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Michael L. Strauss, AG, “Drafted, Deserted, and Volunteered: A Comprehensive Study of your Civil War Ancestors”

“Drafted, Deserted, and Volunteered: A Comprehensive Study of your Civil War Ancestors”

Michael L. Strauss, AG

Recording $69.99

Historians and genealogists alike have studied the Civil War for many years. It has become very popular to visit battlefields to watch reenactments and see where you ancestors fought. These lectures focus on records and research strategies that will aid genealogists in obtaining more information about a civil war soldier and the organizations in which they served.

When examining Civil War sources, Compiled Service Records focused on the life of your ancestors while in service. Post war records of the Reconstruction Era emphasized how our nation sought to come together again. Discover how each of your family members was affected by the war, whether they provided aid to wounded soldiers on the battlefield, trod the quarterdeck of an ironclad, or remained on the home front with the civilian population. Discover how the war changed their lives.

Michael L. Strauss, AG, is an professional Accredited Genealogist for the Eastern States Region with the International Commission of Accredited Professional Genealogists (ICAPGEN) and a national genealogical lecturer.  A native of Pennsylvania and a resident of Virginia, He has been an avid genealogist for more than 35 years. Strauss holds a BA in History and is a United States Coast Guard veteran. He currently serves as President of the Virginia Beach Genealogical Society and is a licensed Private Investigator in Virginia and qualified expert witness in probate/estate matter in court in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. Additionally he is an approved genealogist with the United States Army to locate DNA qualified persons MIA from Korea, Vietnam, and World War II.  In 2012 Michael Strauss was the film historian for the 2014 film “Finding Vivian Maier” where he was interviewed.  Michael has been involved in Civil War reenacting for more than 25 years, serving in two units, namely; the 99th New York Infantry and Battery A., 5th U.S. Artillery. He most recently took part in the 150th Anniversaries of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Battle of Cedar Creek.

Course Schedule

Day One

  • Session One: “Civil War: Introduction to Records”: This session will cover the Compiled Military Service Records (CMSR) for both the Union Army and Confederate Army. Also covered will be Union Draft Records and their Confederate Counterparts. This will include Confederate Statewide draft exemptions.
  • Session Two: “Civil War: Pension Files and Beyond”: This session will be divided between reviewing pension files and applications for the both the Union and Confederate sides as numerous genealogical sources can be gleaned from this source. The remainder of this session will focus on additional records including sources from the United States Sanitary Commission, Federal Census that include Civil War veterans, National Cemetery records, Civil War soldiers homes, Court Martial proceedings on both sides, and lastly conscientious objector records.

Day Two

  • Session Three: “Civil War: Researching Beyond the Army”: This session will focus on Civil War records related to the United States Navy, Marine Corps, Revenue Cutter Service, and Coast Survey Service. Additionally, records of their Confederate counterparts in the Confederate Navy and Marine Corps will be examined.
  • Session Four: “Civil War: Reconstruction Era and Post War Society”: This session will focus on numerous genealogical records as the war ends and the years following the conflict. The records examined will include; Confederate Amnesty records, Union Provost files, Southern Claims Commission records, Freedmen’s Bureau records, and United States Bankruptcy Court files.