United States, National Archives, Compiled Military Service Records Sources Civil War: United States Colored Troops

This article is a finding aid to a collection that exists wholly or in part on the National Archives and Records Administration website.

Introduction

This page lists all or parts of two National Archives microfilm publications helpful in identifying an ancestor or relative serving as a volunteer soldier in a military unit of the United States Colored Troops. They are part of Record Group 94 Records of the Adjutant General's Office. Colored Troops Division, Administrative History Note

The first is a name index to the compiled military service records. For a description of the index see the National Archives catalog NAID 654530. It is arranged in alphabetical order by surname. The soldiers name will be the one he most often went by or found in the original records. The index card will also identify company and military unit and rank of each soldier entering the service and at discharge. The compiled service records are abstracts from original muster rolls and pay rolls and other records from the Civil War. Copies of compiled military service records can be ordered from the National Archives. Additional information about compiled military service records will be located in the National Archives Catalog NAID 300398.

Second collection will contain card abstracts of the Record of Events from original records of each military unit raised in the United States Colored Troops outlining its activities and troop movements. The information will vary depending on the military unit.

Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers

The index is arranged in alphabetical order by the soldier's surname of those who served in the United States Colored Troops. 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. See also references may also identify the state volunteer regiment. A volunteer may have enlisted under a different name or alias.

These records are part of NARA microfilm collection M636, Index To Compiled Service Records Of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in the United States Colored Troops, 98 rolls. See also the FamilySearch Catalog record, Index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in the United States Colored Troops.

For a transcription of the index see Hewett, Janet B. The Roster of Union soldiers, 1861-1865 33 vols. Wilmington, North Carolina : Broadfoot Pub. Co., c1997-2000. FS Library book 973 M29h [v. 32] United States Colored Troops (Aanderson, Henry to Jonte, Peter) -- [v. 33] United States Colored Troops (Joost, John H. to Zumwalt, Levi).

Surnames A-Z

Film	DGS	Roll	Collection
1266617	DGS 9079977	1	A-Alk
1266618	DGS 9079978	2	All-Ande
1266619	DGS 9079979	3	Andl-Az
1266620	DGS 9079980	4	B-Baq
1266621	DGS 9079981	5	Bar-Bau
1266622	DGS 8805526	6	Bau-Ben
1266623	DGS 9079982	7	Beo-Blai
1266624	DGS 9079983	8	Blak-Bor
1266625	DGS 9079984	9	Bos-Brag
1266626	DGS 9079985	10	Brah-Broo
1266627	DGS 9079986	11	Bros-Brown, J.
1266628	DGS 9079987	12	Brown, K.-Buf
1266629	DGS 9079988	13	Bug-Bus
1266630	DGS 9079989	14	But-Cam
1266631	DGS 9079990	15	Can-Car
1266632	DGS 9079991	16	Cas-Che
1266633	DGS 9079992	17	Chi-Cl
1266634	DGS 9079993	18	Co-Com
1266635	DGS 9079994	19	Con-Cot
1266636	DGS 9079995	20	Cou-Cry
1266637	DGS 9079996	21	Cs-Dau
1266638	DGS 9079997	22	Dav-Daz
1266639	DGS 9079998	23	De-Dic
1266640	DGS 9079999	24	Did-Dov
1266641	DGS 9080000	25	Dow-Dy
1266642	DGS 9080001	26	E-El
1266643	DGS 9080002	27	Em-Fa
1266546	DGS 9077944	28	Fe-Fl
1266547	DGS 9077945	29	Fo-Fran
1266548	DGS 9077946	30	Frap-Gak
1266549	DGS 9077947	31	Gal-Gh
1266550	DGS 9077948	32	Gi-Gn
1266551	DGS 9077949	33	Go-Graw
1266552	DGS 9077950	34	Gray-Gref
1266553	DGS 9077951	35	Greg-Gy
1266554	DGS 8805525	36	H-Ham
1266555	DGS 9077952	37	Han-Harris, K.
1266556	DGS 9077953	38	Harris, L.-Haw
1266557	DGS 9077954	39	Hax-Heno
1266558	DGS 9077955	40	Henr-Hik
1266559	DGS 9077956	41	Hil-Holl
1266560	DGS 9077957	42	Holm-Hoz
1266561	DGS 9077958	43	Hu-Hy
1266562	DGS 9077959	44	I-Jackson, I.
1266563	DGS 9077960	45	Jackson, J.-Jay
1266564	DGS 9077961	46	Je-Johnson, C.
1266565	DGS 9077962	47	Johnson, D.-Johnson, M.
1266566	DGS 9077963	48	Johnson, N.-Jon
1266567	DGS 9077964	49	Jon-Jont
1266568	DGS 9077965	50	Joo-Ke
1266569	DGS 9077966	51	Kh-Lah
1266570	DGS 9077967	52	Lai-Laz
1266571	DGS 9077968	53	Le-Lev
1266572	DGS 9077969	54	Lew-Loc
1266573	DGS 9077970	55	Lod-Ly
1266574	DGS 9077971	56	M-Marr
1266575	DGS 9077972	57	Mars-Mat
1266576	DGS 9077973	58	Mau-McD
1266577	DGS 9077974	59	McE-Mel
1266578	DGS 9077975	60	Mem-Mil
1266579	DGS 9077976	61	Mim-Moon
1266580	DGS 9077977	62	Moor-Mors
1266581	DGS 9077978	63	Mors-My
1266582	DGS 9077979	64	N-Ni
1266583	DGS 9077980	65	No-O
1266584	DGS 9077981	66	P-Pas
1266585	DGS 9077982	67	Pat-Pes
1266586	DGS 9077983	68	Pet-Pi
1266587	DGS 9077984	69	Pl-Pre
1266588	DGS 9077985	70	Pri-Ram
1266589	DGS 9079949	71	Ran-Ree
1266590	DGS 9079950	72	Ref-Ric
1266591	DGS 9079951	73	Rid-Robe
1266592	DGS 9079952	74	Robi-Rok
1266593	DGS 9079953	75	Rol-Ry
1266594	DGS 9079954	76	S-Scl
1266595	DGS 9079955	77	Sco-Se
1266596	DGS 9079956	78	Sh
1266597	DGS 9079957	79	Si-Sme
1266598	DGS 9079958	80	Smi-Smith, J.
1266599	DGS 9079959	81	Smith, K.-So
1266600	DGS 9079960	82	Sp-Steu
1266601	DGS 9079961	83	Stev-Sty
1266602	DGS 9079962	84	Su-Tax
1266603	DGS 9079963	85	Tay-Thol
1266604	DGS 9079964	86	Thom-Thomp
1266605	DGS 9079965	87	Thoms-To
1266606	DGS 9079966	88	Tr-Ty
1266607	DGS 9079967	89	U-V
1266608	DGS 9079968	90	W-Ward
1266609	DGS 9079969	91	Ware-Wash
1266610	DGS 9079970	92	Wass-Wem
1266611	DGS 9079971	93	Wen-White
1266612	DGS 9079972	94	Whitf-Williams, E.
1266613	DGS 9079973	95	Williams, F.-Williams, T.
1266614	DGS 9079974	96	Williams, V.-Wils
1266615	DGS 9079975	97	Wilt-Wo
1266616	DGS 9079976	98	Wr-Z; given names without any surnames

Compiled Service Records

Some of the compiled service records for the United States Colored Troops have been microfilmed. For more information see the National Archives Pdf handout and the inventory below.

Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers serving with the United States Colored Troops have been microfilmed by the National Archives for the following military units. National Archives Pdf handout

Inventory

For the military unites that had their military service records microfilmed see the following inventory United States, Civil War Service Records of Union Colored Troops - Inventory.

Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units

Arranged by military unit then sorted by cavalry, artillery and infantry. The card abstracts are from the Record of Events listed on original records like unit muster rolls of each military unit of the Veteran Reserve Corps outlining its activities and troop movements, etc. The information will vary depending on the military unit.

These records were published as NARA M594, Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Volunteer Union Organizations, 226 rolls of microfilms. For a description of the collection download the NARA (descriptive PDF). See FamilySearch Catalog record, Compiled records showing service of military units in volunteer Union organizations.

For a transcription of NARA M594 see Janet B. Hewett, et.al. Supplement to the Official records of the Union and Confederate armies. Wilmington, North Carolina : Broadfoot Pub. Co., 1994-2001 FS Library book 973 M29uv. 77 (serial no. 89) Wisconsin troops (Union Infantry 41st-53rd; U.S. Colored troops (Union Cavalry; Artillery; Infantry 1st-41st) -- v. 78 (serial no. 90) U.S. Colored troops (Union Infantry 42nd-92nd) -- v. 79 (serial no. 91) U.S. Colored troops (Union Infantry 93rd-Brigade Band no. 2); U.S. Volunteers (Union); U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps (Union 1st-14th)

Additional unit history information may be found in Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, reprint, New York: Sagamore Press, 1959. 3 vols, FS Library book 973 M2df Volume 3, United States Colored Troops p.1720 .

			Compiled records showing service of military units in volunteer Union organizations, NARA M594
Film	DGS	Roll	United States Colored Troops
1488656	8327798	204	1st-5th Cavalry; 5th Massachusetts Cavalry; 6th Cavalry; 1st Heavy Artillery; 3rd-5th Heavy Artillery
1488657	8327799	205	6th Heavy Artillery; 8th-14th Heavy Artillery; 1st Light Artillery; 2nd Light Artillery; Independent Battery, Light Artillery; 1st Infantry; 1st Infantry, 1 year, 1864
1488658	8327800	206	2nd Infantry; 3rd Infantry; 3rd Tennessee Infantry; 4th-11th Infantry
1488659	8327801	207	12th-21st Infantry
1488660	8327802	208	22nd-29th Infantry; 29th Connecticut Infantry; 30th-33rd Infantry
1488661	8327805	209	34th-43rd Infantry
1488662	8327803	210	44th-52nd Infantry
1488663	8327804	211	53rd-58th Infantry
1488664	8327806	212	59th-72nd Infantry
1488665	8327807	213	73rd-82nd Infantry
1488666	8327808	214	83rd-95th Infantry
1488667	8327809	215	96th-104th Infantry; 106th-108th Infantry
1488668	8327810	216	109th-118th Infantry
1488669	8327811	217	119th-125th Infantry; 127th Infantry; 128th Infantry; 135th-138th Infantry; Capt. Powell's Regiment, Infantry Co. A, Unassigned, Infantry Co. A, Southord Infantry , Pa., 100 days, 1864 Pioneer Corps, Cavalry Division, 16 Army Corps [A.D.] Pioneer Co., 1st Division, 16 Army Corps, Infantry [A.D.] Brigade Band, No. 1
1488669	8327811	217	Brigade Band, No. 2 Brigade Band, No. 1, Corps d'Afrique Brigade Band, No. 2, Corps d'Afrique Quartermaster Detachment, Infantry

Related National Archives Collections

These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

• Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the American Civil War, 1890–1912 (Union) NAID 300398
• Regimental and Company Books of Civil War Volunteer Union Organizations, 1861–1867 NAID 577134
• Carded Medical Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the Mexican and Civil Wars, 1846–1865 NAID 655646
• Register of Colored Men Enlisted in U.S. Service by the Commissioner of the Organization of Colored Troops in the States of Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky, 1863–1864 NAID 6267253
• Register of Colored Troops Enlisted for Service and Bounty Paid, August 1864–February 1865 NAID 602306
• Register of Vouchers and Disbursements, 1863–1864 NAID 602296
• Descriptive Lists of Black Volunteers, 1864–1864 (Missouri) NAID 1223643
• Records of Slave Claims Commissions, 1867–1867 (Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Tennessee, and West Virginia) NAID 608295
• Maryland Slave Claims Commission Correspondence, 1864–1865 NAID 6267233
• Vouchers for Disbursements to Members of Slave Claims Commissions, 1864–1866 NAID 608296

Related Articles -Archivist's Perspective: Civil War Records

• Michael P. Musick. Civil War Records: An Introduction and Invitation. Prologue Quarterly of the National Archives 27 #2 (Summer 1995): 145-150
• Michael P. Musick. "The Little Regiment. Civil War Units and Commands". Prologue Quarterly of the National Archives 27 #2 (Summer 1995):151-171
• Michael P. Musick.Honorable Reports. Battles, Campaigns, and Skirmishes - Civil War Records and Research Prologue Quarterly of the National Archives 27 #3 (Fall 1995): 259-277
• Michael P. Musick. War in an Age of Wonders Civil War Arms and EquipmentPrologue Quarterly of the National Archives 27 #4 (Winter 1995): 348-368

Related FamilySearch Collections

FamilySearch Catalog

• Official Army register of the volunteer force of the United States Army for the years 1861, '62, '63, '64, '65. 8 vols. Washington, D.C. : Government Printing Office (United States), 1865-1867. FS Library book 973 M23ua pt. 8 Territories of Washington, New Mexico, Nebraska, Colorado, Dakota, Veteran reserve corps, U.S. veteran volunteers (First army corps), U.S. volunteers, U.S. colored troops.

FamilySearch Historical Records

• United States Civil War Service Records of Union Colored Troops, 1863-1865
• United States, Compiled Military Service Records Of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served With The U.S. Colored Troops, 1861-1866
• United States, Missouri, Recruitment Lists of Volunteers for the United States Colored Troops, 1863-1865
• United States, Freedmen's Bureau Claim Records,1865-1872
• United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934
• United States Civil War Widows and Other Dependents Pension Files, 1861-1934
• United States National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938

FamilySearch Historical Images

Organization index to pension files of veterans who served between 1861 and 1900- [1917], NARA Publication T289. Index to pension applications arranged first by military unit then by name. Cards may identify additional service and list date and place of death.

Film	DGS	Roll	Military Unit
1726030	DGS 8501865	540	TEXAS - U.S. CAVALRY: Company L, 1 Texas Cavalry (Spanish-Amer. War)- Company B, 4 U.S.C. Infantry (Images 4,332-4,500)
1726031	DGS 8501866	541	U.S. CAVALRY: Company C, 4 U.S.C. Infantry - Company G, 7 U.S.C. Infantry
1726032	DGS 8501867	542	Company H, 7 U.S.C. Infantry - Company K, 10 U.S.C. Infantry
1726033	DGS 8501868	543	Field and Staff, 11 U.S.C. Infantry - Company I, 13 U.S.C. Infantry
1726034	DGS 8501869	544	Company K, 13 U.S.C. Infantry - Company I, 16 U.S.C. Infantry
1726035	DGS 8501870	545	Company K, 16 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 20 U.S.C. Infantry
1726036	DGS 8501871	546	Company A, 20 U.S.C. Infantry - Company G, 23 U.S.C. Infantry
1726037	DGS 8501872	547	Company H, 23 U.S.C. Infantry - Company D, 25 U.S.C. Infantry
1726038	DGS 8501873	548	Company E, 25 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 29 U.S.C. Infantry
1726039	DGS 8501874	549	Company B, 29 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 33 U.S.C. Infantry
1726040	DGS 8501875	550	Company B, 33 U.S.C. Infantry - Company F, 36 U.S.C. Infantry
1726041	DGS 8501876	551	Company G, 36 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 40 U.S.C. Infantry
1726042	DGS 8501877	552	Company B, 40 U.S.C. Infantry - Company G, 44 U.S.C. Infantry
1726043	DGS 8501878	553	Company H, 44 U.S.C. Infantry - Company I, 48 U.S.C. Infantry
1726044	DGS 8501879	554	Company K, 48 U.S.C. Infantry - Company H, 52 U.S.C. Infantry
1726045	DGS 8501880	555	Company I, 52 U.S.C. Infantry - Company H, 56 U.S.C. Infantry
1726046	DGS 8501881	556	Company I, 56 U.S.C. Infantry - Company E, 60 U.S.C. Infantry
1726047	DGS 8501882	557	Company F, 60 U.S.C. Infantry - Company D, 64 U.S.C. Infantry
1726048	DGS 8501883	558	Company E, 64 U.S.C. Infantry - Company E, 68 U.S.C. Infantry
1726049	DGS 8501884	559	Company F, 68 U.S.C. Infantry - Company H, 74 U.S.C. Infantry
1726050	DGS 8501885	560	Company I, 74 U.S.C. Infantry - Company D, 79 U.S.C. Infantry
1726051	DGS 8501886	561	Company E, 79 U.S.C. Infantry - Company B, 81 U.S.C. Infantry
1726052	DGS 8501887	562	Company C, 81 U.S.C. Infantry - Company H, 84 U.S.C. Infantry
1726053	DGS 8501888	563	Company I, 84 U.S.C. Infantry - Company I, 92 U.S.C. Infantry
1726054	DGS 8501889	564	Company K, 92 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 100 U.S.C. Infantry
1726055	DGS 8501890	565	Company B, 100 U.S.C. Infantry - Company C, 104 U.S.C. Infantry
1726056	DGS 8501891	566	Company D, 104 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 110 U.S.C. Infantry
1726057	DGS 8501892	567	Company B, 110 U.S.C. Infantry - Company E, 114 U.S.C. Infantry
1726058	DGS 8384851	568	Company F, 114 U.S.C. Infantry - Company G, 118 U.S.C. Infantry
1726059	DGS 8501893	569	Company H, 118 U.S.C. Infantry - Company I, 123 U.S.C. Infantry
1726060	DGS 8501894	570	Company K, 123 U.S.C. Infantry - Company C, 135 U.S.C. Infantry
1726061	DGS 8501897	571	U.S. CAVALRY - U.S. COLORED TROOPS: Company D, 135 U.S.C. Infantry - Unknown, U.S. Colored Troops
1726062	DGS 8501898	572	Unknown, U.S. Colored Troops - Company G, 3 U.S.C. Cavalry
1726063	DGS 8501899	573	Company H, 3 U.S.C. Cavalry - Company C, 1 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726064	DGS 8501900	574	Company D, 1 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery - Company B 4 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726065	DGS 8501901	575	Company C, 4 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery - Company K 5 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726066	DGS 8501902	576	Company L, 5 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery - Company F 8 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726067	DGS 8384852	577	Company G, 8 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery - Company L 11 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726068	DGS 8384853	578	Company F, 14 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery - Company M, 14 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726069	DGS 8501903	579	UTAH: Miscellaneous Utah Militia Cavalry (some Infantry, some Indian Wars) -U.S. COLORED TROOPS Company G, 14 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery (Images 2,317-4,338)

Other FamilySearch Collections

These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

• Jeanette Braxton Secret, Guide to tracing your African American Civil War ancestor: a guide by an experienced African American family historian and military researcher who traced her great-grandfather. Iverson Gunderson in the Union Navy (1863-1865) Westminster, Maryland: Heritage Books, Inc., 2007 FS Library 973 M2sjb 2007
• William A. Gladstone, United States Colored troops, 1863-1867 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: Thomas Publications, 1990 FS Library 973 M2gwa
• David L. Valuska. The African American in the Union Navy 1861-1865 New York, New York: Garland Pub. Co., 1993 FS Library 973 F2va
• Hondon B. Hargrove. Black Union soldiers in the Civil War Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 1988 FS Library 973 H2har
• Dudley Taylor Cornish. The sable arm : Black troops in the Union Army, 1861-1865 The sable arm : Black troops in the Union Army, 1861-1865University Press of Kansas, 1987 FS Library 973 M2cor

FamilySearch Digital Library

• Joseph B. Ross, comp. Tabular analysis of the records of the U.S. colored troops and their predecessor units in the National Archives of the United States Washington, D.C. : NARS, 1973 FamilySearch Digital Library
• William A. Dobak.Freedom by the Sword The United States Colored Troops, 1862-1867 Washington, D. C.:U.S. Army Center of Military History. FamilySearch Digital Library

Related FamilySearch Wiki Articles

• Union Service Records
• Locating a Union Civil War Soldier (1861-1865)
• Union Unit Histories
• United States Colored Troops in the Civil War See Military Units
• United States, National Archives, United States Colored Troops Related Collections
• United States Civil War Union Colored Troops 1st through 39th
• United States Civil War Union Colored Troops 40th through 84th
• United States Civil War Union Colored Troops 85th through 138th
• United States Civil War Union Colored Troops by State
• United States Civil War Union Colored Troops A to Z
• United States Civil War Colored Troops Infantry Units
• United States Civil War Colored Troops Cavalry Units
• United States Civil War Colored Troops Artillery Units
• United States Civil War Colored Troops Band Units
• United States Civil War Colored Troops Unassigned Units
• United States Civil War Colored Troops Other Units

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.