Did you know?

When the National Archives was created in 1934, by an act of Congress, to create a central repository for the housing and care of the nation’s historical records, they inherited a massive number of items that they needed to keep track of and provide access to.

Imagine the daunting task: centuries of government documents, military records, and correspondence, all suddenly needing a system. Archivists couldn't wait years to perfectly catalog every single page before letting historians and the public see what was there.

So, they developed a brilliant and practical solution: the Preliminary Inventory (PI).

Think of a PI as an archivist's initial sketch of a newly acquired collection. Instead of describing every document, they described the records in logical groups, or "series." This allowed them to create a usable roadmap for a collection quickly. Each PI included a brief history of the agency that created the records, giving researchers vital context.

For anyone researching the American Civil War, these PIs are an indispensable tool. They are your guide to navigating the millions of documents related to both the Union and Confederate armies, helping you pinpoint the exact series of records where your ancestor's story might be waiting.

Some of the key inventories to look for are PI 101 (Confederate records/ War Department Collection of Confederate Records RG: 109) and PI 17 (Union records/ Records of the Adjutant General's Office RG: 94). You can find many of these inventories in the National Archives Catalog online or in their research rooms.

Happy ancestor hunting!

If you need help navigating these, or would like me to go to the Archives for you, go to www.fisherhistorical.com

#Genealogy #CivilWar #AncestorResearch #NationalArchives #FamilyHistory