US Civil War 2024 March/April Vicksburg Nat'l Cemetery Challenge

Question

The Vicksburg National Cemetery Challenge will be a two-month challenge from March 1st to April 29th. 

There are 2,729 identified Union Soldiers that died in 1863 that we will create profiles for.  

During the Vicksburg Campaign and the Siege of Vicksburg, the Union Soldiers who died from battle, wounds, or disease were buried in different locations throughout Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana, most were identified with a wooden marker with their name on it.  By the time, they were reburied in the Vicksburg National Cemetery 75% of the soldiers couldn't be identified.  The March/April Challenge will be to create profiles for the 2,729 Soldiers who were identified.

To sign-up for the Challenge Click Here: US Civil War Project Monthly Challenges Page 

Please join us for the March/April Challenge 

Comments

UPDATE, March 4th: 385 soldiers listed under Category: Vicksburg National Cemetery.  Not all of those listed died in 1863, but most of those listed did.

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UPDATE:   March 9th, we're up to 561 Soldiers 

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UPDATE:  March 18th, we now have 737 Soldiers created who died in 1863 and were buried in the Vicksburg National Cemetery.  There's still plenty of soldiers that need a profile created, please join in the Challenge!!!

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 UPDATE: March 24th, 944 Soldiers created 

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UPDATE:  1275 Soldiers Completed!!!!! April 6th 

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UPDATE: April 10th, we now have 1,342 profiles!!!

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UPDATE: April 22nd just nine days to go, we've now reached 1,397 Soldiers, a little over half.  You still have time to add more Soldiers to the Vicksburg National Cemetery Challenge. 

Answer 1

I just came across a soldier on Find a Grave with only "Pvt, Civil War, Co. C, 16th IN Vol."  I recognized that company.  He served in the same company as my Great, great grandfather Rader (and his brothers). So I know exactly where he lived and who his family was. Small world!

Now, in addition to his WikiTree profile, I will update Find a Grave and FamilySearch.

It's neat to come across someone from here in these challenges.

Comments

What kismet! It really does seem like you can repair the world by bringing your time, attention and knowledge together on the profiles!  Thanks for sharing the story, Norman!

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I've found a soldier who ties into my Bray side of the family. Always fun to find a relative even a really distant one.

Answer 2

I have to be overlooking something here, but is there a direct way to go back to/find the person I was working on? I have a bad habit of accidently losing the page after I go to the Challenge Connection page. I wish it had a "return" button. Any suggestions? I went to "find" and the profile doesn't come up.

Comments

When you use the challenge tracker, at the end of the US Civil War Challenge, it has 'Tracker', click that it will take you to the Tracker Link: USCivilWarChallenge - 20240301 (wikitree.com)

Go to your name, click tracking: Report of Tracker entries (wikitree.com)  it will show what soldier you added to the tracker. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Edgar-4058

Also, on your contributions you should be able to click there and it should come up.

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Thanks for the tip! I've never seen that button. Or I should say that I never knew what it was for.

Answer 3

I've been slacking! Time to get on the challenge!

Comments

This challenge is a marathon. You were just pacing yourself.

Answer 4

Hi y'all! I had to share a profile I worked on for a day Hall-74142. The soldier had been misidentified by the War Department. His memorial was N. E. Eatonhall. No other information. I found a BURLS for Eatonhall which told me Co. C 32nd Missouri. Couldn't find anything else productive. I sat and pondered "Eatonhall" and then the light bulb came on! Try "Eaton Hall." That was my eureka moment. The result was identifying the soldier and his family. I sent edit suggestions with citations to FindAGrave which were accepted and changed by the next morning.

Patting myself on the back, I suppose, but I just wanted to share Private Eaton Hall with everyone.

Comments

Thank you for sharing Victoria your eureka moment.  Love it when everything works out.

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Any time you can correctly identify a Civil War soldier who has been misidentified it is a big deal. You make it possible for his descendants to find him.  Well done !!

Answer 5

Does anyone want help to finish their selected letter's profiles?

Our challenge is about to end.  If you need some help, let us know.

Answer 6

Ron,

I have started the Ws.  If you join me maybe we can finish the M's off in the final days of this challenge.

Answer 7

Ron,

I mis-spoke.  I have started the W's. If you care to join me there.