Georgia Military Records

The U.S. Military Records article provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.

Many military records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal archives. The United States Research Outline provides more information on federal records. Additional military records are at the Georgia Department of Archives and History. The following sources are also very helpful.

Miscellaneous Wars

Lists of soldiers who served in Georgia military units include:

Georgia Secretary of State. Georgia Military Records, 1779-1842. Nine Volumes. [N.p.], 1940. (FHL films 007031-35.) Includes muster and pay lists.

Georgia Adjutant Generals Office. Military Records, 1782-1899. Six Volumes. [N.p.], 1957? (FHL films 159015-17.)] Includes payrolls, muster rolls, and lists of commissioned officers.

Clark, Murtie June. Colonial Soldiers of the South, 1732-1774. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1983. (FHL book 975 M29c.)

Georgia Executive Department. Military Commissions in the State Militia, 1798-1860. (FHL films 158997-014.)

Revolutionary War (1775-1783)

There are several published volumes of service records, bounty land certificates, and muster rolls. These include:

Davis, Robert S., Jr. Georgia Citizens and Soldiers of the American Revolution. Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1979. (FHL book 975.8 H2dr.) This is listed in the Family History Library Catalog under GEORGIA - HISTORY.

Hemperley, Marion R. Military Certificates of Georgia, 1776-1800. Atlanta, Georgia: State Printing Office, 1983. (FHL book 975.8 M2hm.)

Revolutionary Soldier's Receipts for Georgia Bounty Grants. Atlanta, Georgia: Foote and Davies Company, 1928. (FHL film 163524.)

Helpful but undocumented lists are:

Knight, Lucian Lamar. Georgia's Roster of the Revolution. 1920. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1967. (FHL book 975.8 M23k; film 547588; fiche 6050221.)

McCall, Ettie Tidwell H. Roster of Revolutionary Soldiers in Georgia. Three Volumes. 1941. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1968. (FHL book 975.8 M23m.)

Indian Wars (1836-1838)

An Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers who Served during the Cherokee Disturbances and Removal, 1836 to 1838, is on FHL film 1205402. The compiled military service records for this index have not been microfilmed and are available only at the National Archives.

Civil War (1861-1865)

Soldiers from Georgia served in both the Union and the Confederate Armies. Indexes and the compiled military service records are available at the Family History Library and the National Archives.

Georgia pension records and an index for Confederate veterans are arranged by counties and are at the Family History Library on 634 films. (FHL films 315678—.) The original documents and an index are at the Georgia Department of Archives and History. Pension records for Union veterans are available at the National Archives.

A published roster of Georgia Confederate soldiers who served in the infantry is Lillian Hendersen, comp., Roster of the Confederate Soldiers of Georgia, 1861-65, Six Volumes. (Hapeville, Georgia: Longino & Porter, Incorporated, 1960-64; FHL book 975.8 M22h; films 1033660 items 3-4, —622; fiche 6082336).

A national cemetery in Sumter County is the burial place of over 12,000 Union soldiers who died while prisoners at Andersonville, Georgia. A published cemetery list is United States Quartermaster's Department, Roll of Honor, Volume 3. (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1866; FHL book 973 B4 v.3; film 908229 item 2).

Spanish-American War (1898)

A list of soldiers who served in this war is Carlton J. Thaxton, et. al., A Roster of Spanish American Soldiers from Georgia (Americus, Georgia: Thaxton Company, 1984; FHL book 975.8 M2th).

World Wars I and II

The Family History Library has many military discharge papers on microfilm dating from 1917 to 1960. These are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under GEORGIA, [COUNTY] - MILITARY RECORDS. Photographs and service records of men who served in World War I are in Bert E. Boss, The Georgia State Memorial Book (N.p.: 1921; FHL film 175271).

World War I (1917-1918)

World War I draft registration cards for men age 18 to 45 may list address, birth date, birthplace, race, nationality, citizenship, and next of kin. Not all registrants served in the war. For registration cards for Georgia, see:

United States. Selective Service System. Georgia, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987-1988. (On FHL films beginning with 1556940.)

To find an individual's draft card, it helps to know his name and residence at the time of registration. The cards are arranged alphabetically by county, within the county by draft board, and then alphabetically by surname within each draft board.

Most counties had only one board; large cities had several. A map showing the boundaries of individual draft boards is available for most large cities. Finding an ancestor's street address in a city directory will help you in using the draft board map. There is an alphabetical list of cities that are on the map. For a copy of this map see:

United States. Selective Service System. List of World War One Draft Board Maps. Washington, DC: National Archives. (FHL film 1498803.)

Web Sites

http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ga/topic/military/

http://www.georgiagenealogy.org/military.htm

http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~xander/georgia-records.htm