Civil War: Roster of Nebraska Volunteers – 1888

Photo: Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall – Civil War Veterans Museum – Nebraska City – Ammodramus – 2012 – Creative Commons

In 1861, Nebraska Territory was still in its infancy as a U. S. Territory. The heightening tensions preceding the Civil War were beginning to boil. When the formal call of the United States Government came to muster for a war against the South the early settlers of Nebraska Territory were caught in between a rock and a hard place. They depended on the U. S. Armies at Forts that dotted the prairies for protection against the Indians.

Abraham Lincolns’ call for troops to move to the South for battle left Nebraska’s Territorial Forts unprotected and a call came up for more men to volunteer for federal service. With Nebraska being nearly removed from the issue of slavery it was erroneously assumed the mustering of over 3,000 Nebraska Volunteers would be used to continue to protect the current settlers, freighters, railroads and travelers though Nebraska. Apparently the wires really did get crossed and much to their dismay, the first groups of men volunteering for service in the Union Armies from Nebraska were quickly on the road to the fight against slavery in the South. Following the enlistment of the first group of Volunteers, a second group was mustered and enlisted to protect Nebraska’s current interests in Western progress and keep the Indian tribes from running out the new settlers while the soldiers from the Forts and the first group of Nebraska Volunteers went with them to the South to fight. This second enlistment included the Curtis Horse and Omaha and Pawnee Scout regiments.

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In 1888, The Office of the Nebraska Adjunct General of the State (Edgar. S. Dudley) published the following book “Roster of Nebraska Volunteers” from 1861 – 1869“.

The book contains information from books, records and documents on file under the Authority of Governor Thayer and Adjunct General A. V. Cole for Veteran members of the Nebraska Regiments (by Company), Calvaries, Battalions and includes the Regiments of Curtis Horse and the Omaha and Pawnee Scouts. This is a great compilation of records and the index contains a list of available record sources from which the documents come from. Fun to read if you are researching or just browsing. Links available for downloading in other formats in the preview window below.

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