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Union Service Records

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United States Military Records>United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865>Union Service and Pension Records

Volunteers

There is currently no master index to the names of soldiers who served in Union volunteer regiments, however, there are microfilmed name indexes for each state. Consult state archives for records of state or local militias or National Guard units that were not federalized. Individual indexes to state volunteer regiments are available on microfilm for every Northern state and every Southern state except South Carolina.

A transcription of the National Archives indexes to compiled Military Service records of Volunteer Union soldiers is:

Most of the compiled military service records for Union soldiers have not been microfilmed and are available only at the National Archives as manuscript files. Copies can be requested from the National Archives by using NATF Form 86. To order a service record you must have the soldier's name, rank and unit number. The indexes below will help you find that information.

Service records were made from muster rolls, pay lists, hospital records, and record books that have not been filmed, except for Union units organized in Southern states.  Some of these sources, such as the hospital registers, often give detailed information, such as birthplace. If a compiled service record notes a Bookmark File number, this refers to a separate set of records that must be asked for specifically when requesting copies. The records are found in Record Group 94, Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780s–1917.

For medical information about volunteer soldiers who fought in the Civil War, consult the National Archives series, "Carded Medical Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the Mexican and Civil Wars, compiled 1846 - 1865" found in Record Group (RG) 94, Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 17862-1984, entry 534. These cards relate to volunteers admitted to hospitals for treatment and may include information such as name; rank; organization; complaint; date of admission; hospital to which admitted; and date returned to duty, deserted, discharged, sent to general hospital, furloughed, or died. This series is arranged by state, thereunder by the number of the regiment (cavalry, infantry, and artillery are filed together under the common regiment number) and then by initial letter of surname.

Regular Army

Enlisted Men

The War Department did not compile military service records for those who served in the Regular Army.

For a register of enlistments, see the Family History Library Catalog or click on the link: Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798–1914. National Archives Microfilm Publication M233. (FHL films 350307-350349; 1319378-1319380; 1465934-1465954). The register usually shows the individual's name, military organization, physical description, age at time of enlistment, place of birth, enlistment information, discharge information, and remarks.

The National Archives also maintains a textual record, entitled "Regular Army Enlistment Papers, 1798–1894" (Record Group 94, entry 91). This series is arranged alphabetically by name of soldier and generally shows the soldier's name, place of enlistment, date, by whom enlisted, age, place of birth, occupation, personal description, regimental assignment, and certifications of the examining surgeon and recruiting officer. Soldiers usually have multiple enlistment papers if they served two or more enlistments.

Officers

When researching Army officers, researchers should first consult Francis B. Heitman's Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, From Its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903, available in two volumes at the Family History Library. Volume one, a register of army officers, provides a brief history of each man's service. Volume two contains a "chronological list of battles, actions, etc., in which troops of the Regular Army have participated and troops engaged."

The War Department did not maintain or compile personnel files for Regular Army officers until 1863.

For service prior to that date, the best place to start is the series of letters received by the adjutant general entitled, "Letters Received by the Office of the Adjutant General (Main Series), 1861–1870," National Archives Microfilm Publication M619.

For an officer's military service after 1863, consult the Commission Branch (CB) and Appointment, Commission and Personal Branch (ACP) records: "Letters Received by the Commission Branch of the Adjutant General's Office, 1863–1870," National Archives Microfilm Publication M1064.



The Family History Library has copies of most other Civil War records which are microfilmed. The following is a list of service records and indexes which are available on microfilm at the National Archives and the Family History Library.  See the Family History Library Catalog for complete bibliographic information. The indexes should include the soldier’s name, rank, and unit.  Union units were organized in Southern states.  The records below all refer to Union soldiers only, even though they may have been serving from Southern states.

  • Arizona. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M532. (FHL film 0881608.)
  • California. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M533. (FHL films 0881609–15.)
  • Colorado. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M534. (FHL films 0821998–2000.)
  • Connecticut. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M535. (FHL films 0821909–25.)
  • Dakota. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M536. (FHL film 0881616.) Also available at the National Archives, Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the Territory of Dakota: 1st Battalion Cavalry. National Archives Microfilm Publication M1960.
  • Delaware. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M537. (FHL films 0881617–20.)
  • Illinois. Index National Archives Microfilm Publication M539. (FHL films 0881621–721.)
  • Indiana. Index National Archives Microfilm Publication M540. (FHL films 0881722–807.)
  • Iowa. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M541. (FHL films 0881808–36.)
  • Kansas. Index National Archives Microfilm Publication M542. (FHL films 0881837–46.)
  • Kentucky. Compiled Service Records. National Archives Microfilm Publication M397. (FHL films 1487066–275; films 1489753–90057.) Also, Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M386. (FHL films 0881492–521.)
  • Maine. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M543. (FHL films 0881847–69.)
  • Michigan. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M545. (FHL films 0881914–61.)
  • Minnesota. Index National Archives Microfilm Publication M546. (FHL films 0821930–38 and 0882902.)
  • Missouri. Compiled Service Records  National Archives Microfilm Publication M405. (FHL films 1500223–01075.) Also, Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M390. (FHL films 0881536–89.)
  • Nebraska. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M547. (FHL films 0821905–06.) Also available at the National Archives, Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the Territory of Nebraska. National Archives Microfilm Publication M1787.
  • Nevada. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M548. (FHL film 0821939.) Also available at the National Archives, Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the Territory and State of Nevada. National Archives Microfilm Publication M1789.
  • New Jersey. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M550. (FHL films 0882031–56.)
  • New York. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M551. (FHL films 0882057–213.)
  • Ohio. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M552. (FHL films 0882214–335.)
  • Oregon. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M553. (FHL film 0821947.) Also available at the National Archives, Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Oregon. National Archives Microfilm Publication M1816.
  • Texas. Compiled Service Records. National Archives Microfilm Publication M402. (FHL films 1292646–58.) Also, Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M393. (FHL films 0881592–93.)
  • Utah. Compiled Service Records. National Archives Microfilm Publication M692. (FHL film 0821588.) Also, Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M556. (FHL film 1292645.)
  • Vermont. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M557. (FHL films 0882472–85.)
  • Wisconsin. Index. National Archives Microfilm Publication M559. (FHL films 0882486–518.)


Additional service indexes for Union soldiers are:

The following related records are available on microfilm at the National Archives:

  • Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Troops Who Served with the United States Colored Troops: 1st United States Colored Infantry, 1st South Carolina Volunteers (Colored) Company A, 1st United States Colored Infantry (1 Year). National Archives Microfilm Publication M1819.
  • Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteers Who Served with the United States Colored Troops: 55th Massachusetts Infantry. National Archives Microfilm Publication M1801.
  • Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served with the United States Colored Troops: 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment (Colored).National Archives Microfilm Publication M1898.
  • Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served with the United States Colored Troops: Artillery Organizations. National Archives Microfilm Publication M1818.

Listed below are the service records of former Confederates or “galvanized Yankees” who enlisted from prison camps:


Service Records of Sailors

Records of Officers

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