Confederate Navy Index

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Admiral Augustus O. Wright, at the urging of fellow members of the United Confederate Veterans, led an initiative in 1921 to obtain military records of approximately 6,000 men who served in the Confederate States Navy. The lack of surviving original Confederate naval records, and the fact that no Compiled Military Service Records were abstracted for either Union or Confederate naval personnel, compounded the difficulties faced by veterans and their dependents trying to secure state pensions. Wright’s successful efforts garnered support from eight southern legislatures and included a correspondence campaign to contact all surviving naval veterans to record their recollections of military service.

This collection pertains to Virginians who served in the Confederate States Navy. The information was compiled primarily from 1924 to 1925 by Captain W. McElroy, Navy Department, United Confederate Veterans. While this is not a comprehensive source, it contains considerable information about each sailor’s service. The information source is noted and ranges from printed and documentary material to the testimony of other veterans.

Additional Resources

Using Virginia Civil War Service and Veterans Records


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