Researching Civil War Volunteer Infantrymen from Havana, Illinois

Finding original copies of historic records is always a challenge, especially because few copies remain. If you're looking for the "History of the Eighty-Fifth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry," you'll find that American Libraries Internet Archive has the entire text online for free. You'll also discover this volume has some special features researchers will find extremely helpful.

The "History of the Eighty-Fifth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry" was prepared by the Henry J. Aten, a member of the Society of the Army of the Cumberland in 1901. A unique aspect of this book that will, no doubt, be helpful to researchers is a list of subscribers who pre-paid for copies. It is probably safe to assume these individuals were related, or otherwise close, to someone mentioned in the book. Some were mentioned in the book.

• BENJAMIN F. KRATZER was born in Warren county, Indiana, November 9, 1835, and removed to Illinois in 1855. He was wounded at the battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8, 1862, and was transferred to the marine brigade at Nashville, Tenn., in March, 1863. He served with that organization on the Mississippi River until discharged at Vicksburg, Miss., January 17, 1865. He removed to California in 1888, and served as a justice of the peace in San Diego County. He is now an inmate of the Soldiers' Home in Los Angeles, Cal.

One individual, Lieutenant D. L. Musselman, of Quincy, Illinois, purchased ten copies of the book. Four copies were purchased by Dr. Philip L. Dieffenbacher, David Sigley, James T. Seat, and Charles Morris. George E. Rider of Fort Smith, Arkansas, pre-ordered three copies. Most of the copies were ordered by residents of Illinois, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the Indian Territories.

This book is so much more than just a list of names and recounts of battles. More than 176 pages list soldiers along with where they were born. One such example from page 355 is as follows:

• DANIEL KOOZER was born in Peoria, Ill., in 1841, and was a farmer when he enlisted from Tazewell County. He served with, his company until mounted as a scout at brigade headquarters, and was wounded while scouting near the close of the campaign in the Carolinas. He died from the effects of this wound at Goldsboro, N. C., March 27, 1S65, his remains being buried at No. 106 in the national cemetery at Raleigh, N. C.

The book is in PDF format; the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, or other PDF reader, is necessary to open the file. To locate this book online go to the American Libraries link for "History of the Eighty-fifth regiment, Illinois volunteer infantry." Acrobat has a search tool that will allow you to search for names, dates and places inside the document. You can also download it to your local computer so you don't need to be online to open it.