Union Service Records

From FamilySearch Wiki
Revision as of 16:06, 11 August 2008 by Emptyuser (talk | contribs) (Moved text to populate article Union Service Records)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

Union Army soldiers may have served in the U.S. Army, local militia units mustered into federal service, or volunteer regiments raised by the individual states. The length of service varied from 90 days to three years. Many soldiers also reenlisted, serving in more than one regiment. The Union Army and Navy enlisted over 2.3 million men, of which nearly 359,000 died in combat or from wounds and disease.

There is currently no master index to the names of soldiers who served in Union volunteer regiments. 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:

Hewett, Janet B., editor. The Roster of Union Soldiers, 1861–1865. 33 Volumes. Wilmington, North Carolina: Broadfoot Publishing, 1997–. (FHL book 973 M29h.) This series is currently in publication.

Most service records have not been microfilmed and are available only at the National Archives. The following service records and indexes are available on microfilm at the National Archives. Most of the filmed records and indexes are also available at the Family History Library. See the Family History Library Catalog for complete bibliographic information:

  • 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.)
  • [2]
  • [3]. 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.)

The indexes include the soldier’s name, rank, and unit.

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:

Copies of compiled service records can be requested from the National Archives by using NATF Form 80. These service records were made from muster rolls, pay lists, hospital records, and record books that have not been filmed. 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.

Service Records of Sailors[edit | edit source]

For records of sailors who served in the Union Navy, contact the National Archives. The weekly returns of enlistments, 1855 to 1891, are the records of most value for sailors, particularly those who served between 1855 and 1865. Entries list the sailor’s name, enlistment date, birthplace, age, occupation, personal description, date of or return of enlistment, and record of previous naval service. The records have not been filmed and are available only at the National Archives in Record Group 24, Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel.

See the following for more information:

Baugh, Virgil E., comp. Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel. PI 123. Washington, D.C. 1960.

An index to sailors who enlisted between 1861 and 1865 is listed below:

Records of Officers[edit | edit source]

Van Sickle, Ron R. General Index to Official Army Register of the Volunteer Force of the United States, 1861–65 Gaithersburg, Md.: Ron R. Van Sickle Military Books, 1987. (FHL book 973 M23ua V.9.) Alphabetically arranged by name of officer with volume and page references.'

Hamersly, Lewis R. The Records of Living Officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps with a History of Naval Operations during the Rebellion of 1861–65, and a List of the Ships and Officers Participating in the Great Battles. 1870.Reprint, Mattituck, New York, New York: J. M. Carroll & Company, 1985. (FHL book 973 M3h.) Contains brief service sketches of living officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps as they appeared in the Navy Register for 1870. Birth or family information is sometimes included. Also contains a history of naval operations of the different squadrons and lists names of officers and vessels involved in naval battles.

Hunt, Roger D., and Jack R. Brown. Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue. Gaithersburg, Maryland: Olde Soldier Books, 1990. (FHL book 973 M2hu.) Contains the name, units commanded, dates of Brevet, date and place of birth and death, education, occupation, and burial information. Includes photos.

Powell, William H., editor. Officers of the Army and Navy (Volunteer) Who Served in the Civil War . Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: L. R. Hamersly & Company, 1893. (FHL book 973 M2p; film 0599644 item 1.) Contains similar information as Powell’s volume on regular officers described below.

Powell, William H., editor. Officers of the Army and Navy (Regular) Who Served in the Civil War . Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: L. R. Hamersly & Company, 1892. (FHL book 973 M2po; film 0599644 item 2.) Contains pictures and sketches of officers. Each sketch usually cites birthplace and may give complete birth date. Appointment, tours of duty, battles, and skirmishes are briefly detailed. 

Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. (FHL book 973 M2war.) Contains many pictures, brief sketches of generals’ military service, and birth and death information.

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)

Retrieved from "https://integration-ru.familysearch.org/en/wiki/index.php?title=Union_Service_Records&oldid=60213"