United States, National Archives, Compiled Military Service Records Sources Civil War: New Hampshire

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 New Hampshire. 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 New Hampshire 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 M-549, Index To Compiled Service Records Of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served In Organizations From The State 0f New Hampshire, 13 rolls. See also the FamilySearch Catalog record, Index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of New Hampshire

For a transcription see Hewett, Janet B. The Roster of Union soldiers, 1861-1865. 33 volumes. Wilmington, North Carolina : Broadfoot Pub. Co., 1997-2000 FS Library book 973 M29h. [v. 1] Introduction; Maine; New Hampshire

Surnames A-Z

Film	DGS	Roll	Collection
882018	DGS 8925727	1	A - Bo
882019	DGS 8925728	2	Br - Ci
882020	DGS 8925729	3	Cl - Di
882021	DGS 8925730	4	Do - Fo
882022	DGS 8925731	5	Fr - Han
882023	DGS 8925732	6	Hao - Ji
882024	DGS 8925733	7	Jo - Lea
882025	DGS 8925734	8	Leb - Me
882026	DGS 8925735	9	Mi - Pe
882027	DGS 8925736	10	Ph - R
882028	DGS 8925737	11	S - St. D
882029	DGS 8925738	12	Ste - V
882030	DGS 8925739	13	W - 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	Roll	Roll	Collection
1715935	DGS 7828371	62	Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire (image 64) New Jersey (Lists 1-30)

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 New Hampshire 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. 39. (serial no. 51) Nebraska troops (Union Cavalry 2nd-Misc.); Nevada troops (Union Cavalry 1st Battalion; Infantry 1st Battalion); New Hampshire troops (Union Cavalry 1st; Artillery 1st Heavy; Infantry 1st-18th, Misc.); New Jersey troops (Union Cavalry 1st-3rd, Van Reypen's Co.; Artillery 1st-5th; Infantry 1st-2nd)

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, New Hampshire, page1345.

Film	DGS	Roll	Military Unit
1488553	DGS 8327512	101	NEBRASKA 1st Cavalry 2nd Battalion, Cavalry Omaha Scouts, Cavalry Pawnee Cavalry NEVADA 1st Battalion, Cavalry 1st Battalion, Infantry NEW HAMPSHIRE 1st Cavalry 1st Heavy Artillery 1st Infantry, 3 months, 1861 (Image 902)
1488553	DGS 8327512	101	2nd Infantry
1488554	DGS 8327574	102	3rd-8th Infantry
1488555	DGS 8327513	103	9th-18th Infantry Capt. Chandler's National Guards, State Militia, 60 days, 1864 Capt. Haughton's Martin Guards, State Militia, 90 days, 1864 Capt. Littlefield's Co., Strafford Guards, Militia, 60 days

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

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 Civil War oaths, 1861-1865 New Hampshire. Adjutant General's Office at FamilySearch Catalog - images
1861-1865 Civil War service record, card file index, 1860-1865 New Hampshire Historical Society at FamilySearch Catalog - images
1861-1865 Civil War enlistment papers, muster in and out rolls 1861-1865 and indexes 1861-1866 New Hampshire State Archives at FamilySearch Catalog - images
1861-1866 Pension records indexes and pension records by town, 1861-1866 New Hampshire State Archives at FamilySearch Catalog - images
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. 1. New England states

FamilySearch Historical Records

FamilySearch Digital Library

Ayling, Augustus D. Revised register of the soldiers and sailors of New Hampshire in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866Concord, New Hampshire : Ira C. Evans, 1895 FamilySearch Digital Library
Waite, Major Otis F.R. New Hampshire in the great rebellion : containing histories of the several New Hampshire regiments, and biographical notices of many of the prominent actors in the civil war of 1861-65 Claremont, New Hampshire : Tracy, Chase & Co., 1870. FamilySearch Digital Library