American Civil War Project

[Dan Morton]

This is a link I copped from the Military Horse web site to an interesting Parks Service project. On it, if you know your relative's name, whether he was a Secesh or a Federal, infantry, cavalry, etc., you can actually look him up. It found my Great- Great- Great grandfather Parks in Forrest's Tennessee cavalry right away - pretty neat!

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

All the best,
Dan

 

[garyjd]

Dan, That's an awesome site. I've used it to great effect to gather addiytional info on 6 of my Mother-in-law's relatives, all Irish Union men! I also found what may be a few relatives from my Mom's family, one of which may have been in the 114th Pa Vol inf, Collis's Zouaves. Hey you should do a figure of your relative.~Gary

 

[Dan Morton]

Gary -

I would but have no photos of him unfortunately. Glad you liked the site!

All the best,
Dan

 

[Jim Patrick]

Great Site Dan! I just started researching my geanology and what a blast I am having! I have literaly spent the entire day on Ancestry.com using Family Tree Maker. I have found my mother's side to be much easier to locate than my father's. With the help of this site I have found that nearly all of my ancestors served in the confederate army out of South West Virginia (but of course it was ALL Virginia back then :lol: ). On an interesting note, I found out that one of my ancestors, Mathias Harmon, actually taught and accompanied Daniel Boone into the first permanent settlement into what we call Kentucky today.

Thanks again,
Jim Patrick

 

[Jeff]

A few years ago may dad gave me a book of the letters sent home by one of my great grand fathers. He alos gave me a photo of him with his wife and three year old daughter. My dads great grandmother. I also have photo of her holding my dad when she was an old lady. I have thought about doing a figure of him but I only have the one photo. And it is only a copy. When I dig out that collection of letters I am going to go back to that site and see what more I can find out. I found a Eugen Cupernell I thik that he may have been my great grand fathers dad.

 

[garyjd]

Jeff, That is really cool. If you should need any uniform reference stuff drop me a line. It would be neat to see you sculpt a portrait figure, even if you only have one photo.~Gary

 

[Dan Morton]

I think the idea of anybody sculpting a figure based on a Civil War relative is just great! I'd love to do that if I had the photo and I'm envious of you guys who have the wonderful opportunity! Go to it and let's see 'em!

One of the things that attracted me to Dave Cox's project of the two figures of his father-in-law, Mr. Ball, was exactly this heritage idea!

All the best,
Dan

 

[Jeff]

I wish I had photos of all my Civil War relitives but that photo of my great great great grand dad is all I have. I have quite a few photos of my Uncle Hugh who was a B-24 pilot in the Pacific. He went down with his plane May 27, 1943. One of his crew mates lives not to far form me his name is LouisZamperini. He wrote a great book called" Devil at my Heels". He was a local track star and went to the 1936 Berlin Olympics he even ended up shaking Hitlers hand. I called him last year and got a chance to meet him at a local air show. Through him and his book he kind of brought my uncle Hugh alive for me. Before that he was just a photo on the wall. He had a bad time of it. He went in to the water with two other crew members one died in the raft the other two were rescued form the raft by the Japanese on July 13,1943. He spent the rest of the war as a POW. He had it pretty bad. He is one of those people whos has met so may famous people during his live that you really feel like you are touching history when you shake his hand.

I have found photos of the plane that they flew togther on. It was called Super man and I have found at least two photos of it on the web and there is one in Zamperini's book. So I have been thinking about doing a model of my uncles plane and a figure of Hugh and Louis. I have quite a few photos of Hugh now.

My great great great grandfather is a diffrent story I have the one photo, he has a big bushy beard and is in a Captains uniform. I have been looking for the copy of the letters that I have and the photo. I know that they are togther but I just do not know where they are in my house. I hope I find them before the silverfish do. When I find them I will post the photo so you guys can see it.

 

[Jeff]

OK, I found my bound copy of my Great grandfathers letters. His name was John Newton Chamberlin He enlisted in the 75th New York Infantry, Co. D and was a Capt in the 97th USCI at the end of the war. I can not seem to find any thing on him on the site. The photo of him is still MIA but it will turn up.

I just did a Google search and guess what I found a photo of his belt.

http://www.newashcohist.org/highlights.asp

I sent and e-mail to the little museum to see if I might be able to get a photo of his coat.

 

[Jeff]

I just thought I would update this. Since I posted the photo of my Civil War grandfathers belt. I have gotten in touch with the curator of the little museum that has his uniform. She sent me photos of his belt and sash and she is going to send me photos of his uniform soon. This is so cool. I am rereading his letters home right now and I will need to decide how I will pose the figure. We are in the process of redoing the house so the photo of him is still MIA but should turn up soon, like the book of letters did. Does any one know of any books that deal with the 75th NY ?

 

[youn5702]

Cayuga in the Field, by Henry Hall and James Hall is a good book about the 75th NY Volunteers. I have yet to find any books that really look at the 3rd Corps d'Afrique/97th USCT