Tennessee Military Records

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Military Records

Fort Loudoun, East TN

Revolution

Battle of Chattanooga--General Thomas' charge near Orchard Knob, 24 November 1863

U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records provides more links for nationwide military record collections.

Online Resources

• 1861-1967 Tennessee, Military Discharge Records, 1861-1967 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
• 1865-1872 Tennessee, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Images only.
• MyHeritage, ($), index
• Tennessee WWI Veterans, ($), index
• U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Korean War for Home-State-of-Record: Tennessee
• U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Vietnam War for Home-State-of-Record: Tennessee

United States Military Online Genealogy Records

Military records identify the millions who served in the military or who were eligible for service. Evidence that an ancestor actually served may be found in family traditions, census records, naturalization records, biographies, cemetery records, and records of veterans’ organizations. Many useful military records are at the FamilySearch Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. United States Military Records provides more information on federal military records and search strategies. The Tennessee State Library and Archives Internet site has many military records, including indexes to soldiers of the state who served in various conflicts.

Forts

• Fort Watauga
• Post of Chattanooga -- Textual records of this fort, 1864-1879, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).
• Fort Loudoun (1756-1760)
• Fort Marr
  

Colonial Period (1600–1775)

Tennessee was part of the Colony of North Carolina during the colonial times.

• Kegley, Mary B. Soldiers of Fincastle County, Virginia, 1774. Dublin, Virginia: M. B. Kegley, 1974 FS Catalog book 975.5 A1 no. 12. The record is arranged by companies and gives name, number of days served, rate, and amount paid. The record may include men living in the territory that later became the State of Tennessee. This record includes an index.

See Also: North Carolina Military Records

Revolutionary War (1775-1783)

Those who supported the Revolution may be mentioned in records as rebels, patriots, or Whigs. Those who opposed the Revolution were Loyalists or Tories.

• Some Tennessee heroes of the Revolution at Ancestry ($)
• Patriots. Service and pension records and indexes for patriots are on film at the National Archives and the FamilySearch Library. See Revolutionary War, 1775 to 1783 for sources.
• Loyalists. For Loyalist records, see the "GREAT BRITAIN - MILITARY RECORDS, The Loyalist Era" section in Canada Military Records.

• Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War at TNGenWeb, contains details about more than 2,200 veterans who appear on the 1835 pension roll, as well as hundreds of veterans whose pensions were rejected or suspended in 1852. The 1835 pension roll is also available on Ancestry ($). County pages on TNGenWeb also contain many abstracts of records about Revolutionary War soldiers.

• Tennessee Soldiers in the Revolution at Ancestry ($)
• Hancock's diary, or, A history of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry : with sketches of First and Seventh battalions, al at Ancestry ($)

Pension files:

• Ancestry ($)
• Footnote ($)
• Heritage Quest Online ($)
• Pension lists and rolls at New Horizons Genealogy

The 1835 Pension Roll

On June 5, 1834, the U.S. Senate required the Secretary of War to submit a statement showing the names of pensioners who were on the pension rolls or had previously been on the pension rolls. For more information on the 1835 Pension Roll see Revolutionary War Pension Records. The 1835 Pension Roll for Tennessee is available online:

• Report from the Secretary of War... Vol. III at Google Books
• The Pension Roll of 1835, Vol. III at Ancestry ($)

Some good general sources to search include:

• A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). Reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. FS Library film 2321; book 973 X2pc 1840. Tennessee section begins on page 152.
• Armstrong, Zella. Twenty-four Hundred Tennessee Pensioners: Revolution–War of 1812. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1987. FS Catalog book 976.8 M2az. Online at Ancestry ($). This lists pensioners, their ages, where they served, and where their pension was drawn.
• Bates, Lucy Womack. Roster of Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Tennessee. Brentwood, Tennessee: Tennessee Society, NSDAR, 1979. FS Catalog book 976.8 V3b. The record is arranged alphabetically by surname, then given name. Most entries give name, birth date and place, marriage date and place, death date and place, rank, and unit; and spouse’s name, birth date and place, and death date and place.
• Some Tennessee Heroes of the Revolution. 1933. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1975. FS Library film 1036620 item 2; book 976.8 M2so nos.1–5 1975;. This contains abstracts of pension applications.

Information varies for each person listed. It may contain the veteran’s name and age, where he served, and where his pension was drawn.

Many county genealogical societies have published lists of Revolutionary War veterans from their area in their journals. See "Military Records" under relevant Tennessee county pages.

See also Tennessee Census, which lists other sources for the 1840 Revolutionary War veterans’ schedules.

• Patriot Paths - Project of the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
• Patriot Paths Tennessee's Revolutionary War Veterans - Tennessee State Library and Archives

War of 1812 (1812-1815)

The War of 1812 between Britain and the United States confirmed the separate existence of the United States and the future Canada.

See the Wiki article, Tennessee in the War of 1812, for information concerning military records, histories, links to relevant websites, etc. for Tennessee.

There are helpful nationwide records for soldiers of the War of 1812. For more information, see United States in the War of 1812.

Indian Wars (1780s-1890s)

Creek War (1813-1814)

A card index of Indian War soldiers is:

• Alabama. Department of Archives and History. Indian War Service, 1812–1814. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1988.FS Library film 1462786 item 3. This includes alphabetically arranged, typed cards for the Indian wars of 1813–1814 and the War of 1812. The films include each soldier’s name, age, residence, rank, and date enrolled and the date and amount of his pension payments (usually for the years of 1833–1834). Includes records of Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina soldiers, as well as Indian names.

Seminole Wars (Florida Wars) (First 1817–18; Second 1835–42; Third 1855–58)

The Tennessee State Library and Archives has microfilm:

• Index, Tennesseans in the Seminole War (Florida War), 1818 and 1836. 1 reel. TSLA Mf.#867. Index is arranged alphabetically by soldier's surname. Also includes rank, date and place of enlistment, company, regiment, brigade, and place of residence. See also: Index to Volunteer Soldiers in Indian Wars and Disturbances, 1815-1858. White, 1994. Card file in Archives Reading Room.
• Military Records, 1813-1836. 1 reel. TSLA Mf. #RG 158. Muster rolls and payrolls for Creek War 1813-15 and Seminole Wars 1818 and 1836. Arranged by captain's name. See also: Card file in Archives Reading Room.
  

Cherokee Disturbances and Removal (1836–1839)

• Douthat, James L. Volunteer Soldiers in the Cherokee War, 1836–39. Signal Mountain, Tennessee: Mountain Press, 1995. Available online Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library FS Library fiche 6038272. This record contains a listing of the volunteer soldiers from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

• "Indexes to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers who Served During the Cherokee Disturbances and Removal in Organizations From the State of Tennessee and the Field and Staff of the Army of the Cherokee Nation" (NARA M908) FS Library film 1205384 At various libraries (WorldCat) The Cherokees were removed to the Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma. The compiled military service records have not been microfilmed.

The above collection is also available online:

• U.S. Army Indian Campaign Service Records Index at Ancestry ($) - browsable only.

Mexican War (1846-1848)

The Mexican War was caused by the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845. Most volunteer regiments were from southern states. Records of Mexican War veterans might exist in a state where the veteran later resided.

• Reid Brock, Thomas o. Brock, and Tony Hays. Volunteers : Tennesseans in the War with Mexico 2 vols. S. l. : Kitchen Table Press, c1986. FS Library 976.8 M2br

• United States. Adjutant General’s Office. Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served during the Mexican War in Organizations from the State of Tennessee. Washington D.C.: National Archives, 1965. FS Library films 882797-882811. This includes regimental returns, a record of events during the war, and company muster rolls.

• 1846-1848 United States Mexican War Index and Service Records, 1846-1848 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

• Campbell, William B. Mexican War Letters of Col. William Bowen Campbell of Tennessee, Written to Governor David Campbell of Virginia, 1846-1847. Nashville, Tenn.: Tennessee Historical Magazine, 1915.

• Furber, George C. The Twelve Months Volunteer; or, Journal of a Private in the Tennessee Regiment of Cavalry, in the Campaign in Mexico, 1846-7. Cincinnati, Ohio: J.A.U.P. James, 1849.

• Mexican War Index to Pension Files, 1887–1926. (NARA T317). FS Library films 0537000–13 Alphabetically arranged and includes the veteran’s name, rank, and unit; names of dependents; date of filing and application; certificate numbers; act filed under; and state from which application was made. Also available at:

• United States, Mexican War Pension Index, 1887-1926 (FamilySearch) Free digital copy. (How to use this collection.)

• Robarts, William Hugh. Mexican War Veterans : A Complete Roster of the Regular and Volunteer Troops in the War Between the United States and Mexico, from 1846-1848… Washington, D.C. : Brentano’s, 1887. FS Catalog book 973 M2rwh Digital version available at Internet Archive.

Click on these links to learn more about the Mexican War and about Mexican War pension records.

Civil War (1861 to 1865)

See Tennessee in the Civil War for information about Tennessee Civil War records, websites, etc. with links to articles about the Tennessee regiments involved in the Civil War. The regimental pages often include lists of the companies with links to the counties where the companies started. Men in the companies often lived in the counties where the companies were raised. Knowing a county can help when researching more about the soldiers and their families.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System allows name searching for soldiers. The result set gives the regiments for the soldiers. Then you can check the Wiki regiment pages to determine counties. Often knowing the counties that had men in a regiment will help you determine if a soldier was your ancestor.

• Report of the Adjutant General of the state of Tennessee : of the military forces of the state, from 1861 to 1866 at Ancestry ($)

• 1861-1865 Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

• 1861-1865 United States Confederate Officers Card Index, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

• 1871-1880 U.S. Southern Claims Commission Master Index, 1871-1880 at Ancestry ($); index only

• 1891-1965 Tennessee, Confederate Pension Applications, Soldiers and Widows, 1891-1965 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Spanish-American War (1898)

The Spanish-American War was largely fought in Cuba and the Philippines. Spanish-American War records might exist in the state from which the soldier served or in a state where the veteran later resided.

Indexes

• 1861-1934 United States, General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; (NARA T288) Free digital copy. The index covers veterans of the Civil War, Spanish‑American War, Philippine Insurrection, Boxer Rebellion (1900 to 1901), and the regular Army, Navy, and Marine forces.

• 1898 United States, Index to Service Records, War with Spain, 1898 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Click on the link to learn more about the Spanish American War.

World War I (1917-1918)

World War I was a global war fought on multiple continents with several nations involved. Over four million men and women served from the United States.

• United States. Selective Service System. Tennessee, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington D.C.: National Archives, 1987–1988. (On 82 FS Library films beginning with 1852852) Also available at:

• 1917-1918 United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

• 1917-1919 United States, YMCA World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

• 1917-1940 United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

• 1917-1919 United States, World War I American Expeditionary Forces Deaths, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

See WWI Draft Records for more information.

For a published roster of soldiers who died in the war see:

• Haulsee, W. M. comp. Soldiers of the Great War. Three Volumes. Washington, D.C.: Soldiers Record Publication Association, 1920. Digital version of V. 2 at FamilySearch Digital Library FS Catalog book 973 M23s. 3 vol.Tennessee soldiers are listed in Volume Three, pages 207–44. It gives the soldier’s name, residence, rank, cause of death, and includes pictures.

Tennessee State Library and Archives

• Tennessee in the Great War, 1914-1918: A Guide to Collections at the Tennessee State Library and Archives

• Record of Ex-Soldiers in WW I, Tennessee Counties, 1917-1918 arranged by county. The index lists the soldier’s name, birth date and place, and any notes.
• Tennessee WWI Gold Star Records Online Index
• Tennessee WWI Veterans' Questionnaires Online Index
• Over Here, Over There: Tennesseans in the First World War
• Tennessee World War I Veterans : An Introduction

World War II (1941-1945)

On April 27, 1942, the Selective Service conducted the fourth of six draft registrations related to WWII. The "World War II Selective Service Draft Cards: Fourth Registration, 1942" is often referred to as the “Old Man’s Registration” or the “Old Man’s Draft" because it included men with a date of birth from April 28, 1877 to February 16, 1897. Since there is overlap in the WWI and WWII Selective Service registration, men born in the years 1877 to 1900 may have registered twice and have both WWII and WWI draft records.

• 1942 United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 (Image Browse) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
• 1942 United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images with partial index

Also available at:

• Ancestry ($)
• Fold3 ($).

Combat Connected Naval Casualties, World War II, by States. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946. Compiled and revised by Casualty Department. FS Library film 1440393 Items 1-2; book 973 M3dc v 1-2. This book lists soldiers alphabetically by state, then within the state by status: dead, missing, wounded, died or killed while a Prisoner of War (POW), and released POW's.

World War II United States Military Records provides additional information.

Korean War (1950–1953)

The Korean War was a conflict between North Korea (and its communist allies) and South Korea (with support of the United Nations, primarily the United States). See the Korean War wiki article for information on records and their availability.

Vietnam War (1964–1972)

The Vietnam War was a conflict between North Vietnam (and its communist allies) and South Vietnam (with support of its anti-communist allies, including the United States). See the Vietnam War wiki article for information on records and their availability.

Militia - National Guard

• 118th Air Transport Wing (Heavy), Nashville, Tennessee-Jackson, Mississippi, Memphis, Tennessee : we circle the globe-- 1964-1965Charlotte, N.C. : Delmar Print. Co., 1965.

Other Wars

Frost, John. Border Wars of the West;: comprising the frontier wars of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, and Wisconsin; and embracing individual adventures among the Indians, and exploits of Boone, Kenton, Clark, Logan, Brady, Poe, Morgan, the Whetzels, and other border heroes of the West. Auburn, New York: Miller, Orton and Mulligan, 1856.

Other Military Records

• Record of Commissions of Officers in the Tennessee Militia at Ancestry ($)

A published list of militia officers of 1796–1815 is:

Moore, Mrs. John Trotwood. Record of Commissions of Officers in the Tennessee Militia, 1796–1815. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1977. FS Catalog book 976.8 M2m. Commissions are listed in chronological order and include the officer’s name, regiment, and rank.

• History of American Legion, Department of Tennessee, 1919-1953 at FamilySearch

For a comprehensive description of both federal and Tennessee state military records, see:

Neagles, James C. U. S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present. Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, 1994. FS Catalog book 973 M23nu. This book describes federal military records, then discusses each state individually. Pages 339–343 provide details of military records housed in various archives in Tennessee, many of which are not microfilmed.

• Some Tennessee Heroes of the Revolution at Ancestry ($)

State Soldier Homes

For national old soldier homes, including those in Johnson City and Nashville, Tennessee, see:

• United States. Veterans Administration. Registers of Veterans at National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866–1937. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1988. Digital version at Record Collection 1916230; FS Library film 1571745 (first of 22 films) This includes general indexes for the Johnson City home. Eleven other homes are searchable nationwide. See the FamilySearch Catalog. These records may list a soldier’s name, date and place of enlistment, rank, military unit, length of service, date and place of discharge, birthplace, age, physical description, marital status, religion, occupation, previous residence, nearest relative, pension, soldier home admission and discharge dates, disability, death date, and cause of death.

For Confederate soldiers’ applications to the soldiers’ home in Nashville, Tennessee, see:

• Tennessee. Confederate Soldiers’ Home. Soldiers’ Applications for Admission, 1889–ca. 1965. Nashville, Tennessee: State Library and Archives. FS Library films 969840–42.

Websites

The following sites have further information about Tennessee military records:

• Online Searchable Military Records & Databases
• TNGenWeb
• New Horizons Genealogy
• Tennessee Military Records at LDS Genealogy

Finding Aids

United States Military Records provides more information on federal military records and search strategies. See the Tennessee Archives and Libraries article for facilities with regional collections which might include military histories and records. Additional military information and sources can be found in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

TENNESSEE - MILITARY HISTORY

TENNESSEE - MILITARY RECORDS

TENNESSEE, [COUNTY] - MILITARY RECORDS

TENNESSEE, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - MILITARY RECORDS