Official Records Citation

Citation, Chicago Style (example):

I'm no expert, and besides, I'm using Chicago style (not usually used in school). You may need to cite differently. I've put the title, authors, etc., at the bottom of this post.

My citation:

Official Records, Series 1, Volume ??, Part ??, (Washington: Government Printing Office, 189-), _____.

In the above example I have shortened the title of the series to "Official Records," and left the volume, part, year, and page number to be filled in. To make lookups easy, you really want to make sure that the volume number, part, and page number are correct. I've found so many references where it had the volume, but not the part (which makes lookups very difficult), or the part and page, but not the volume (which makes lookups nearly impossible). In the beginning, I sometimes made the mistake of copying out pages without noting the volume number. That caused me so much grief (trying to find a piece of correspondence again), that I hardly ever make that mistake anymore.  In Civil War research, so far, all of my research has been in Series 1. The publication dates were mostly 1890 (first few volumes) and 1891. Each volume has several parts, usually 1-3, but sometimes 1-2, 1-5, etc. I often add a description of the part (i.e., "Reports" or "Correspondence, etc."). Since there are several pieces of correspondence on each page, and dates are so relevant, I sometimes add details in parentheses to identify the correspondence (e.g., "Grant to Thomas, Sept. 12, 1864).


Full biblio: The War of the Rebellion: v.1-53 [serial no. 1] Formal reports, both Union and Confederate, of the first seizures of United States property in the southern states, and of all military operations in the field, with the correspondence, orders and returns relating specially thereto. United States. War Dept., Henry Martyn Lazelle, and Leslie J. Perry. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1880-1900. 128v.

In my blog keywords, I have links to a few selected volumes on-line -- mainly 29, 30, 31, 32, and around there, because they have Chickamauga and Chattanooga.

______________

Title: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, United States. Record and Pension Office, Ser. 1, v.1-53 [Serial 1-111].

Authors: United States. War Department, George B. Davis, Henry Martyn Lazelle, and Leslie J. Perry. 
[AUTHORS VARY ON DIFFERENT VOLUMES--SEE INDIVIDUAL VOLUME!]

Contributors :  United States. War Records Office, United States. Record and Pension Office, United States. Congress. House

Place of publication: Washington

Publisher:  U.S. Government Printing Office, 189- (whatever year is appropriate)

NOTE: The series title is often shortened to "Official Records" or just "O.R." Series 1 contains 53 volumes, books 1-111 (which are designated as part __, usually part 1-5, with 2-5 parts per volume). Therefore, in my title, "v.1-53" represents all of the volumes in series 1; and "serial 1-111" represents all of the books (parts) that make up the 53 volumes.

_______________

ProQuest Library Guides has a wonderful page on this resource, from which I extracted this description that tells which volumes cover which states:

Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Companion Volumes
http://proquest.libguides.com/rebellion_records/formal-reports

The military operations throughout the country, and the volumes of Series I which pertain to them, are naturally divided into four great groups, viz:

First.-Operations in Maryland, Eastern North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia (except Southwestern) and West Virginia-Volumes 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 18, 19, 21, 25, 27, 29, 33, 36, 37, 40, 42, 43, 46, 51.

Second.-Operations in South Western Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, West Florida and Northern Georgia-Volumes 1, 4, 6, 7, 10, 15, 16, 17, 20, 23, 24, 26, 30, 31, 32, 38, 39, 45, 49, 52.

Third.-Operations in South Carolina, Southern Georgia, Middle and East Florida and Western North Carolina-Volumes 1, 6, 14, 28, 35, 44, 47, 53.

Fourth.- Operations in Louisiana and the Trans-Mississippi States and Territories, the Pacific Coast and Department of the Northwest- Volumes 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 22, 26, 34, 41, 48, 50, 53.

Volumes 51, 52 and 53 should always be consulted in connection with the several volumes to which they are supplemental.

THANKS TO PROQUEST FOR THE ABOVE SECTION!

http://proquest.libguides.com/rebellion_records/formal-reports