United States, National Archives, Compiled Military Service Records Sources Civil War: District of Columbia

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 three National Archives microfilm publications helpful in identifying an ancestor or relative serving as a volunteer soldier in a military unit raised in the District of Columbia. They are part of Record Group 94 Records of the Adjutant General's Office.

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.

The second collection known as the Ainsworth List contains lists arranged by military unit identifying original records available and that were abstracted to create compiled military service records for individual soldiers. For additional information see Lists of Records of Military Organizations Used to Create Volunteer Compiled Military Service Records, ca. 1890–ca. 1904 "Ainsworth List" in the National Archives catalog NAID 589591.

Third collection will contain card abstracts of the Record of Events from original records of each military unit raised in District of Columbia 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. 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.

These records are part of NARA microfilm collection M538, Index To Compiled Service Records Of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served In Organizations From The State Of District of Columbia, 3 rolls. See also the FamilySearch Catalog record, Index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the District of Columbia.

A transcription of M539 will be located in Janet B. Hewett, ed. The Roster of Union soldiers, 1861-1865 33 vols. The Roster of Union soldiers, 1861-1865. Wilmington, North Carolina : Broadfoot Pub. Co., c1997-2000. FS Library book 973 M29h [v. 14] Pennsylvania v. 4 (Snabel, Gideon to Zynn, George W.); Maryland; District of Columbia

Surnames A-Z

Film	DGS	Roll	Collection
881964	DGS 8272094	1	A-G
881965	DGS 8925676	2	H-P
881966	DGS 8925677	3	Q-Z

"The Ainsworth List"

This list identifies the original records available to the War Department which were abstracted to create compiled military service records for individual soldiers. The list is arranged by military unit. The collection takes its name from General Fred Crayton Ainsworth, who was appointed head of the Record and Pension Division (R&P) of the Surgeon General's office in 1886. Ainsworth had clerks copy the name, rank, military organization, and medical history of each soldier from the nineteen thousand Civil War hospital registers onto paper cards. After completing that task information from additional records were added. Additional records may also be found at a state archive or historical that were not available for carding.

This index was published as NARA Microcopy T-817, Lists of the Adjutant General's Office for Carded Records of Military Organizations: Revolutionary War Through Philippine Insurrection, "The Ainsworth List. See FamilySearch Catalog record List of the Adjutant General's Office for carded records of military organizations: Revolutionary War through Philippine Insurrection : the Ainsworth list. See also, Claire Prechtel-Kluskens, "Thank you, General Fred C. Ainsworth!", NGS Magazine, Vol. 37, #4, (October-December 2011), pages 54-57.

Film	DGS	Roll	State
1715918	DGS 7828354	45	Connecticut (Lists 23-34) District of Columbia (Image 303) to Illinois (Lists 1-12)

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 raised in Illinois 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, 225 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 M29u v. 5. (serial no. 17) District of Columbia troops (Union); Florida troops (Union and Confederate); Georgia troops (Union and Confederate, Calvary and Artillery)

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, District of Columbia, page 1018 .

Film	DGS	Roll	Military Unit
1488462	DGS 8327315	10	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 1st Cavalry Capt. Owens' Co., Militia, 3 months, 1861 1st Infantry 1st Battalion, Militia Infantry, 3 months, 1861 2nd Infantry 2nd-8th Battalion, Militia Infantry, 3 months, 1861 FLORIDA 1st Cavalry 1st East Cavalry 2nd Cavalry

Related National Archives Collections

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

• Carded Medical Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the Mexican and Civil Wars, 1846–1865 NAID 655646
• 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
• Descriptive Book of Drafted Men Examined and Exempted from Service by the Board of Enrollment, February 1865–July 1865. Provost Marshal General's Bureau. Office of the Acting Assistant Provost Marshal for the District of Columbia NAID 3859207

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

• 1861-1865 Official battle lists of the Civil War, 1861-1865, NARA M823 United States War Department. at FamilySearch Catalog - images
• 1861-1865 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. pt. 3. Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia
• 1861-1866 War Department. Office of the Chief of Staff. Bibliography of State Participation in the Civil War, 1861-1866 Washington: Government Printing Office, 1913 FamilySearch Digital Library

FamilySearch Historical Records

• 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

Related FamilySearch Wiki Articles

• Union Service Records
• Locating a Union Civil War Soldier (1861-1865)
• District of Columbia in the Civil War See District of Columbia Military Units
• Union Unit Histories
• Union Draft Records
• United States, National Archives, Compiled Military Service Records Sources Civil War: Veteran Reserve Corps

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

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