Texas Military Records

Texas Wiki Topics

Beginning Research

Guided Research Research Strategies Record Finder

Record Types

Adoption Bible Records Biography Cemeteries Census Church Records Colonial Records Correctional Institutions Court Records Crime and Punishment Directories Emigration & Immigration Funeral Homes Genealogies Land & Property Military Records Naturalization & Citizenship Newspapers Obituaries Occupation & Business Records Online Collections Periodicals Probate Records Taxation Vital Records Voter Records

Texas Background

Biography Further Reading Gazetteers History Maps Migration

Cultural Groups

African Americans Indigenous Peoples Cultural Groups Swedish American

Local Research Resources

Archives & Libraries Societies Find a FamilySearch center

United States

U.S. Military Records

Texas

Military Records

1854 Alamo

Online Resources

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

• History of Texas World War Heroes
• TXGenWeb Texas Korean War Casualties
• U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Korean War for Home-State-of-Record: Texas
• TXGenWeb Vietnam War Casualties
• U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Vietnam War for Home-State-of-Record: Texas
• Camp Travis, Texas World War I Records Index only
• TXGenWeb Indigent Confederate Veterans
• TXGenWeb Men and Women of the Alamo.
• TXGenWeb Defenders of the Alamo, Revised List
• Battle of San Jacinto, and Its Veterans, index
• 1835-1836: TXGenWeb Texas Muster Rolls, 1835-1836
• 1838-1900: Texas, Muster Roll Index Cards, 1838-1900 Abstracts ($)
• 1838-1900: Texas, Muster Roll Index Cards, 1838-1900 ($)
• 1836: Roster of the Texas Army of 1836, index
• 1861-1865: Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images.
• 1861-1865: U.S., Confederate Service Records, 1861-1865, index & images ($).
• 1861-1865: Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index and images.
• ca.1861-ca.1865 Texas, Confederate Army and Commanding Officer Card Index, ca.1861-ca.1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
• 1863-1865: Confederate Indigent Families Lists (1863-1865)
• 1879-2012: Texas, Swisher County Records, 1879-2012 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
• 1884-1958: Alabama, Texas and Virginia, Confederate Pensions, 1884-1958 ($)
• 1916-1990 Texas, Various Counties, Military Discharge Records, 1916-1990 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index.
• 1917-1920: Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 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

United States Military Online Genealogy Records

U.S. Military Records provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.
Many military records are found at the FamilySearch Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States|United States article provides more information about the federal records. For Texas the following sources are also very helpful.

Forts

Civil War Forts: Bankhead, Chambers, Debrey, Esperanza, Green, Hebert, Jackson, Magruder, Mannahasset, Moore, Morrah, Quintana, Sabine, Scurry, Valasco

Fort Arbuckle

Port of Austin -- Textual records of this post, 18666-1875, 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 Belknap 1851 -1867

Fort Bliss 1849 -- Textual records of this fort, 1865-1894, 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 Brown -- Textual records of this fort, 1865-1906, 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 Chadbourne 1852-1867

Fort Clark 1852

Fort Cobb

Fort Colorado 1856

Fort Concho -- Textual records of this fort, 1867-1889, 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 Cooper 1855 -1865

Fort Croghan 1849-53

Fort Davis 1854 -- Textual records of this fort, 1867-1891, 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 Duncan -- Textual records of this fort, 1868-1883, 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 Elliott -- Textual records of this fort, 1870-1890, 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 Ewell 1852-54

Port of Galveston -- Textual records of this post, 1865-1870, 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 Gates 1849-52

Fort Graham 1849-54

Fort Griffin -- Textual records of this fort, 1868-1881, 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 Hudson 1857 -1868

Fort Inge 1849 -1869

Post of Jefferson -- Textual records of this post, 1868-1871, 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 Lancaster 1855 -1861

Fort Lincoln 1849-1852

Fort Martin Scott 1849-52

Fort Mason 1851-1869

Fort McIntosh 1849-1946

Fort McKavett -- Textual records of this fort, 1868-1883, 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 Merrill 1850-55

Camp Pena Colorado -- Textual records of this fort, 1880-1893, 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 Phantom Hill 1851-54

Fort Quitman 1858 -1877

Fort Richardson -- Textual records of this fort, 1857-1878, 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 Ringgold -- Textual records of this fort, 1874-1906, 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 Saint Louis

Fort Sam Houston 1879-Present; originally San Antonio Quartermaster Depot

Fort San Luis

Fort Sill -- in Oklahoma

Fort Stockton 1858 -- Textual records of this fort, 1867-1886, 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). These records have been microfilmed on 3 rolls and are part of National Archives Microcopy M1189. These records (M1189) are availble at the FamilySearch Library FS Library Film: 1490261 (first film of 8).

Fort Terrett 1852-54

Fort Teron

Fort Washita

Fort Worth 1849-53

References

Encyclopedia of Indian wars Western Battles and Skirmishes, 1850-1890. By Gregory F. Michno. Mountain press Publishing Co., Missoula, Montana. Co. 2003. ISBN 0-87842-468-7

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, Texas in the War of 1812, for information concerning military records, histories, links to relevant websites, etc. for Texas.

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

Pension Records

• War of 1812 pensioners and others on the pension rolls as of January 1, 1883 Texas (Cullman, Alabama: Gregath, [199?] pages 40. FS Catalog book 976.4 A1 no. 297

Veterans in Texas

• A published roster with added genealogical information for veterans is Mary Smith Fay's, War of 1812 Veterans in Texas. (New Orleans, Louisiana: Polyanthos, 1979). FS Catalog book 976.4 M2f.
  

• Cook, Donna Gholson: Gholson road : revolutionaries and Texas Rangers (D.G. Cook, c2005) pages 387 FS Catalog book 976.4 H2
  

• Hurst, Ernice. War of 1812, the second war for independence (Houston, Texas, Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, 1094) page 16 FS Catalog book 973 M23
  

War of Texas Independence (1835-1836)

• Published muster rolls of soldiers who served in the war are in Muster Rolls of the Texas Revolution. Austin, Texas: Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Incorporated, 1986. FS Catalog book 976.4 M2mr. The book's preface states that the muster rolls come from "deteriorating manuscripts." It further explains: "According to the research done by Thomas Miller in The Public Lands of Texas 1519-1917, the General Land Office possesses a 'true copy of the Muster Rolls prepared by the adjutant general in 1850.' Because the adjutant general's office was destroyed by fire in 1855, and all the records were lost, the Muster Roll copies in the General Land Office and the Texas State Archives in Austin, Texas are probably the only ones in existence." In addition to the Muster Rolls, there are letters from the Quartermaster General's Office and information on the participants of the Battle of San Jacinto.
  
• Abstracts of pension applications are in John C. Barron, et al., Republic of Texas Pension Application Abstracts. Austin, Texas: Austin Genealogical Society, 1987. FS Catalog book 976.4 M2bj and FS Library fiche 6101694.
• Republic of Texas pensions, ca. 1870-1900
• Republic claims files, 1835-1846
• Republic of Texas unpaid claims, ca. 1835-1846
• Republic of Texas public debt papers, ca. 1835-1860
• edited from the originals in the Texas State Library by Seymour V. Connor, assisted by Howard Lackman and Margaret K. Howard. With an introd. by Louis M. Kemp, Texas treasury papers : letters received in the Treasury Department of the Republic of Texas, 1836-1846Austin, Texas : Texas State Library, 1955. Digital
• A detailed history of the Alamo siege and a roster of the garrison will be found in Phil Tosenthal and Bill Groneman, Roll Call at the Alamo. Ft. Collins, Colorado: The Old Army Press, 1985. FS Catalog book 976.4351 M2r.
• Biographical sketches of soldiers who served in the Battle of San Jacinto are in Sam Houston Dixon and Louis Wiltz Kemp, The Heroes of San Jacinto. Houston, Texas: The Anson Jones Press, 1932. FS Catalog book 976.4141 M2d and FS Library film 1000606.
• Butterfield, Jack C. Men of the Alamo, Goliad and San Jacinto : an analysis of the motives and actions of the heroes of the Texas Revolution. San Antonio : Naylor Co., c1936

• Patrick, Robert "Scott". Battle of San Jacinto, and It's Veterans, (accessed 20 April 2012).
• Tabb, William H. Mrs. War of 1812 ancestors and their children : from the files of John Cavet Chapter United States Daughters of 1812 (Dallas, Texas, Hudson Genealogy Co. 1985) page 94 FS Catalog book 976.4 M2tw
• Daughters of the Republic of Texas - Ancestors
• Daughters of the Republic of Teas. Muster rolls of the Texas revolution. Austin, Texas : Daughters of the Republic of Texas, c1986. FS Library 976.4 M2mr

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. Many soldiers from Texas served in this conflict. The National Archives and the FamilySearch Library have the service records for Texas volunteers FS Library films 471519-37 and the indexes to service and pension records. The pension records have not been filmed and are only available at the National Archives.

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

• 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 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Free digital copy.
  

• 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.
  

• A published history of the role Texas played in the war is Henry W. Barton, Texas Volunteers in the Mexican War. Wichita Falls, Texas: Texican Press, 1970. FS Catalog book 976.4 M2b.
  

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

• Roster of Members of the Texas Volunteers in the Mexican War, 1846-1848. NARA NAID 2619022

Civil War (1861-1865)

Members of the Terry's Texas Rangers (c. 1861) Company "C"

See Texas in the Civil War for information about Texas Civil War records, websites, etc. with links to articles about the Texas 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.

Online Records

• 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
• 1861-1865 Texas, 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
• 1861-1865 Texas Comptroller's Office. Confederate pensions : applications approved and rejected, 700 Rolls
• 1871-1880 - U.S. Southern Claims Commission Master Index, 1871-1880 Index only $

Wiki articles describing an online collections are found at:

• Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers - FamilySearch Historical Records
• Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers - FamilySearch Historical Records

Indian Wars (1780s-1890s)

Stephens, Robert W. Texas Ranger Indian War Pensions. Quanah, Texas: Nortex Press, 1975. FS Catalog book 976.4 M24u.

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. The Texas Volunteer Guard was mustered into federal service in 1898. Records of these volunteers are at the National Archives. The Texas State Library has some records and muster-out rolls (records of soldiers discharged from military service) for 1899.

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; Free digital copy.

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.

• 1917-1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images

• United States. Selective Service System. Texas, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987-1988. FS Library film 1927189 (first of 183 films) 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 — free

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

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

United States World War I Draft Records provides additional information.

Records of Texans who have participated in any war since World War I are filed in the National Archives and the National Archives—Fort Worth Branch. See the United States and the United States Military Records Wiki articles for more information.

Records of the National Guard units drafted into federal forces are at the Adjutant General's Office, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas.

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

Also available at:

• Ancestry ($)
• Fold3 ($).

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.

National Guard

• Texas Military Forces Museum, Austin

Additional Military Records

The Texas State Library has pre-statehood records for groups such as the Rangers and Minute companies. The following volumes summarize many of these early records:

• Ingmire, Frances Terry. Texas Rangers: Frontier Battalion, Minute Men, Commanding Officers, 1847-1900. Six Volumes. St. Louis, Missouri: Ingmire Publications, 1982. FS Catalog book 976.4 M2ift.

• Ingmire, Frances Terry. Texas Frontiersmen, 1839-1860: Minute Men, Militia, Home Guard, Indian Fighters. St. Louis, Missouri: F.T. Ingmire, 1982. FS Catalog book 976.4 M2i.

Records of Texans who have participated in any war since World War I are filed in the National Archives and the National Archives—Fort Worth Branch. See the United States and the United States Military Records Wiki articles for more information.

Records of the National Guard units drafted into federal forces are at the Adjutant General's Office, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas.

Websites

• The National Archives
• The National Archives at Fort Worth
• Texas Military Records (Texas Genealogy)

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

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