned to the ground, his family barely excaping the mob. Ironic when you consider that many of the rioters were fellow Irishmen.

He returned to duty with the 69th in late 1864, was at Appomattox and finished the war as a brevet Brigadier General. He made the Army his career, serving at a number of forts out west. He died in 1901 of complications from his Fredericksburg wound which had never fully healed.

I have his officers belt buckle, my prize possession, as well as several great photos.

[maveric]

101. The side of Northern Agression. My Irish side of the family must have

fought for the North being settled in South Boston.

[MissMarple]

111. Both

Nasty damn war.

[huskerlaw]

112. Definitely North

I had a relative that was in Abraham Lincoln's Cabinet.

[LWolf]

113. Probably confederate.

At least the ones I know about. They lived in Missouri. My great-great grandfather, give or take a few greats, supposedly had dealings with the James brothers, specifically providing them with weapons and ammo, repairing some of their equipment, etc.. I don't know if this part is true, but a look through the family tree is interesting; he named one son "james jessie;" another son "Frank;" and yet another son "Robert Lee."

Do you suppose they might have been Confederates?

[txaslftist]

114. Both

but the only famous one was general (I think his name was...) Wallace (Union); the guy who wrote Ben-Hur.

[Joe Chi Minh]

115. Cromwell's.

We've always been a seditious lot.

[leftofthedial]

116. The South

and we woulda kicked your ass if it weren't for the . . . you know...

[Lydia Leftcoast]

117. The east side of the Atlantic

None of my ancestors were here before 1890.

[warrens]

118. They lived in Nebraska

But there are indications they lit out for Oregon. Pacifist types.

[Dzimbowicz]

120. My father's side of the family was the only half in the USA at the time

and they were small family farmers in upstate South Carolina (we also had relatives in Pennsylvania at the time). They were, and still are, the type to obey the authorities and therefore were loyal to the Union. Even more, they were loyal to the British during the American Revolution.
I have seen only one family photo from this era which is in black and white. The uniform of my ancestor is quite dark, so I must assume that he was in the Union Army (he could have been from the branch of the family from PA). There was no distinguishing insignia on his uniform to indicate which side he served.

[steely]

121. I got 2 yanks here.

I didn't realize it until I did research a few years ago - it was strange that we had no folklore passed down, but then again, there were some breakups in the family. One lived thru to the end, the other dies at Gettysburg. The cool part was that a friend of mine from Florida had done research (confederates) and his ancestors may have faced mine.

I even attended some sons of the confederacy (sp?) meetings while I was in FLorida, they held some very informative meetings. Gentlemen, one and all.

pm me if you want some details.

cheers

[Debbi801]

124. LOL. We weren't even here yet.

[ikojo]

125. Family wasn't here...some were in Ireland

and others were in Eastern Europe...probably trying to avoid service over there.

[NNadir]

126. My great-great grandfather fought at Gettysburg...

...for the winning side.

[DaveinMD]

128. they were fleeing

russian pograms at the time, so they weren't really concerned with it.

[achtung_circus]

130. The Ironheads

We kicked Cavalier butt! Huh? What's that you say? oooohhhhhh.
Sorry, never mind.

[BikeWriter]

132. Four on my Mom's side in Texas Confederate Cavalry.

One in an Arkansas regiment.

[DelawareValleyDem]

133. On the other side of the Atlantic

[IronLionZion]

135. My Family was in India at the time

Trying to avoid conflicts as usual. We were in Southern India if that means anything to you. State of Kerala, one of the most left-wing places in the world.

[dr.strangelove]

137. Both

My maternal grandmother's family is from Virginia. My research suggests there were confederate soldiers in the family. My maternal grandfather is a descendant of Alexander Hamilton and has been in NY for 200+ years. They were union soldiers and union supporters. My paternal family came over in the late 1800s after the war.

[no name no slogan]

138. Growing rocks in the sterile Bohemian/Norwegian/Scottish soil...

My folk didn't get here until the 1880s, at the very earliest-- like most folks who live in the middle of the country.

My wife's family came over about the same time from Bavaria and Bohemia, too. They bought their farm off a broke Irish family, who got their farm in the land grant days. In fact, they still have the original deed, signed by Lincoln. That's some wacky stuff.