I am working on my family genealogy and I'm struggling to understand my ancestor's role in the Civil War. Most of my family were Privates, but one of my favorite people to study was appointed 1st Sergeant of Company K of the 30th Kentucky Mounted Regiment. This company was involved at Saltville in both battles. What exactly got someone promoted/appointed to this position from Private and what was the primary job of the 1st Sergeant during the American Civil War?
*side note, another one of my ancestors was captured and rescued by his own men in the same 30th-K. Would this 1st Sergeant have been part of that rescue group?
Hello there! As your question is related to looking for identification/information regarding military personnel, our Guide on Military Identification may be of use to you. It provides a number of different resources, including how to request service records from a number of national agencies around the world, as well as graphical aids to assist in deciphering rank, unit, and other forms of badges or insignia. While the users here may still be able to lend you more assistance, hopefully this will provide a good place to start!