The writ of habeas corpus was generally used by masters to reclaim fugitive slaves. This writ is considered the most famous writ in law, having been employed for centuries to remove illegal restraint on personal liberty. Cases arising from the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 are closely related to the habeas corpus cases involving runaway slaves. Sometimes cases resulting from this law are filed with the habeas corpus cases. A part of the Compromise of 1850, enacted by Congress on September 18, 1850, provided that claimants of fugitive slaves might recover them by applying to Federal judges and commissioners for warrants for the arrest of the fugitives, or by arresting them and taking them before the judges or commissioners to establish ownership. The testimony of the fugitives was not admitted in evidence. The act provided for the punishment of anyone who interfered with it’s enforcement. Most of the habeas corpus cases for the District of Columbia Circuit Court, 1820-1860, arranged chronologically, involve persons alleged to have been fugitive slaves.³

Compiled service records contain a jacket-envelope for each soldier labeled with his name, rank, unit, and card numbers. The compilation of service records of Union soldiers began in 1890 under the direction of Col. Fred C. Ainsworth, head of the Record and Pension Office of the Adjutant General’s Office, Department of War. Information from company muster rolls, regimental returns, descriptive books, hospital rolls, and other records were copied verbatim onto cards. A separate card was prepared each time an individual name appeared on a document.

A typical jacket contains card abstracts of entries found in original records relating to the soldier and original documents relating solely to that soldier. This includes enlistment papers, substitute certificates, casualty sheets, death reports, prisoner-of-war memoranda, and correspondence. There may also be deeds of manumission, oaths of allegiance, proof of ownership, certificates of monetary award, and bills of sale. Jackets and cards include a section labeled “bookmark,” which was reserved for cross-reference to other records relating to an individual. These records are arranged by regiment or independent battalion and then alphabetically by the surname of the soldier.⁵

This card index may be used to locate the regiment of a USCT soldier. An index card gives the name of the soldier and his rank, as well as the unit in which he served. Sometimes there is a cross-reference to his service in other units or organizations.

These records consist of letters and endorsements sent and received; orders issued and received; descriptive lists; quarterly, monthly and annual returns; muster rolls; and miscellaneous papers. These microfilm records are divided into two major subgroups, the first of which shows bound record books consisting of letters and endorsements sent, a register of letters received, orders issued and received, casualties, regimental and company descriptive books, and company morning reports. The second subgroup is unbound regimental papers including letters and telegrams received, orders issued and received, quarterly and monthly returns, rosters, casualty lists, courts-martial proceedings and sentences, morning reports, descriptive lists of deserters, lists of men detailed, recommendations for appointments, records of resignations and discharges, company inspection reports, and muster rolls.

Letters sent are arranged chronologically in a single volume with a name index at the beginning. Most of the letters deal with the overall administration of the regiment but some also include summary reports of battles in which the regiment participated. There are also letters of transmittal, requisitions for uniforms, foodstuffs and equipment and records relating to personnel administration.

The regimental order book consists of general and special orders. Arranged by company and then chronologically, the orders contain information from Army Headquarters that affected the regiment as a whole. Entries in the company order book are also arranged chronologically and include orders that relate primarily to matters affecting individuals such as authorizations for leave, changes of duty stations, transfers, and other personnel matters. At the end of the company order book there is a record of casualties, arranged by name of soldier. Notations indicate killed in action, wounded in action, missing in action and discharged.

The single volume regimental descriptive book contains rosters of commissioned officers for different dates; lists of commissioned officers by rank and noncommissioned staff officers; lists of promoted officers transferred from and to the regiment and officers resigned or deceased; and an alphabetical list of enlisted men and noncommissioned officers with personal data and remarks. The two volumes of company descriptive books are arranged by company. They contain lists of commissioned officers, enlisted men, men transferred and men discharged; registers of death with date, place and cause; registers of deserters; and descriptive rolls giving personal data.

Two volumes of company morning reports are arranged by company, then chronologically. The reports for each company show the name of the commander; station; date; number of officers of different rank, noncommissioned officers, farriers and blacksmiths, artificers, privates and recruits present for duty; number on special duty, sick and in arrest or confinement; strength of the company present and absent; and information relating to number of horses and alterations since the last report. A record of each day’s activities is given in a special remarks column.

Army regulations required every commander to submit returns to the Adjutant General on forms provided by that office. These regimental returns were usually filed monthly. There is a section of the return, the “Record of Events,” that summarized military operations in which the unit took part. These are arranged monthly and quarterly and include information on all the companies in the unit. Company returns are arranged by company and some are incomplete. This series also includes chronological quarterly returns of deceased soldiers, annual returns of alterations and casualties, and casualty returns arranged by company.

Muster and related rolls are arranged by type of roll, company, and then chronologically. They include muster-in and muster-out rolls, descriptive rolls giving the physical makeup of the regiment, allotment rolls listing issuances of clothing and equipment, and hospital rolls. Muster rolls list all troops present on parade or otherwise accounted for, made on the day of muster or review of troops under arms in order to take account of their number, condition, and state of their arms and accoutrements. Muster and descriptive rolls typically name the personnel of the regiment, date and place of enlistment, by whom enrolled and for what period, date of muster into service, date of last pay and period covered, amount received, and remarks which include disposition of any absentees and notes of desertion and death. These rolls also furnish information on place of birth, age at date of muster, previous occupation, color of hair, eyes and complexion, bounty paid and amount due, clothing accounts, and remarks.⁶

The Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company (FS&T) was a banking institution chartered by the United States Government under an act approved March 3, 1865, for the benefit of freed slaves. By its charter, the company was managed by a board of 50 trustees. In the period 1865-1870, a total of 33 branch offices were established, including one in New York city in 1866.⁷