Military records identify millions of individuals who served in the military or who were eligible for service. Evidence that an ancestor actually served may be found in family traditions, census records, naturalization records, biographies, cemetery records, and records of veterans’ organizations. Military records can give birth, marriage, and death dates; spouses’ and children’s names; and places of residence throughout the life of the family.

Military records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The Kentucky Military History Museum in Frankfort (which is part of the Kentucky Historical Society, listed in the “Societies” section of this outline) also has many military records. The “Military Records” section of the United States Research Outline (30972) and the research outline, U.S. Military Records (34118) provide more information about the federal records and search strategies. For Kentucky the following sources are also available.

French and Indian War (1754–1763)

Taylor, Philip Fall. A Calendar of the Warrants for Land in Kentucky, Granted for Service in the French and Indian War. (See the “Land and Property” section of this outline.) This record contains an alphabetical list of soldiers, mostly from Virginia, who received warrants for bounty land in what is now Kentucky from about 1774 to 1789.

Revolutionary War (1775–1783)

If a person supported the Revolution, he may be mentioned in records as a rebel, patriot, or Whig. Those who opposed the Revolution were Loyalists or Tories.

Patriots. Service and pension records and indexes for patriots are available on film at the National Archives and the Family History Library. See the research outline, U.S. Military Records (34118) for these sources.

The Revolutionary War was fought before Kentucky became a state in 1792. Many veterans came to Kentucky and may be listed in:

Quisenberry, Anderson Chenault. Revolutionary Soldiers in Kentucky: Containing a Roll of the Officers of Virginia Lines Who Received Land Bounties, a Roll of the Revolutionary Pensioners in Kentucky, a List of the Illinois Regiment Who Served Under George Rogers Clark in the Northwest Campaign, also a Roster of the Virginia Navy. Baltimore, Md.: Southern Book, 1959. (FHL book 976.9 M2q; film 908017 item5; fiche 6051503; computer number 220704.) These lists are arranged by county and alphabetically within each county by the name of the pensioner.

Virginia State Library. Department of Archives and History. List of the Revolutionary Soldiers of Virginia: Special Report of the Department of Archives and History for 1911 and 1912. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1954. (FHL film 29893; computer number 399584.) The contents of this record are arranged in alphabetical order by surname.

Loyalists. For Loyalist records see the “Military Records” section of the Canada Research Outline (34545).

War of 1812 (1812–1815)

Kentucky. Adjutant General. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky. Soldiers of the War of 1812. 1891. Reprint, Greenville, S.C.: Southern Historical, 1992. (FHL book 976.9 M2ke; computer number 694539; film 1463598 item2; computer number 431350.) This book lists by company all soldiers who served, giving their name, rank, enlistment and termination dates. An index is included with the book. See also:

Index to Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky, Soldiers of the War of 1812. Frankfort, Ky.: Kentucky Historical Society, 1968. (FHL film 1463598; computer number 445718.)

Mexican War (1846–1848)

Kentucky. Adjutant General. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky: Mexican War Veterans (1846–1847). Frankfort, Ky.: Historical Society, 1966. (FHL film 551064 item3; computer number 333178.) These are arranged by company and regiment and then alphabetically by the name of the soldier. It includes his name and rank, dates and length of service, the places he was mustered in and out of, and the dates this mustering took place.

Civil War (1861–1865)

Soldiers from Kentucky served in both the Union and Confederate armies. The state adopted a policy of neutrality until September 1861, when a pro-Union element gained control of the legislature. Though Kentucky never seceded from the Union, there was a sizeable pro-Confederate element in the state. Indexes to the service records of Civil War Soldiers are at the Family History Library and the National Archives. The service records are available at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Union

Kentucky. Adjutant General. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky, 1861–1866. 2vols. 1866–1867. Reprint, Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 1984. (FHL book 976.9 M2r; films 1463599–600; computer number 313451.) This book contains background information on the war, brief information about each unit, and a list of soldiers by unit, with their rank and service dates. An index is included in the book but not in the film. These records contain the reports for troops serving with the Union.

Kentucky. Adjutant-General’s Office. Report of the Adjutant General [1861–1865]. Bethesda, Md.: University Publications of America, 1990. (FHL fiche 6082379–80, 6082382–84; computer number 768771.) This record contains reports and rosters of units from Kentucky, with the names of officers by unit. It also contains their residence and dates of commission.

Speed, Thomas. The Union Regiments of Kentucky. 1897. Reprint, Dayton, Ohio: Morningside House, [ca. 1984]. (FHL book 976.9 M2st; film 1321096 item6; computer number 335101.) This record includes a brief history of each unit and lists the names of all soldiers. The index lists only the names of the commissioned officers from Kentucky.

United States. Record and Pension Office. Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations From the State of Kentucky. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0397. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1962. (FHL films 1487066–90057; computer number 437572.) These service records are arranged by company and regiment and then alphabetically by the name of the soldier. They include the soldier’s name, age, rank, service record, muster, enlistment, discharge and disability information, payment cards, and physical description.

“The Civil War Archive-Union Regimental Index” [Internet site]. N.p., 1998 [cited 25 October 1999]. Available at www.civilwararchive.com/unionky.htm. This site includes histories and background information on Kentucky regiments.

For the 1890 census of Union veterans of the Civil War, see the “Census” section of this outline.

Confederates

Kentucky. Division of Archives and Records Management. Index of Confederate Pension Applications. Commonwealth of Kentucky. Frankfort, Ky.: Archives Branch, Division of Archives and Records Management, Dept. of Library and Archives, 1981. (FHL book 976.9 M2k; computer number 313653.) This index is arranged alphabetically and lists the applicant’s name and county of residence at the time the application was made, the date the application was received in the Confederate pension office, and the application number. The listings for the widow’s applications provide maiden names if stated on the application. The veteran husband’s name is listed in parentheses.

Kentucky. Adjutant General. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky, Confederate Kentucky Volunteers, War 1861–1865. 191–?. Reprint, Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publishing, 1980. (Vol. 1 on FHL fiche 6082403 [set of 13]; computer number 769299; Vol. 2 FHL book 976.9 M2rc; computer number 693813.) The book contains brief histories of confederate units and includes a list of soldiers, with their rank and dates of service. It is indexed. An index to the infantry soldiers in volume 1 is:

Cook, Michael L. Index to “Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky.” Utica, Ky.: McDowell Publishing, 1979. (FHL book 976.9 M2rca index; computer number 627508.)