Civil War Project Soldier served under an alias. What name to index?

Question

"Lyman Bailey" was an alias used by Nelson Green when he enlisted into the 7th New Jersey Infantry. He was captured and died at Andersonville. In the pension application, the widow established that "Lyman Bailey" was in fact Nelson Green.

How should this be indexed. Under Lyman Bailey or Nelson Green?

My gut says index under the name Nelson Green and explain the alias. (However, all the service records and burial are under the name Lyman Bailey. If the profile is Nelson Green, someone looking at the records for Lyman Bailey may not see the true name.)

Anyone have thoughts on how I should handle this situation?

I am sorry, I did not intend for you to waste time searching Fold3 for his records. I already have examined his files at Fold3, including the pension file of his widow. The pension file is where I confirmed that "Lyman Bailey" was an alias. I should have mentioned that before folks wasted time searching Fold3.

I was not asking for his records, what I asked was how you would list him, under his real name or under his alias.

Answer 1

His real name, Nelson Green. You can put his alias under other names, if you like.

The pension index cards are a great source for aliases. Here's a summary of them (with possible citations):

'U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934', Nelson Green alias Lyman Bailey (A 7 NJ Inf); image copy, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1498334:4654 : accessed 31 October 2023); citing Washington, D.C., National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 15; NARA microfilm series T288.

Lyman Bailey (alias)

Nelson Green

widow Mary J Green

service A 7 N.J. Inf

widow's pension application filed 13 Sep 1865, application no. 109219, certificate 79652

And here's the one on Fold3:

'US, Civil War Pensions Index, 1861-1900', Nelson Green alias Lyman Bailey (A 7 N. J. Inf.); image copy, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/3194014/bailey-lyman-us-civil-war-pensions-index-1861-1900 : accessed 31 October 2023); citing Washington, D.C., National Archives and Records Administration, 'Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900, compiled 1949 - 1949, documenting the period 1861 - 1942', Record Group 15; NARA microfilm series T289.

Lyman Bailey (alias)

Nelson Green

Private, co. A, 7 Reg't N. J. Inf.

widow's pension application filed 13 September 1865, application 109,219, law [blank], certificate 79,652

died [blank]

Comments

By the way, Fold3 has the widow's pension. The images are here: https://www.fold3.com/file/274443793/green-nelson-us-civil-war-widows-pensions-1861-1910 Do you have access to Fold3?

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I am sorry you wasted time searching and giving me his records. I already had all of that information. It was that information that lead me to ask how to list him.

I did not make it clear enough in my question that I already had all of his Fold3 records.

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No problem--I'm used enough to searching pension records that it took only a few minutes. I'm glad you have the information.

Wouldn't it have been nice of his widow to have explained his enlisting under an alias when she swore that he told her he was going to? I admit I wondered whether he was trying to hide his enlistment from his family or relatives, but I couldn't see how that would work (except perhaps temporarily?). Of course, you're right that bounty jumping is a possibility.

Here's a tiny bit of information for context: about 3% of the men who applied for pensions in the regiment I've studied (91st Pennsylvania) have aliases listed. I don't know if that's true of the army as a whole.

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I read through the entire pension file hoping to find a comment explaining his use of the alias. Alas, there was no explanation.

The few soldiers I have come across who served under an alias were mostly at Andersonville and from the Northeast. I assumed they were members of the Raiders. Using an alias to get part or all of the enlistment bounty and then deserting was a practice. Some of those who deserted were captured and ended at Andersonville.

A possible explanation was they were avoiding creditors and living under an assumed name.

I could not find either Nelson or Mary Green listed in any census records. Also did not find him under the name Lyman Bailley. It seems he did not want to leave a paper trail.

Answer 2

I'm a little suspect of the name Nelson Green. The only reference I saw was the comments on Find a Grave, where someone wrote "According to military records, it was also known as Nelson Green. Mary J. Green (widow) applied for pension on 13 Sept 1865."

The military records referred to on find a grave are not listed. The wife is not attached or listed in the profile to indicate that he is in fact had a wife or was known by that other name.

What military records you provide list his name as Lyman Bailey. So the sources support that name and service. I would leave it as that, either research the wife to find the pension record or add a researcher note for someone else to follow up.

Comments

Jimmy,

The widow's pension fille is where I discovered Lyman Bailey was an alias for Nelson Green.  According to the Adjutant General's statement in the pension file, they decided he was in fact Nelson Green and was serving under an alias. Those pension files are gone through pretty thoroughly before they approve a pension.  So, if the pension file says his name was actually Nelson Green, then that is probably correct.

Answer 3

Whenever I come across someone who enlisted under an alias, I wonder why.  I suspect that person of being a bounty jumper and enlisting under various names to collect some part of the enlistment bounty. Then desert and enlist again somewhere.

I suppose there were other reasons. But bounty jumper is the one I always suspect.