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United States, National Archives, Compiled Military Service Records Sources Civil War: United States Colored Troops

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This article is a finding aid to a collection that exists wholly or in part on the
National Archives and Records Administration website. 		United States National Archives


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Introduction

This page lists all or parts of two National Archives microfilm publications helpful in identifying an ancestor or relative serving as a volunteer soldier in a military unit of the United States Colored Troops. They are part of Record Group 94 Records of the Adjutant General's Office. Colored Troops Division, Administrative History Note

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.

Second collection will contain card abstracts of the Record of Events from original records of each military unit raised in the United States Colored Troops outlining its activities and troop movements. The information will vary depending on the military unit.

Tip: Copies of compiled military service records are available from the National Archives. To request copies see: Requesting Pre-WWI Service Records

Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers

The index is arranged in alphabetical order by the soldier's surname of those who served in the United States Colored Troops. 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. See also references may also identify the state volunteer regiment. A volunteer may have enlisted under a different name or alias.

These records are part of NARA microfilm collection M636, Index To Compiled Service Records Of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in the United States Colored Troops, 98 rolls. See also the FamilySearch Catalog record, Index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in the United States Colored Troops.

For a transcription of the index see Hewett, Janet B. The Roster of Union soldiers, 1861-1865 33 vols. Wilmington, North Carolina : Broadfoot Pub. Co., c1997-2000. FS Library book 973 M29h [v. 32] United States Colored Troops (Aanderson, Henry to Jonte, Peter) -- [v. 33] United States Colored Troops (Joost, John H. to Zumwalt, Levi).

Surnames A-Z

Film DGS Roll Collection
1266617 DGS 9079977 1 A-Alk
1266618 DGS 9079978 2 All-Ande
1266619 DGS 9079979 3 Andl-Az
1266620 DGS 9079980 4 B-Baq
1266621 DGS 9079981 5 Bar-Bau
1266622 DGS 8805526 6 Bau-Ben
1266623 DGS 9079982 7 Beo-Blai
1266624 DGS 9079983 8 Blak-Bor
1266625 DGS 9079984 9 Bos-Brag
1266626 DGS 9079985 10 Brah-Broo
1266627 DGS 9079986 11 Bros-Brown, J.
1266628 DGS 9079987 12 Brown, K.-Buf
1266629 DGS 9079988 13 Bug-Bus
1266630 DGS 9079989 14 But-Cam
1266631 DGS 9079990 15 Can-Car
1266632 DGS 9079991 16 Cas-Che
1266633 DGS 9079992 17 Chi-Cl
1266634 DGS 9079993 18 Co-Com
1266635 DGS 9079994 19 Con-Cot
1266636 DGS 9079995 20 Cou-Cry
1266637 DGS 9079996 21 Cs-Dau
1266638 DGS 9079997 22 Dav-Daz
1266639 DGS 9079998 23 De-Dic
1266640 DGS 9079999 24 Did-Dov
1266641 DGS 9080000 25 Dow-Dy
1266642 DGS 9080001 26 E-El
1266643 DGS 9080002 27 Em-Fa
1266546 DGS 9077944 28 Fe-Fl
1266547 DGS 9077945 29 Fo-Fran
1266548 DGS 9077946 30 Frap-Gak
1266549 DGS 9077947 31 Gal-Gh
1266550 DGS 9077948 32 Gi-Gn
1266551 DGS 9077949 33 Go-Graw
1266552 DGS 9077950 34 Gray-Gref
1266553 DGS 9077951 35 Greg-Gy
1266554 DGS 8805525 36 H-Ham
1266555 DGS 9077952 37 Han-Harris, K.
1266556 DGS 9077953 38 Harris, L.-Haw
1266557 DGS 9077954 39 Hax-Heno
1266558 DGS 9077955 40 Henr-Hik
1266559 DGS 9077956 41 Hil-Holl
1266560 DGS 9077957 42 Holm-Hoz
1266561 DGS 9077958 43 Hu-Hy
1266562 DGS 9077959 44 I-Jackson, I.
1266563 DGS 9077960 45 Jackson, J.-Jay
1266564 DGS 9077961 46 Je-Johnson, C.
1266565 DGS 9077962 47 Johnson, D.-Johnson, M.
1266566 DGS 9077963 48 Johnson, N.-Jon
1266567 DGS 9077964 49 Jon-Jont
1266568 DGS 9077965 50 Joo-Ke
1266569 DGS 9077966 51 Kh-Lah
1266570 DGS 9077967 52 Lai-Laz
1266571 DGS 9077968 53 Le-Lev
1266572 DGS 9077969 54 Lew-Loc
1266573 DGS 9077970 55 Lod-Ly
1266574 DGS 9077971 56 M-Marr
1266575 DGS 9077972 57 Mars-Mat
1266576 DGS 9077973 58 Mau-McD
1266577 DGS 9077974 59 McE-Mel
1266578 DGS 9077975 60 Mem-Mil
1266579 DGS 9077976 61 Mim-Moon
1266580 DGS 9077977 62 Moor-Mors
1266581 DGS 9077978 63 Mors-My
1266582 DGS 9077979 64 N-Ni
1266583 DGS 9077980 65 No-O
1266584 DGS 9077981 66 P-Pas
1266585 DGS 9077982 67 Pat-Pes
1266586 DGS 9077983 68 Pet-Pi
1266587 DGS 9077984 69 Pl-Pre
1266588 DGS 9077985 70 Pri-Ram
1266589 DGS 9079949 71 Ran-Ree
1266590 DGS 9079950 72 Ref-Ric
1266591 DGS 9079951 73 Rid-Robe
1266592 DGS 9079952 74 Robi-Rok
1266593 DGS 9079953 75 Rol-Ry
1266594 DGS 9079954 76 S-Scl
1266595 DGS 9079955 77 Sco-Se
1266596 DGS 9079956 78 Sh
1266597 DGS 9079957 79 Si-Sme
1266598 DGS 9079958 80 Smi-Smith, J.
1266599 DGS 9079959 81 Smith, K.-So
1266600 DGS 9079960 82 Sp-Steu
1266601 DGS 9079961 83 Stev-Sty
1266602 DGS 9079962 84 Su-Tax
1266603 DGS 9079963 85 Tay-Thol
1266604 DGS 9079964 86 Thom-Thomp
1266605 DGS 9079965 87 Thoms-To
1266606 DGS 9079966 88 Tr-Ty
1266607 DGS 9079967 89 U-V
1266608 DGS 9079968 90 W-Ward
1266609 DGS 9079969 91 Ware-Wash
1266610 DGS 9079970 92 Wass-Wem
1266611 DGS 9079971 93 Wen-White
1266612 DGS 9079972 94 Whitf-Williams, E.
1266613 DGS 9079973 95 Williams, F.-Williams, T.
1266614 DGS 9079974 96 Williams, V.-Wils
1266615 DGS 9079975 97 Wilt-Wo
1266616 DGS 9079976 98 Wr-Z; given names without any surnames


Compiled Service Records

Some of the compiled service records for the United States Colored Troops have been microfilmed. For more information see the National Archives Pdf handout and the inventory below.

Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers serving with the United States Colored Troops have been microfilmed by the National Archives for the following military units. National Archives Pdf handout

Inventory

For the military unites that had their military service records microfilmed see the following inventory United States, Civil War Service Records of Union Colored Troops - Inventory.

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 of the Veteran Reserve Corps 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, 226 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 M29uv. 77 (serial no. 89) Wisconsin troops (Union Infantry 41st-53rd; U.S. Colored troops (Union Cavalry; Artillery; Infantry 1st-41st) -- v. 78 (serial no. 90) U.S. Colored troops (Union Infantry 42nd-92nd) -- v. 79 (serial no. 91) U.S. Colored troops (Union Infantry 93rd-Brigade Band no. 2); U.S. Volunteers (Union); U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps (Union 1st-14th)


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, United States Colored Troops p.1720 .

Compiled records showing service of military units in volunteer Union organizations, NARA M594
Film DGS Roll United States Colored Troops
1488656 8327798 204 1st-5th Cavalry; 5th Massachusetts Cavalry; 6th Cavalry; 1st Heavy Artillery; 3rd-5th Heavy Artillery
1488657 8327799 205 6th Heavy Artillery; 8th-14th Heavy Artillery; 1st Light Artillery; 2nd Light Artillery; Independent Battery, Light Artillery; 1st Infantry; 1st Infantry, 1 year, 1864
1488658 8327800 206 2nd Infantry; 3rd Infantry; 3rd Tennessee Infantry; 4th-11th Infantry
1488659 8327801 207 12th-21st Infantry
1488660 8327802 208 22nd-29th Infantry; 29th Connecticut Infantry; 30th-33rd Infantry
1488661 8327805 209 34th-43rd Infantry
1488662 8327803 210 44th-52nd Infantry
1488663 8327804 211 53rd-58th Infantry
1488664 8327806 212 59th-72nd Infantry
1488665 8327807 213 73rd-82nd Infantry
1488666 8327808 214 83rd-95th Infantry
1488667 8327809 215 96th-104th Infantry; 106th-108th Infantry
1488668 8327810 216 109th-118th Infantry
1488669 8327811 217 119th-125th Infantry; 127th Infantry; 128th Infantry; 135th-138th Infantry; Capt. Powell's Regiment, Infantry Co. A, Unassigned, Infantry Co. A, Southord Infantry , Pa., 100 days, 1864 Pioneer Corps, Cavalry Division, 16 Army Corps [A.D.] Pioneer Co., 1st Division, 16 Army Corps, Infantry [A.D.] Brigade Band, No. 1
1488669 8327811 217 Brigade Band, No. 2 Brigade Band, No. 1, Corps d'Afrique Brigade Band, No. 2, Corps d'Afrique Quartermaster Detachment, Infantry

Related National Archives Collections

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

  • 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
  • Carded Medical Records of Volunteer Soldiers in the Mexican and Civil Wars, 1846–1865 NAID 655646
  • Register of Colored Men Enlisted in U.S. Service by the Commissioner of the Organization of Colored Troops in the States of Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky, 1863–1864 NAID 6267253
  • Register of Colored Troops Enlisted for Service and Bounty Paid, August 1864–February 1865 NAID 602306
  • Register of Vouchers and Disbursements, 1863–1864 NAID 602296
  • Descriptive Lists of Black Volunteers, 1864–1864 (Missouri) NAID 1223643
  • Records of Slave Claims Commissions, 1867–1867 (Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Tennessee, and West Virginia) NAID 608295
  • Maryland Slave Claims Commission Correspondence, 1864–1865 NAID 6267233

Related Articles -Archivist's Perspective: Civil War Records

Related FamilySearch Collections

FamilySearch Catalog

  • 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. FS Library book 973 M23ua pt. 8 Territories of Washington, New Mexico, Nebraska, Colorado, Dakota, Veteran reserve corps, U.S. veteran volunteers (First army corps), U.S. volunteers, U.S. colored troops.

FamilySearch Historical Records

FamilySearch Historical Images

Organization index to pension files of veterans who served between 1861 and 1900- [1917], NARA Publication T289. Index to pension applications arranged first by military unit then by name. Cards may identify additional service and list date and place of death.

Film DGS Roll Military Unit
1726030 DGS 8501865 540 TEXAS - U.S. CAVALRY: Company L, 1 Texas Cavalry (Spanish-Amer. War)- Company B, 4 U.S.C. Infantry (Images 4,332-4,500)
1726031 DGS 8501866 541 U.S. CAVALRY: Company C, 4 U.S.C. Infantry - Company G, 7 U.S.C. Infantry
1726032 DGS 8501867 542 Company H, 7 U.S.C. Infantry - Company K, 10 U.S.C. Infantry
1726033 DGS 8501868 543 Field and Staff, 11 U.S.C. Infantry - Company I, 13 U.S.C. Infantry
1726034 DGS 8501869 544 Company K, 13 U.S.C. Infantry - Company I, 16 U.S.C. Infantry
1726035 DGS 8501870 545 Company K, 16 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 20 U.S.C. Infantry
1726036 DGS 8501871 546 Company A, 20 U.S.C. Infantry - Company G, 23 U.S.C. Infantry
1726037 DGS 8501872 547 Company H, 23 U.S.C. Infantry - Company D, 25 U.S.C. Infantry
1726038 DGS 8501873 548 Company E, 25 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 29 U.S.C. Infantry
1726039 DGS 8501874 549 Company B, 29 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 33 U.S.C. Infantry
1726040 DGS 8501875 550 Company B, 33 U.S.C. Infantry - Company F, 36 U.S.C. Infantry
1726041 DGS 8501876 551 Company G, 36 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 40 U.S.C. Infantry
1726042 DGS 8501877 552 Company B, 40 U.S.C. Infantry - Company G, 44 U.S.C. Infantry
1726043 DGS 8501878 553 Company H, 44 U.S.C. Infantry - Company I, 48 U.S.C. Infantry
1726044 DGS 8501879 554 Company K, 48 U.S.C. Infantry - Company H, 52 U.S.C. Infantry
1726045 DGS 8501880 555 Company I, 52 U.S.C. Infantry - Company H, 56 U.S.C. Infantry
1726046 DGS 8501881 556 Company I, 56 U.S.C. Infantry - Company E, 60 U.S.C. Infantry
1726047 DGS 8501882 557 Company F, 60 U.S.C. Infantry - Company D, 64 U.S.C. Infantry
1726048 DGS 8501883 558 Company E, 64 U.S.C. Infantry - Company E, 68 U.S.C. Infantry
1726049 DGS 8501884 559 Company F, 68 U.S.C. Infantry - Company H, 74 U.S.C. Infantry
1726050 DGS 8501885 560 Company I, 74 U.S.C. Infantry - Company D, 79 U.S.C. Infantry
1726051 DGS 8501886 561 Company E, 79 U.S.C. Infantry - Company B, 81 U.S.C. Infantry
1726052 DGS 8501887 562 Company C, 81 U.S.C. Infantry - Company H, 84 U.S.C. Infantry
1726053 DGS 8501888 563 Company I, 84 U.S.C. Infantry - Company I, 92 U.S.C. Infantry
1726054 DGS 8501889 564 Company K, 92 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 100 U.S.C. Infantry
1726055 DGS 8501890 565 Company B, 100 U.S.C. Infantry - Company C, 104 U.S.C. Infantry
1726056 DGS 8501891 566 Company D, 104 U.S.C. Infantry - Company A, 110 U.S.C. Infantry
1726057 DGS 8501892 567 Company B, 110 U.S.C. Infantry - Company E, 114 U.S.C. Infantry
1726058 DGS 8384851 568 Company F, 114 U.S.C. Infantry - Company G, 118 U.S.C. Infantry
1726059 DGS 8501893 569 Company H, 118 U.S.C. Infantry - Company I, 123 U.S.C. Infantry
1726060 DGS 8501894 570 Company K, 123 U.S.C. Infantry - Company C, 135 U.S.C. Infantry
1726061 DGS 8501897 571 U.S. CAVALRY - U.S. COLORED TROOPS: Company D, 135 U.S.C. Infantry - Unknown, U.S. Colored Troops
1726062 DGS 8501898 572 Unknown, U.S. Colored Troops - Company G, 3 U.S.C. Cavalry
1726063 DGS 8501899 573 Company H, 3 U.S.C. Cavalry - Company C, 1 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726064 DGS 8501900 574 Company D, 1 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery - Company B 4 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726065 DGS 8501901 575 Company C, 4 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery - Company K 5 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726066 DGS 8501902 576 Company L, 5 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery - Company F 8 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726067 DGS 8384852 577 Company G, 8 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery - Company L 11 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726068 DGS 8384853 578 Company F, 14 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery - Company M, 14 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery
1726069 DGS 8501903 579 UTAH: Miscellaneous Utah Militia Cavalry (some Infantry, some Indian Wars) -U.S. COLORED TROOPS Company G, 14 U.S.C. Heavy Artillery (Images 2,317-4,338)
Tip: Copies of pension files are available from the National Archives. To request copies follow the instructions in the following link. Requesting Pre-WWI Service Record.

Other FamilySearch Collections

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

FamilySearch Catalog

  • Jeanette Braxton Secret, Guide to tracing your African American Civil War ancestor: a guide by an experienced African American family historian and military researcher who traced her great-grandfather. Iverson Gunderson in the Union Navy (1863-1865) Westminster, Maryland: Heritage Books, Inc., 2007 FS Library 973 M2sjb 2007
  • William A. Gladstone, United States Colored troops, 1863-1867 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: Thomas Publications, 1990 FS Library 973 M2gwa
  • David L. Valuska. The African American in the Union Navy 1861-1865 New York, New York: Garland Pub. Co., 1993 FS Library 973 F2va
  • Hondon B. Hargrove. Black Union soldiers in the Civil War Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 1988 FS Library 973 H2har
  • Dudley Taylor Cornish. The sable arm : Black troops in the Union Army, 1861-1865 The sable arm : Black troops in the Union Army, 1861-1865University Press of Kansas, 1987 FS Library 973 M2cor

FamilySearch Digital Library

  • Joseph B. Ross, comp. Tabular analysis of the records of the U.S. colored troops and their predecessor units in the National Archives of the United States Washington, D.C. : NARS, 1973 FamilySearch Digital Library
  • William A. Dobak.Freedom by the Sword The United States Colored Troops, 1862-1867 Washington, D. C.:U.S. Army Center of Military History. FamilySearch Digital Library

Related FamilySearch Wiki Articles

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