Beginning US Mexican War Research

United States

U.S. Military

Mexican War

Beginning US Mexican War Research

Mexican War, 1846-1848

The Mexican War (also known as the Mexican-American War, the First American Intervention, and the U.S.–Mexican War) resulted from the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845. Thirty-five thousand U.S. Army troops and 73,000 state volunteers fought in this war. Most volunteer regiments were from southern states, such as Louisiana, Tennessee, Missouri, and Texas. The war took place from April 25,1846 to February 2, 1848.

The usage of "Mormon" and "LDS" on this page is approved according to current policy.

War with Mexico was declared on May 13, 1846. However, units of soldiers were organized in Texas in the fall of 1845. Volunteer units were organized from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. One unit was composed of Indians and one of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-the Mormon Battalion.

Regular Army units included the 1st Regiment of Dragoons, 2nd Regiment of Dragoons, 3rd Regiment of Dragoons, Regiment of Mounted Riflemen, 1st Regiment of Artillery, 2nd Regiment of Artillery, 3rd Regiment of Artillery, 4th Regiment of Artillery, 1st through 16th Regiments of Infantry, Regiment of Voltigeurs and Foot Riflemen.

Step 1 - Identify an ancestor who may have served in the Mexican War

Look at your ancestors' information to determine which match the following criteria:

- Ages: Most soldiers and sailors were men between their late teens of early to mid twenties so they would have been born in the 1820s or earlier.

- Death: Did your ancestor die between April 1846 and February 1848? Did he die in Mexico or a Southern state or western state different than where his family was living? Most of the soldiers enlisted in a volunteer military unit where from a southern or western state. Others may have joined the Regular Army or navy.

- Family Members: Check with other members of your family to see if they have and records of records of information of Mexican War service.

Step 2 - Identify the county and state where your ancestor lived between 1845-1848

If you do not know the county and state where your ancestor lived at the start of the war, check the following:

• The United States Census, 1840 for his family.

Step 3 - Find your Ancestor's Military Unit or Naval Service

Your soldier's military unit are often needed to find his records and to recognize him in the records. State volunteer regiments many have a published history written or compiled by a veteran, a descendent or interested individual. The histories may have biographical data on officers and unit rosters of members, and they often provide clues to the town or county where the soldiers were living when they enlisted. Published county histories may also have information on military units raised in their locality. See also the Wiki article United States, Mexican War Military Unit Names - FamilySearch Historical Records

• Search the National Archives Index to Compiled Military Search Records

The index is arranged in alphabetical order by the soldier's surname. The soldiers name will be the one he most often went by or found in the original records that were carded. Names could also be listed by initials. The index card will identify company and military unit and rank of each soldier entering the service and at discharge. A soldier could have served in multiple units and a separate compiled military service record would exist for each unit. A cross reference may be found on some cards for multiple spelling or service in additional units. A volunteer may have enlisted under a different name or alias.

• The National Archives Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the Mexican War. NARA M616 is available on FamilySearch. United States Mexican War Index and Service Records, 1846-1848 The compiled service records for the states of Mississippi, NARA M863; Pennsylvania, NARA M1028; Tennessee, NARA M638; Texas NARA M278; and Mormon Organizations NARA M351 have been microfilmed by the National Archives. For states not microfilmed see the National Archives Catalog Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the Mexican War, 1899–1927.

Some published sources that can help to identify an ancestors' regular and volunteer military unit are:

• William Hugh Robarts. Mexican war veterans : a complete roster of the regular and volunteer troops in the war between the United States and Mexico, from 1846-1848; the volunteers are arranged by states, alphabetically Washington, D.C. : Brentano's, 1887 Reprint. FamilySearch Digital Library

If your ancestor enlisted in the Regular Army search Registers of Enlistment in the United States Army, 1798-1914, NARA M233 This collection is also available on FamilySearch.

• United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914 Rolls 21-23 have Mexican War enlistments.

Film	DGS	Roll	Enlistments
350327	DGS 5257040	21	v. 43-44 Jan. 1840-June 1846
350328	DGS 4172579	22	v. 45, 48 July 1846-May 1848, July 1848-Oct. 1850
350329	DGS 4719496	23	v. 46-47 Jan. 1847-June 1849 (enlistments for War with Mexico)

• For naval enlistments search the Index cards to rendezvous reports, before and after the Civil War, 1846- 1861, 1865-1884, NARA, T1098.

• Marine Corps enlistments see the FamilySearch Historical Records CollectionUnited States Muster Rolls of the Marine Corps, 1798-1937 or Rolls 26- 32 cover enlistments from 1846-1848 of National Archives Microfilm Publication Muster rolls of the United States Marine Corps, 1798-1892, T1118

FILM	DGS	Roll	Enlistments
929058	DGS 5013515	26	Jan.-June 1846
929059	DGS 5013516	27	July-Dec. 1846
929060	DGS 5013517	28	Jan.-June 1847
929061	DGS 5013518	29	July-Dec. 1847
929062	DGS 5013519	30	Jan.-Apr. 1848
929063	DGS 5013520	31	May-July 1848
929064	DGS 5013663	32	Aug.-Dec. 1848

• A helpful source on naval operations is K. Jack Bauer. Surfboats and Horse Marines. U.S. Naval Operations in the Mexican War, 1846-48. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute, 1969. Appendixes include Vessels of the Home Squadron and the Pacific Squadron, 1846-1848, pp. 253-259.

Step 4 - Search Online Databases

National Park Service US Mexican War Soldiers and Sailors database

• National Park Service US Mexican War Soldiers and Sailors Database

Step 5 - Search for Pension Files and Bounty Land Warrants

If your ancestor survived the war he may have applied for a pension or a bounty land warrant. His widow may also have applied after his death. The National Archives has a card index to pension applications, 1887-1926. Service pensions were first granted to Mexican War veterans and widows based on the act of January 29, 1887. Eligibility requirement included 60 day service, or were actually engaged in battle, honorably discharged and at least 62 years of age. The act included widows who had not remarried. Veterans may also have received bounty land. The pension files are located at the National Archives. The soldiers served between 1846 and 1848. The records are a part of Record Group 15 Records of the Veterans Administration and is NARA microfilm publication T317. The event date and place represent the earliest filing of either the veteran or widow.

• The card index to available on FamilySearch see United States Mexican War Pension Index, 1887-1926
• The Old War Pension Index may also have some Mexican War applications. United States Old War Pension Index, 1815-1926

See also Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, ca. 1800–ca. 1900 also located at the National Archives

Step 6 - Decide what else you want to find.

Focus your research by deciding to find just one or two things, such as age, death date and place, pension record, or service record.

The chart, US Military Record Finder, shows which type of military record has the various types of information you may want to find.

You should also contact the state archives or historical society in the state your ancestor served form for any additional Mexican War records.

Step 7 - Check sources listed on the following Wiki pages

• Mexican War, 1846 to 1848
• US Mexican War Society Records
• US Mexican War Service Records

Bibliography

• Research Guide: Mexican War Veteran Research Descendants of Mexican War Veterans
• Steve R. Butler How to find your Mexican War veteran ancestor 2nd rev. ed. Richardson, Texas: Descendants of Mexican War Veterans, 1994. FS Library 973 M27bu 1994 A list of where this booklet can be found at WorldCat
• Steven R. Butler. Mexican War Records: A Genealogical Gold Mine. Genealogical Helper 45 (May-June 1991): 8-8. FS Library 292.05 G286.
• Craig R. Scott, Researching US Servicemen in the Mexican War NGS Magazine 48 #3 (July-September, 2022): 50-55 FS Library 973 D25ngs

National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.

DGS stands for Digital Genealogical Society also known as an Image Group Number. Each set of digital images is assigned a DGS number for identification purposes.