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- Spelling: Use original spelling, including misspellings.
- Abbreviations: Use original abbreviations.
- Capitalization: Use original capitalization if identifiable.
- Punctuation: Use original punctuation if identifiable. Do not add punctuation (periods, commas, apostrophes) that are not present in the original.
- Line Breaks: Hit return once after each line ends. Two returns indicate a new paragraph.
- Illegible Text: If you cannot read text or are uncertain, place it in square brackets: [Dr?], [?], or [c?t]
- Subjects: To add subjects (person, place, or battle), place the words in double brackets. Ex. [[Col JJ Archer]]. Do not worry about adding authorized forms of names. An editor will do that later.
The following are common Civil War abbreviations: QM = Quarter Master; Capt. = Captain; Lieut. or Lt. = Lieutenant; Maj. = Major; Col. = Colonel; Prov.Gen. = Provost General; Adjt. = Adjutant; Regt. = Regiment; Brig. = Brigade; Cav. = Cavalry; Inf. = Infantry; Vols. = Volunteers; Col. Inf. = Colored Infantry; R.R. = railroad; HdQrs. = Head Quarters
The following 19th century abbreviations and spelling conventions may also appear: inst. = a date in this month (e.g. the 5th inst.); ult. = a date in the previous month (5th ult.); &c = et cetera. Also: ware = were; thare = there; verry = very; evry = every; evning = evening; perhapse = perhaps; attacted = attacked; fiew = few; greaddeal or great eal or gread eal = great deal; fs = ss (e.g. mifses = misses); do = ditto.
"Autolink" will suggest subjects certain words could be linked to or you can use double braces to link subjects. [[Jane Doe]]
will link the text "Jane Doe" to the subject Jane Doe, while [[Jane Doe|Jane]]
will link the text "Jane" to the subject Jane Doe. We recommend that linking be left to an editor after the initial transcription is made.