Civil War really was brother vs. brother

[Gazrok]

Was going through Ancestry.com, and learned I had 453 relatives that fought in the Civil War (the vast majority with my surname (both spellings) are descended from a family who came here to America in 1635). A little over 200 fought for the Union, while just a hair over 200 fought for the Confederacy.

Funny thing, did you know the most common reason for different spellings of a surname is due to census records? Then, when folks go to do something official, instead of changing it, they simply accepted it (especially if illiterate). Luckily, we ended up only with two variants. (mine is the correct way, i.e. same as the ancestors from England and Wales).

 

[psalm 7]

Both sides of my family are desended from Wales , one Great Grand Mother was from a Irish family . I remember her she gave me a brass button from her uncles Confederate coat . One Grand Mother was from a German family I never knew her as she passed away after giving birth to my Dad . All the above are from some of the original frountier familys that settled TN .

 

[jimLE]

My mom is into the fami,y tree stuff.we have family that came over back then as well.some managed to keep correct spelling.some got a diff spelling.then threres the ones that got their last name by way of their trade..like,carenter and plumber..

 

[psalm 7]

Some that are most likely related to my family have dropped the s from the last letter of our last name . The German family start thier last name with a C instead of a K as it was originaly . I dont know any of the German relatives they are mostly from a nearby County and some are from here but the relations split way before I was born .

 

[Gazrok]

I got into it a few years back, but then stumbled on a Genealogy page made by one of my cousins. He had pretty much done all the brunt of the work already, so it was great to have the benefit of all that research, without having to do all of it myself. He even has a print image of the boat my ancestor came over on. Really amazing. It's nice to know how you got here, and I hope others have the chance to learn of their own family past and history.

Back to the topic, I used to think the whole brother vs brother argument was a bit over-hyped, but now I see it is definitely right on the money, at least in my family's case.

 

[jimLE]

Yeah,it does seem far fetched...i watched a doctromentry on the history channel,about the civl war one time..(USA)..and they told how 2 brothers would go their separet ways,and fight on seprate side,on account on beleives..and in at least some cases.one would end up shooting the other,because of it..

 

[Gazrok]

Actual brother vs brother was probably pretty rare, but it definitely divided families.
We landed in VA, but by the time of the Civil War, we had a lot of folks come south to FL and GA. Still others went over to CA. (they became wine makers, and still produce wine today with the family name, which is kind of cool). So, the VA and other New England ones fought for the Union, while the FL and GA ones fought for the South. (not sure what CA ones did, not that up on my history).

 

[psalm 7]

Lots of intresting stories from the Civil War . Around 70 miles north of here is Franklin TN . Gen Douglas MCcarthurs Father fought there for the Union , killing a Confederate officer with his Sword after being shot himself . Private Tod Carter after fighting for the Confederacy in five States is killed fighting in his own yard . I think it was 5 Confederate Generals were lined up in a row outside the house being used as a hospital dead on stretchers . General Hood sent the Confederate Army of Tennessee to its ruin because he was mad at some of his officers to teach them a lesson . It was the last big Army the South had left , it never recovered after this battle . The Tod Carter house is still there and has a display of stuff from the Battle field including a jaw bone found in the 1980's during road work . Iv been there several times .

 

[Gazrok]

Fascinating stuff. Some house to last this long.