Finding Civil War Era Compiled Military Service Records – Andreas Pfotenhauer

This week I am taking a military class virtually at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) called “Answering the Call of Uncle Sam: Research in Military Records,” with instructors Sandra Rumble and Jonathan Deiss.[1] So far, it has been wonderful. Tuesday, we’re explored examples of Compiled Military Service Records (CMSR) and I thought I would locate a file for someone in my family tree.

There are some complete files digitized on Fold3. The best way to find these records is to use the browse function. I click Civil War (Union) and then browsed to find Civil War Service Records (CMSR) – Union and the state of interest. Once there, look for the military unit, and then the first letter of the last name.

Most of my known Civil War soldiers served out of Ohio and unfortunately, there were only index cards for Ohio soldiers. I did find a Missouri soldier with a complete file: Andreas Pfotenhauer. He was the grandfather of Fred James Davey’s wife, Christine Pfotenhauer. Fred was my husband’s great-uncle, the brother of his grandmother, Matilda Davey Gorrell. Normally I don’t record collaterals that far out, but am glad to have recorded him, for I have an example of a complete CMSR for a Union soldier.

Andreas served in Co F of the 4^th Missouri Infantry.[2] His file has thirteen items including the jacket, which lists five cards. The other seven pages are other enclosures, filmed front and back. He entered as a private and went out as a corporal.

 The first thing we learned in the class was to make a timeline from the information in the file. The cards and papers are not necessarily in order. They were filmed (these are black and white and came from microfilm) in the order they were found in the jacket.

Timeline
--From enlistment to Dec 31, 1861, Company Muster Roll, Prvt Co D, Gasconade County Batt’n, USRC, Mo Inf. Joined for duty and enrolled, Nov 4, at Herman, 3 yrs. Present.

--Jan 9, 1862, Detachment Muster-in Roll, Gasconade County Battn US Res Corps Inf., Pvt, joined for duty and enrolled Nov 4, Hermann, 3 yrs. Remarks: From the 9^th day of Jany 1862 and to cover past services as per S.O. from Maj Genl Holleck dated Jany 3d 1862.

--Jan & Feb, 1862, Company Muster Roll, Private, Co F, 4^th Missouri Infantry, Joined for duty and enrolled: Nov 4, 1861, at Herman, 3 yrs. Present.

--Feb 1-28, 1862, at Benton Bamacke, Muster-out Roll, Corpl, co F, 4^th Ret Missouri Infantry. Remarks: Died March 19 1862 of Bilious Fever in hospital at Harman, age 24. 

--March & April 1862, Company Muster Roll, Corpl, Co F, 4^th Missouri Inf. Joined for duty and enrolled, Oct 19, 1861 at Herman Mo, for 3 years. Remarks: Died March 24, 1862.

--Casualty Sheet, Priv Co F 4^th Reg of Missouri State Volunteers, died March 24, 1862, Inv refrd 2^nd And Aug 16 62, Effects del to his wife.

--Inventory of Effects of Andreas Pfotenhauer, late of Company F of the 4^th Regiment of Mo Vol, who died at Hermann, Mo the 24^th of March 1862.  1 pair pants, 1 jacket, 1 pair shoes, 2 socks, 1 cap, 2 underwaistcoats, 2 drawers, 1 blanket, 1 great coat. The above articles have been delivered to wife of the deceased.  C. Schobort, 1^st Lieut C?? Company.

 --Final Statement of Comp F 4^th Regt Mo Vol Inf. Andreas Photenhauer dec., Dup amt 2d Dec 23 1865

Final Statement of Andres Pfotenhauer late of Company F of the 4^th Regt Mo Vol who died at Hermann Mo, on the 24^th day of March 1862. Said Andres Pfotenhauer was born in Saxony is thirty-six years of age was six feet and two inches high, light complexion, blue eyes, and by occupation when enlisted a farmer. He was last paid by Hayor Johnson up to the first day of January and had pay due him from that day up to the 24^th day of March 1862. There is to be stopped from him on amount of the United States for Clothing received in Kind twenty-five dollars and thirty-seven cents 25 37/00. Signed C Selabart, first Lieut, Commanding Company.

 

Analysis
None of the cards listed his age where it was to be noted on muster rolls. The February card listed his age as twenty-four in the note about his death. The final statement listed it as thirty-six. In 1860, he was recorded as thirty-two years in Gasconade County, Missouri census, so he was about thirty-four or five.[3]

The first two cards referred to a different company than the later cards. The article “4^th Regiment, Missouri Infantry (Union)” gives a brief history. It was organized at St. Louis on January 15, 1862 by the consolidation of the Gasconade Battalion and the 3^rd Regiment U.S. Reserve Corps. His death occurred at Hermann, Missouri, which is located at Gasconade County.

Another way to show the timeline is by a table. This makes it easier to correlate information. There was no date on the inventory of his effects, but likely it was near the date of his death.

Next Step
I have a little information about Andreas’ activity until his death, but not details of the unit nor the regiment. Next post will be about the Record of Events for Co F of the 4^th Missouri Infantry, which can also be found at Fold3.

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[1] “Answering the Call of Uncle Sam: Research in Military Records,” Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (https://www.gripitt.org/courses/military-records-research/ : accessed 22 Jun 2021).

[2] Compiled Service Record, Andreas Pfotenhauer, private, Co F, 4^th Missouri Infantry; carded records, Volunteer Organizations, Civil War; Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780s-1917; National Archives, Washington, D.C.; digital image, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/230395853 : accessed 22 Jun 2021).

[3] 1860 U.S. census, Gasconade, Missouri, pop. sched., Roark, p. 462, dwelling 258, family 283, Andreas Pfotenhauer, digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 19 Nov 2011), citing NARA M653, roll 619.

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