Brian Rhinehart

Civil War Records Civil War and War of 1812 research and record retrieval at the National Archives. We provide a cheaper and quicker alternative to ordering records at the National Archives.

4/4 Order your ancestor's military records today and discover what remarkable documents might be waiting in their service files. Every search has the potential to reveal extraordinary pieces of your family's story. civilwarrecords.com

Civil War Records Civil War and War of 1812 research and record retrieval at the National Archives. We provide a cheaper and quicker alternative to ordering records at the National Archives.

3/4 That's the story of a document carried by a soldier through his post-war life before being carefully preserved in pension files. Most soldiers carried these precious papers with them, as they were often their only proof of honorable service.
Ready to uncover your own family's military legacy? /

Civil War Records Civil War and War of 1812 research and record retrieval at the National Archives. We provide a cheaper and quicker alternative to ordering records at the National Archives.

2/4 The only reason we have Henry Johnson's certificate today is because he submitted it as part of his pension application process, likely to prove his military service when other documentation wasn't sufficient.
Notice the worn, weathered condition?

1/4 Here is the original discharge certificate for USCT soldier Henry Johnson. It is a document that survived against all odds.
These discharge papers are exceptionally rare because they were given directly to the soldier upon completion of service. The military kept no copies.

Sorry about that, please try this one. content.lib.auburn.edu/digital/coll...

This collection features 39 fully transcribed diaries from Union and Confederate soldiers. While your ancestor’s personal diary might not be here, you might discover firsthand accounts from soldiers who served in the same regiment.
content.lib.auburn.edu/.../collecti...
#genealogy

4/4 But the letter remains a rare and powerful reminder that even denied applications can hold priceless pieces of a soldier’s story.
Research Tip: Don’t skip over denied pension files. You never know what you’ll find.

3/4 Parents weren’t automatically eligible. They had to prove they were financially dependent on their son, a hard thing to document. This letter was likely submitted to support their appeal.
Sadly, the pension was never granted.

2/4 That letter, filled with sympathy and solemn duty, is still preserved today, not in a family scrapbook, but tucked inside his denied pension application.
Henry’s parents applied for benefits after his death, but their application was rejected. Why?

1/4 Here’s another remarkable and deeply moving discovery from a Civil War pension file.
When 18-year-old Henry M. Cheney died in April 1862 while serving with the 8th Connecticut Volunteers, his captain wrote a letter to Henry’s parents informing them of his passing.

Civil War Records Civil War and War of 1812 research and record retrieval at the National Archives. We provide a cheaper and quicker alternative to ordering records at the National Archives.

4/4 What stories are waiting in your ancestor’s pension file? Order your ancestor’s Civil War pension file today and start making new discoveries. civilwarrecords.com #genealogy

3/4 This file was more than just military paperwork; it’s a window into identity, history, and legacy.

That is why requesting your ancestor’s pension file can be so important; it may hold the only written link to your family's past.

2/4 Alongside his portrait was a small, easily overlooked scrap of paper, no bigger than a postcard. That piece of paper named his enslaver, his parents, and his exact date of birth.

For descendants of those once enslaved, records like this are worth more than gold.

1/4 Meet William Brown of the 19th U.S. Colored Infantry, and yes, that’s his photo, found tucked inside his Civil War pension file.
Finding any image of a USCT soldier is rare. Finding one in the pension file? Nearly unheard of.

But this pension file held something even more extraordinary.

Answer our latest trivia question for a chance to win a $25 credit toward your next purchase at CivilWarRecords.com!

Enter by 7 pm ET on Thursday. The Winner will be announced Friday!

Only those who submit their answer through the link will be entered to win.
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Civil War Records Civil War and War of 1812 research and record retrieval at the National Archives. We provide a cheaper and quicker alternative to ordering records at the National Archives.

drowned in the moat outside the guardhouse on 11/7/1862.
A sobering reminder of the real lives and difficult decisions that shaped the Civil War era.
Curious what might be hiding in your ancestor’s Civil War pension file? Order it today, you never know what you’ll uncover. www.civilwarrecords.com

Civil War Records Civil War and War of 1812 research and record retrieval at the National Archives. We provide a cheaper and quicker alternative to ordering records at the National Archives.

2/3 Buel had deserted, was captured, court-martialed, and sentenced to death. The final decision rested with President Lincoln, who signed off on the execution order.
But history took a different turn. Before the sentence could be carried out, Buel attempted to escape confinement and tragically

While at the National Archives recently, I came across another powerful piece of history, a document bearing Abraham Lincoln’s signature, approving the death sentence of Private Sylvester Buel from Company B, 3rd Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry. 1/3

I was a guest on the Ohio Roots podcast, the official podcast of the Ohio Genealogical Society! We chatted about my start in genealogy, Civil War research, & helping others discover their ancestors.

Listen now: webmasterxy.podbean.com/e/episode-47...

Memorial Day began in 1868 as Decoration Day, a time to honor Civil War soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers. First proclaimed by Gen. John A. Logan, it later grew to honor all fallen U.S. service members. #MemorialDay

@storied-official.bsky.social

YouTube video by Storied_Social Family Treehouse Episode #27 with Brian Rhinehart

2/2 YouTube: youtu.be/afPu-Ffrsq0

Spotify: creators.spotify.com/pod/show/hh3...

#genealogy

I recently joined The Family Treehouse Podcast by Storied to talk about one of my favorite topics, uncovering powerful stories in Civil War records. I shared tips for researching your ancestor’s military history. Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify! 1/2

Our giveaway is almost over! Don’t miss your shot at winning a $25 credit toward your next CivilWarRecords.com purchase.
Answer this trivia question correctly to be entered:
Click the link to submit your answer. civilwarrecords.com/pages/win-a-...
The winner will be announced Friday!

You're very welcome! It's amazing how someone else's letters can connect us to our ancestors' experiences.

In October 1862, 19-year-old Creed Amos wrote his parents from Camp Lincoln. Four months later, he was gone. His letter became key to their Civil War pension claim. Read his story & see images from the file in our latest post: civilwarrecords.com/blogs/news/a... #genealogy

What year did the American Civil War begin? Know the answer? Enter it here for a chance to win a $25 credit toward your next Civil War Records purchase!
civilwarrecords.com/pages/win-a-...
Entries must be submitted via the link. Winner announced Friday! #genealogy

Civil War Records Civil War and War of 1812 research and record retrieval at the National Archives. We provide a cheaper and quicker alternative to ordering records at the National Archives.

6/6 Curious what might be hiding in your ancestor’s Civil War pension file? Order it today, you never know what you’ll uncover. www.civilwarrecords.com
#genealogy

5/6 Calvin’s final thoughts are preserved in his own handwriting. It’s a raw, personal reminder of the cost of war and the enduring love of a mother trying to preserve her son’s memory.

4/6 since in several diary entries he wrote about sending money home to his family in Orsville, Pennsylvania.

It’s incredibly rare to find something like a diary in a pension file. Most contain only forms and affidavits, but sometimes, a story reaches out through time.