Pay attention to the unit designation. It will tell you where to find the records (and will be needed for ordering copies). Most Connecticut units will be labelled as “CV” or Connecticut Volunteers. Connecticut Volunteers were raised and staffed in state, and as such will have state level records of management. However, the 30th Connecticut, as it was not fully staffed, became part of the 31st USCT. The USCT or United States Colored Troops were Federal units. They were raised and staffed by the US Government and most likely will have few state level records of management. These soldiers were still part of their communities and should be represented accordingly.
Know that the bulk of digitized records for Connecticut soldiers are federal. Because CV units were directed as part of the Union Army, duplicate records of muster rolls and more were kept by the federal government. These musters have been abstracted as part of the Compiled Military Service Records (CMSR), and the abstracts can be obtained from the National Archives. Some are digitized on Fold3. Pension files for Civil War soldiers were only issued by the federal government. Again, some have been digitized by Fold3. Others will need to be requested.
Yet, be aware there are numerous manuscript records held by the Connecticut State Library. See here for a finding aid. These sources may allow you to complete a deeper dive. For example, the State Library holds the records of Fitch’s Home for Soldiers, the precursor to the State Veterans Home.
Don’t forget to look local! There may be additional records available on the town level, including town level monuments and memorials; manuscripts and letters; records of the Grand Army of the Republic chapter (Union veterans association) and more.
Proprietor of Charter Oak Genealogy, Bryna O'Sullivan specializes in assisting clients with lineage society applications and with French to English genealogical translations.
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