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U.S. Military Records Research Outline |
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Basic Search Strategies
Step 1. Identify An Ancestor You Wish To Find In Military Records
Step 2. Decide What You Want To Learn
Step 3. Select A Record To Search
Step 4. Find And Search The Record
Records At The Family History Library
Types Of Military Records
Service Records
Pension Records
Bounty Land Warrants
Draft Or Conscription Records
Unit Histories
Census Records
Cemetery Records
National Homes For Disabled Volunteer Soldiers
Veterans’ And Lineage Society Records
Biographies
Awards And Decorations
Colonial Wars, 1607 To 1763
Revolutionary War, 1775 To 1783
Service Records
Pension Records And Bounty Land Warrants
Unit Histories
Census Records
Cemetery Records
Veterans’ And Lineage Society Records
Sources For Further Reading
War Of 1812, 1812 To 1815
Service Records
Pension Records
Bounty Land Warrants
Prisoner Of War Records
Cemetery Records
Veterans’ And Lineage Society Records
Sources For Further Reading
Mexican War, 1846 To 1848
Service Records
Records Of Officers
Pension Records
Cemetery Records
Veterans’ And Lineage Society Records
Sources For Further Reading
Civil War, 1861 To 1865
General Reference Sources
Civil War Soldiers System
Union Sources
Confederate Sources
Indian Wars
Service Records
Pension Records
Sources For Further Reading
Spanish-american War, 1898
Service Records
Records Of Officers
Pension Records
Veterans’ And Lineage Society Records
Cemetery Records
Sources For Further Reading
Philippine Insurrection, 1899 To 1902
Service Records
Pension Records
Census Records
World War I, 1917 To 1918
Service Records
Pension Records
Draft Records
Census Records
State Records
Cemetery And Death Records
Sources For Further Reading
World War II, 1941 To 1945
Service Records
Pension Records
Cemetery Records
Draft Records
Unit Histories
Prisoner Of War Records
Sources For Further Reading
Korean War, 1950 To 1953, And Vietnam War, 1964 To 1972
Unit Histories
U.S. Army
Service Records
Pension Records
Sources For Further Reading
U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Navy
Service Records
Records Of Officers
Pension Records
Sources For Further Reading
For Further Reading
Computer Numbers For Selected National Archives Microfilm Publications
Comments And Suggestions
Confederate Sources
Records of the Confederate Army are located in the National Archives Record Group (RG109). They are described in:
Bethel, Elizabeth, comp. Preliminary Inventory of the War Department Collection of Confederate Records (Record Group 109). Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration, 1957. (FHL book 973 A33npi no. 101; computer number 472652.)
Additional Confederate records are at state archives and historical societies. For state service records, see the state research outlines.
The following archive may also be helpful in researching your Confederate ancestor:
Service Records of Soldiers. The compiled service records for Confederate soldiers have been indexed and microfilmed. The following is a master index to the compiled service records of Confederate enlisted soldiers and officers:
Consolidated Index to Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers. National Archives Microfilm Publication M253. (FHL films 191127–661; computer number 323922.)
Hewett, Janet B., ed. The Roster of Confederate Soldiers, 1861–1865. 16 vols. Wilmington, N.C.: Broadfoot Publishing, 1995–96. (FHL book 975 M2rc; computer number 743902.) A transcription of the consolidated index described above. Entries contain name, state, unit, and company.
The records have also been indexed by state. The records and indexes available at the National Archives and Family History Library are:
To find specific microfilm numbers of indexes, look in the Locality search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
Index to Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations Raised Directly by the Confederate Government and of Confederate General and Staff Officers and Nonregimental Enlisted Men. National Archives Microfilm Publication M818. (FHL films 1205310–35; computer number 328740.)
The above source indexes the following two collections:
Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in Organizations Raised Directly by the Confederate Government. National Archives Microfilm Publication M258. (FHL films 880207–329; computer number 278791.) This series of records includes those units not raised by the individual states.
Compiled Service Records of Confederate General and Staff Officers and Nonregimental Enlisted Men. National Archives Microfilm Publication M331. (FHL films 881105–379; computer number 375792.) The records include those men performing staff duties. To find specific microfilm numbers, look in the Locality search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
Unfiled Papers and Slips Belonging to Confederate Compiled Service Records. National Archives Microfilm Publication M347. (FHL films 1402001–442; computer number 210198.)
Service Records of Sailors. The source below is a guide to Confederate naval sources:
Moebs, Thomas Truxton. Confederate States Navy Research Guide. Williamsburg, Va.: Moebs Publishing, 1991. (FHL book 973 M2moe; computer number 631611.) Contains biographical sketches of Naval and Marine officers, naval histories of Confederate naval vessels, and a subject bibliography of sources.
The following card collection has information about sailors and Marines abstracted from original documents, such as hospital, prison, and parole records:
Confederate Naval and Marine Personnel Records. National Archives Microfilm Publication M260. (FHL films 191662–8; computer number 327273.)
Published muster rolls and statistical data on ships are in Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies, Vol. 1, Series II. The muster rolls list name, grade, and ship. For additional information look under “General Reference Sources” in this section.
For information about Marines see the following:
Donnelly, Ralph W. Service Records of Confederate Enlisted Marines. Washington, D.C.: Ralph W. Donnelly, 1979. (FHL book 973 M2dr; computer number 364968.) Entries list name, company, enlistment date, and place along with brief service histories.
Records of Officers. For biographical sketches and other information about officers in addition to the service records, see the following:
Allardice, Bruce S. More Generals in Gray. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1995. (FHL book 973 H2all; computer number 766826.)
Crute, Joseph H. Confederate Staff Officers, 1861–1865Confederate Research Center
P.O. Box 619
Hillsboro, TX 76645
Telephone: 817-582-2555, ext. 242
Service Records
[STATE] - MILITARY RECORDS - CIVIL WAR, 1861–1865 - INDEXES
To find specific microfilm numbers for the service records, look in the Locality search under:
[STATE] - MILITARY RECORDS - CIVIL WAR, 1861–1865
The following is another important index to service records:
UNITED STATES -MILITARY RECORDS - CIVIL WAR, 1861–1865
Below is an alphabetical collection of records that were never indexed nor interfiled with the compiled service records:
Donnelly, Ralph W. Biographical Sketches of the Commissioned Officers of the Confederate States Marine Corps. Washington, D.C.: Ralph W. Donnelly, 1983. (FHL book 973 M2do; computer number 364967.) Entries include list, name of officer, parents, birth date, service history, marriage, and death information.
Dudley, William S. Going South: U.S. Navy Officer Resignations and Dismissals On the Eve of the Civil War. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Foundation, 1981. (FHL book 973 M2du; computer number 364963.) The appendix contains information about officers and is arranged by rank. It includes the following: name, date resignation was tendered, date resignation was accepted or dismissed, state of birth, state appointed, state citizenship, date of Confederate states name appointment, Confederate states navy rank.
Estes, Claud. List of Field Officers, Regiments and Battalions in the Confederate States Army, 1861–1865. 1912. Reprint, Mattituck, N.Y.: J.M. Carroll & Co., 1983. (FHL book 973 M2lo; computer number 319828.) Contains name, rank, and unit.
Krick, Robert K. Lee’s Colonels: A Biographical Register of the Field Officers of the Army of Northern Virginia. 3rd ed. Dayton, Ohio: Press of Morningside Bookshop, 1990. (FHL book 973 D36kca; computer number 422464 is for the 2nd ed.) Arranged alphabetically and contains name, date, and place of birth; some entries identify wife. The appendix contains an additional list of 3,524 field officers by name, identifying rank, and unit.
Office of Naval Records. Register of Officers of the Confederate States Navy, 1861–1865. 1931. Reprint, Mattituck, N.Y.: J.M. Carroll & Co. (FHL book 973 M3ro; computer number 349365.) Arranged alphabetically by name. Some entries list the state of birth, state appointed from, service history, and rank.
Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge, La.: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. (FHL book 973 M2wa; computer number 271201.) Contains brief sketches of military service with some pictures and birth and death information.
Pension Records. Pensions were granted to Confederate veterans, widows, and orphans by the former Confederate states. The Family History Library has an excellent collection of available Confederate pension records. Those for the following states are available on film at the Family History Library:
- Alabama (FHL 276 films; computer number 482000).
- Arkansas (FHL films 1722443–563; computer number 588054.) The following are indexes to these films:
Ingmire, Francis T. Arkansas Confederate Veterans and Widows Pension Applications. (St. Louis, Mo.: F.T. Ingmire, 1985. (FHL book 976.7 M28f; computer number 433863.) Entries include the following information for the veteran or widow or both: name, application number, military unit of service, application date, county, and death date.
Allen, Desmond W. Arkansas Confederate Pension Applications . . . , 2 vols. Conway, Ark.: Arkansas Research, 1991. (FHL book 976.7 M22adl; film 1697962 item 2; computer number 694665.) Contains the name of the veteran or widow or both, company, regiment, year of application, and death date.
- Florida (FHL films 006717-006885; computer number 377657). These records are indexed in:
White, Virgil D. Register of Florida CSA Pension Applications. Waynesboro, Tenn.: National Historical Publishing, 1989. (FHL book 975.9 M2w; computer number 556671.) Entries are listed alphabetically and include unit of service; widow’s name including maiden name; county of residence, and number of pages in file.
- Georgia (FHL 634 films; computer number 374852). Index. (FHL films 1493047–85; computer number 374852.) These records are indexed in:
White, Virgil D. Index to Georgia Civil War Confederate Pension Files. Waynesboro, Tenn.: National Historical Publishing, 1996. (FHL 975.8 M22w; computer number 807239.) Arranged alphabetically and contain name of veteran, military unit, widow’s name or witnesses, and county of residence. Covers pensions paid to veterans and widows from 1879 to 1960.
- Kentucky (FHL films 1670795–844; computer number 569186). These records are indexed in:
Simpson, Alicia Simpson, comp. Index of Confederate Pension Applications, Commonwealth of Kentucky. Frankfurt, Ky.: Division of Archives and Records, 1981. (FHL book 976.9 M2k; computer number 313653.) Arranged alphabetically by the name of applicant, veteran, or widow, county of residence, date application was received, and application number.
- Louisiana. Application Record for Pensions, 1898–1944 (FHL films 1412743–44); Record of Pensioners of the State of Louisiana, 1898–1940. (FHL films 1412742–43); and Louisiana Confederate Veterans Pensions, 1912–1936. (FHL film 1704156 item 17; computer number 248616.)
- Mississippi (FHL 94 films; computer number 277157).
- Missouri (FHL films 1021101–27; computer number 195357). These records are indexed in:
Fox, Peggy Barnes, comp. and ed. Missouri Confederate Pensions and Confederate Home Applications Index. Hillsboro, Tex.: Hill College Press, 1996. (FHL book 977.8 M2fp; computer number 783758.) Arranged alphabetically and includes the name of the veteran and the county of residence.
- North Carolina (FHL 105 films; computer number 494409).
- Oklahoma (FHL films 1001529–48; computer number 197031). These records are indexed in:
Index to Applications for Pensions from the State of Oklahoma. . . . Oklahoma City, Okla.: Oklahoma Genealogical Society, 1969. (FHL book 976.6 M24o; fiche 6046932; computer number 237716.) Alphabetical by name with application and reel number.
- South Carolina. The Family History Library has pension-related material for veterans residing in the following counties: Abbeville, Anderson, Charleston, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Lancaster, Laurens, Lexington, Pickens, Spartanburg, Union, Williamsburg, and York. For film numbers, look in the Locality search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
SOUTH CAROLINA - [COUNTY] - PENSIONSSOUTH CAROLINA - MILITARY RECORDS- CIVIL WAR-PENSIONS
Some veterans received artificial limbs. The following publication provides information on available records.
McCawley, Patrick. Artificial Limbs for Confederate Soldiers. Columbia, S.C.: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 1992. (FHL book 975.7 Al no. 109; computer number 697450.) Contains an index to artificial limbs vouchers and applications. The entries include name, county, year, folder number, and item number.
- Tennessee (FHL 181 films; computer number 250899). These records are indexed in:
Index to Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications (n.p.), 1964. (FHL book 976.8 M24t; film 873919; fiche 6051232; computer number 257582.) Arranged in three parts: veteran, widow, and colored applications. The entries contain the name of applicant, county of residence, unit served, and application number.
Sistler, Samuel, ed. Index to Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications. Nashville, Tenn.: Byron Sistler and Associates, 1994. (FHL 976.8 M22s index; fiche 6125500; computer number 743133.) Arranged alphabetically, and includes the name of applicant, application number, county, and unit.
Wiefering, Edna and Charles A. Sherrill, ed. Tennessee’s Confederate Widows and Their Families: Abstracts of 11,190 Confederate Widows’ Pension Applications. Cleveland, Tenn.; Cleveland Public Staff and Volunteers, 1992. (FHL 976.8 M28w; computer number 688952.) Indexed. Entries include pension file number, widow’s name, widow’s maiden name, county of residence at time of application, year and place of widow’s birth, name of veteran and year and place of birth, year and place of marriage, and year and place of veteran’s death.
- Texas (FHL 700 films; computer number 318535). These records have the following indexes:
Kinney, John M., comp. Index to Applications for Texas Confederate Pensions. Rev. by Peggy Oakley. Austin, Tex.: Texas State Library, 1977. (FHL book 976.4 M22k; fiche 6019976; computer number 113924.) (1975 edition is on FHL film 928040 item 3; computer number 247198.) This index is arranged in three parts: approved applications, rejected applications, and residence of the Confederate home. Entries contain name of applicant, county of residence, application number, and book number.
Confederate Pension Index for Texas, 1870–1930. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Genealogical Society of Utah, 1996. (FHL film 2031526; computer number 787601.)
White, Virgil. Index to Texas C.S.A. Pension Files. Waynesboro, Tenn.: National Historical Pub., 1989. (FHL book 976.4 M22W; computer number 556670.) Arranged alphabetically by the name of the veteran or widow. A are application numbers; P are pension numbers.
- Virginia. Acts of 1888, 1900, and 1902. (FHL 219 films; computer number 534241).
To find specific microfilm numbers for Confederate pensions with the Family History Library Catalog, select computer number search from the main menu. You can also find information on the Internet site of the National Archives and Records Administration at:
www.nara.gov/genealogy/confed.htmlThis site provides a state-by-state list of (and links to) Southern state archives with pension records. There is a brief history of pensions from each state, as well as key reference books or indexes. Keep in mind that the veteran was eligible to apply for a pension to the state in which he lived, even if he served in a unit from a different state.
Pensions may also be obtained from the states. Below is a guide for writing to obtain Confederate pension records:
Allen, Desmond Wall. Where to Write for Confederate Pension Records. Bryant, Ark.: Research Associates, 1991. (FHL book 973 A1 no. 307; fiche 6104915; computer number 669028.) This pamphlet briefly describes pension files with photocopy cost, date of earliest pension legislation, available indexes, addresses of where files are located in each of the Southern states, and other sources of information on veterans.
Many Southern states maintained soldier homes for needy Confederate veterans. Records of these homes available at the Family History Library include:
• Arkansas
Below is a set of 429 volumes naming Confederate-held prisoners:
Selected Records of the War Department Relating to Confederate Prisoners of War, 1861–1865. National Archives Microfilm Publication M598. Washington, D.C.: The National Archives, 1965–66, (FHL films 1303301–445; computer number 110849.) Consists mainly of registers and lists of captured soldiers and civilians. The records may provide such information as names, rank, unit or residence, dates of capture, deaths, prisoners released, and so on.
Some Confederate military units have published histories. These explain the unit’s role in the war, give biographical data on officers, and usually provide a unit roster of its members. The Family History Library has the following:
Civil War Unit Histories: Regimental Histories and Personal Narratives: Part 1: The Confederate States of America and Border States. Bethesda, Md.: University Publications of America, 1991. This microfiche set includes all published state adjutant general’s office reports. It also has the unit histories and personal narratives for the Confederate and border states published from 1861 to 1920 as listed in Charles E. Dornbusch’s previously mentioned Military Bibliography of the Civil War. To find specific microfilm numbers, look in the Author/Title search of the Family History Library Catalog on microfiche under the name of the author of the history.
Below is a detailed inventory of the collection:
Hydrick, Blair D., comp., Robert E. Lester, ed. Civil War Unit Histories. Regimental Histories and Personal Narratives. Part 1: Confederate States of America and Border States. Bethesda, Md.: University Publications of America, 1992. (FHL book 973 M2cwu; computer number 619021.)
Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Confederate Organizations. National Archives Microfilm Publication M861. (FHL films 1380856–929; computer number 437582.) These records are being transcribed as Part II: Record of Events to Supplement the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. For additional information, look under “General Reference Sources” in this section.
Crute, Joseph H. Units of the Confederate States Army. Midlothian, Va.: Derwent Books, 1987. (FHL book 973 M2crua; computer number 467743.) Arranged by state, then by number of unit. Contains brief unit sketches of service. Lists dates and places of organization, counties raised from, and field officers.
Evans, Clement, ed. Confederate Military History. 12 vols. 1899. Reprint, 19 vols. Wilmington, N.C.: Broadfoot Publishing, 1987–89. (FHL book 975 M2e 1987; computer number 474265.) A comprehensive history of each state’s role in the war with unit histories and biographical sketches of officers and civilian leaders.
Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies. 11 vols. New York: Facts on File, 1992–95 (FHL book 975 M2ss; computer number 534718.) Provides a history of each unit, a list of battles and campaigns in which the unit was involved, and a bibliography of suggested readings.
Tancig, W.J., comp. Confederate Military Land Units, 1861–1865. New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1967. (FHL book 973 M2wj; computer number 271258.) Identifies units by their local or militia names and their Confederate service designations.
The following federal and state censuses recorded specific information on Confederate soldiers. See the Family History Library Catalog for complete film numbers.
•Federal Censuses
The Thirteenth Population Census of the United States, 1910. National Archives Microfilm Publication T624. (On 1,784 FHL films beginning with 1374014; computer number 176588.) This census recorded whether an individual was a survivor of the Confederate Army (CA) or the Confederate Navy (CN). Some Southern states took special censuses of Confederate veterans. Those at the Family History Library include:
•Alabama
1907 state census. (FHL films 1533727–30; computer number 482535.) Includes the name, address, birth date and place, rank, date of entry into service, unit, date and place of discharge.
1921 state census. (FHL films 1533719–23; film 1533730; computer number 482535.) Includes name, date and place of birth, length of residency, wife’s age and place of birth, date and place of marriage, living children, place of residence, and occupation.
1927 state census. (FHL films 1533723 item 2 and 1533724; computer number 482535.) Includes the veteran’s name, widow’s name, age, birth date, and marriage date.
•Arkansas
1911 state census.
McLane, Bobbie Jones, and Capitola Glazner, comps. Arkansas 1911 Census of Confederate Veterans. 3 vols. (S.L.; S.N.), 1977–1981. (FHL book 976.7 X2m; fiche 6019335; computer number 211485.) Arranged alphabetically by name of veteran with brief biographical sketches which may contain the following: residence, birth date and place, parents, wife’s maiden name and parents, military service, and children.
•Louisiana
1911 state census. (FHL film 483489 and 1704157 item 14; computer number 320439.)
Jenks, Houston C. An Index to the Census of 1911 of Confederate Veterans or Their Widows: Pursuant to Act 71 of 1908. Jenks: Baton Rouge, La.; H.C. Jenks, 1989. (FHL book 976.3 M22j; film 1822969 item 12; computer number 551615.) Contains name of veteran or widow, parish, age, state where enlisted, regiment and company, property valuation, livelihood (including some relationships), infirmities, date of marriage, and reel number where information is found.
About 250,000 Confederate soldiers died in the war. Most died of disease, but others were killed during battle or died in prison camps or hospitals. Raymond W. Watkins copied Confederate burial records throughout the South, in prison camps, and in some Northern cemeteries.
The following sources are helpful in locating death and burial information:
Watkins, Raymond W., comp. Deaths of Confederate Soldiers in Confederate Hospitals. 14 vols. Meridian, Miss.: Lauderdale County Department of Archives and History, 1989–94. (FHL book 975 V2w; computer number 624795.)
Watkins, Raymond W., comp. Confederate Burials. 28 vols. Meridian, Miss.: Lauderdale County Department of Archives and History, 1992–97. (FHL book 975 V3w; computer number 692500.)
Many of his unpublished manuscripts are on microfilm at the Family History Library and are listed under his name in the Author/Title section of the library catalog.
Other important sources of information about Confederate burials include the following:
Office of the Commissioner for Marking the Graves of Confederate Dead. Register of Confederate Soldiers, Sailors, and Citizens Who Died in Federal Prisons and Military Hospitals in the North, 1861–1865. National Archives Microfilm Publication M918. (FHL film 1024456; computer number 323503.) (CD #9 part 119 computer number 805919) These are lists arranged alphabetically by the location of death then by the name of the soldier
Additional burial records available at the Family History Library include:
A Descriptive List of the Burial Places of the Remains of Confederate Soldiers: Who Fell in the Battles of Antietam, South Mountain, Monocacy, and Other Points in Washington and Frederick Counties in the State of Maryland. Hagerstown, Md: Free Press, 1868. (FHL film 1486525; computer number 455901.) Entries give name of soldier, unit, and burial place.
Albertson, Charles L. The Elmira Prison Camp. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1912 (FHL book 974.778 M25h; fiche 6048668; computer number 265330.) Contains a history of the prison along with a roster of Confederate prisoners buried in the Woodlawn cemetery.
Elliot, William. List Showing Inscriptions on Headstones for the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Who, while Prisoners of War, Died at Columbus and Camp Dennison, Ohio, and Were Buried in Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery, Those Dying at Camp Dennison Having Been Thence Removed. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1907. (FHL film 1688404; computer number 546065.) Lists grave number, name, and soldier’s company regiment.
Krick, Robert K. The Gettysburg Death Roster: The Confederate Dead at Gettysburg. 2nd edition. Dayton, Ohio: Morningside Bookshop, 1985. (FHL book 974.842/GI V2K 1985; computer number 456135.) Alphabetical by name. Some entries list rank. Also lists company and regiment.
Register of Confederate Soldiers Who Died in Camp Douglas 1862–1865 and Lie Buried in Oakwoods Cemetery. Chicago Ill. 1892. (FHL film 1710607 item 4; computer number 674133.) Includes the name, company, regiment, and state for over 4,300 soldiers buried at Camp Douglas. This item was microfilmed as a part of the following:
Deaths and Burials of Confederate Soldiers in New Orleans, Louisiana. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Genealogical Society of Utah, 1990. (FHL film 1704156 item 2; computer number 674133.)
United Daughters of the Confederacy. This society was established in 1894. Their address is:
The society’s national publication is:
United Daughters of the Confederacy Magazine. Richmond, Va.: United Daughters of the Confederacy, 1937. (FHL book 973 B2ud; computer number 316310.) The Family History Library has volumes 54 to the present.
The following state division publications will also be helpful:
Georgia Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Ancestor Roster. 10 vols. Atlanta: United Daughters of the Confederacy, 1992–94. (FHL book 975.8 D24g; computer number 686982.) Includes name and rank, birth and death dates and places, spouses birth and death, marriage dates and places, UDC member’s name, and her relationship to the soldier.
Louisiana Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Index, Membership, Applications, 1898–1988 and Patriot Index. 2 vols. Covington, La.: J. Monroe, 1985–88. (FHL book 976.3 C42u; film 1320946 item 3–4; computer number 415996.) Includes names and units.
Tennessee Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Confederate Patriot Index. 2 vols. N.p, 1976–78. (FHL book 976.8 M2u; fiche 6046695; computer number 0099181.) Includes names and units.
Texas Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Texas Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy Ancestor Roster. 4 vols. Texas United Daughters of the Confederacy, 1994–96. (FHL book 976.4 D2u; computer number 798741.) Includes the soldier’s, name, unit, and UDC descendant. The Family History Library has volumes 2 through 4.
Sons of Confederate Veterans. This society was established in 1896. Members who are also descendants of Confederate officers or governmental officials are eligible to join the Military Order of the Stars and Bars.
The address of both organizations is:
A published history of the society is:
Sons of Confederate Veterans, 1896. Our First 100 Years. Paducah, Ky.: Turner Publishing, 1997. (FHL book 973 M24sc; computer number 811293.) Contains biographical sketches of members and their ancestors.
From 1893 to 1932, the official publication of The United Confederate Veterans and lineage organizations was:
Confederate Veteran, 1893–1932. Reprint, Wendell, N.C.: Broadfoot’s Bookmark, n.d. (FHL book 973 B2cv, vols. 1–40; films 1697372, 1697375–78, 1425669–75; computer number 267435.) The Sons of Confederate Veterans later resumed publication under the same title. (FHL book 973 B2cx; computer number 450704.) Features include first-person historical accounts and obituaries of deceased veterans.
Below is an index to the first 40 volumes:
Manarin, Louis H., and Robert S. Bridges, eds. Cumulative Index, The Confederate Veteran Magazine, 1893–1932. 3 vols. Wilmington, N.C.: Broadfoot Publishing, 1986. (FHL book 973 B2cva index; computer number 441155.)
United Confederate Veterans. This organization was established in New Orleans in June of 1889 by veterans of the Confederate Army. The Family History Library has the following records for their organization:
Rosters, 1895–1899
These are arranged by state and camp. The contents include name, company or rank, number of regiment, state and service, rank of officers and their camps, and remarks.
Rosters and Applications, 1892–1896.
(FHL films 1685778 item 3, 1685779–80, 1703671–73 item 1; computer number 674019.) The rosters include name, company or rank, regiment, state and remarks, and name and location of the camp
Brock, R.A. The Appomattox Roster: A List of the Paroles of the Army of Northern Virginia Issued at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. 1887. Reprint, New York: Antiquarian Press, 1962. (FHL book 975.5 M23br; film 896966 item 2; computer number 217902.) This is indexed and lists the names, ranks, and units of the soldiers.
Clemmer, Gregg S. Valor in Gray. The Recipients of the Confederate Medal of Honor. Staunton, Va.: Hearthside Publishing, 1996. (FHL book 973 M2cv; computer number 183876.) The appendices include information on miscellaneous war decorations of the Confederacy and a roster of the soldiers on the roll of honor.
Current, Richard N., ed. Encyclopedia of the Confederacy. 4 vols. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993. (FHL book 973 M2ec; computer number 696797.) Contains historical sketches on campaigns and battles, social and cultural aspects of the Confederacy as well as biographical sketches of both political and military leaders. A bibliography is included at the end of each sketch.
Hoar, Jay S. The South’s Last Boys in Gray. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green University Press, 1986. (FHL book 973 D3ho; computer number 440597.) Contains biographical sketches of the last surviving Confederate veterans.
Nine, William G., and Ronald G. Wilson. The Appomattox Paroles April 9–15, 1865. Lynchburg, Virginia: H.E. Howard, 1989. (FHL book 975.5 M2vc, vol. 12; computer number 272568.) Lists the name, regiment, and company of those paroled from the Army of Northern Virginia.
Still, William N., Jr., ed. The Confederate Navy: The Ships, Men and Organization, 1861–1865. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1996. (FHL book 973 M2cfn.) This book discusses many topics of the Confederate Navy, including chapters on seamen, landsmen, firemen and coal heavers, the Marines, and shipboard life.
Wakelyn, John L. Biographical Dictionary of the Confederacy. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1977. (FHL book 973 D3wj; computer number 266270.) The sketches contain birth, marriage, and death information. Some identify the parents and discuss the professional and military careers.
Wiley, Bell Irvin. The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1984. (FHL book 973 M2wl; computer number 349854.) This book describes the army life of the Confederate soldier.
Allen, Desmond Walls. “Which Henry Cook? A Methodology for Searching Confederate Ancestors.” Prologue: Quarterly of the National Archives 27. (Fall 1995): 286–9. (FHL book 973 B2p; computer number 73342.)
Beers, Henry Putney. The Confederacy: A Guide to the Archives of the Government of the Confederate States of America. 1968. Reprint, Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service, 1986. (FHL book 973 A5mb 1986; computer number 663646.) (1968 edition computer number 263511.) Identifies records located at the National Archives, Library of Congress, and other repositories. Also provides a description of government functions as well as bibliographic references.
Blanton, DeAnne. “Confederate Medical Personnel.” Prologue: Quarterly of the National Archives 26. (Spring 1994): 80–4. (FHL book 973 B2p; computer number 73342.)
Brown, Brian A. In the Footsteps of the Blue and Gray: A Civil War Research Handbook. Shawnee Mission, Kans.: Two Trails Genealogy Shop, 1996. (FHL book 973 D27bab; film 2055428 item 9; computer number 776350.)
Cornell, Nancy J. “Unusual References to Confederate Military Service.” Ancestry Newsletter 7. (July–Aug. 1990): 1–3. (FHL book 973 D25a; computer number 321195.)
Fox, Peggy. “Confederate Research Center at Hill College.” Genealogical Journal 25. (1997): 126–7. (FHL book 973 D25gj; computer number 261185.)
Groene, Bertram Hawthorne. Tracing Your Civil War Ancestor. Rev. ed. Winston-Salem, N.C.: John F. Blair, 1995. (FHL book 973 D27gb; computer number 815671.)
Joslyn, Mauriel Phillips. “Was Your Civil War Ancestor a Prisoner of War.” Ancestry Newsletter 11. (July–Aug. 1993): 1–5. (FHL book 973 D25a; computer number 321195.)
Munden, Kenneth W., and Henry Putney Beers. The Union: A Guide to Federal Archives Relating to the Civil War. 1962. Reprint, Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service, 1986. (FHL book 973 A5m; fiche 6051302; computer number 408013.) (1962 edition computer number 263509.) This book describes holdings of the National Archives, federal records centers, and other federal agencies.
Musick, Michael “The Little Regiment Civil War Units and Commands” Prologue: Quarterly of the National Archives 27. (Summer 1995): 151–71. (FHL book 973 B2p; computer number 73342.)
Neagles, James C. Confederate Research Sources: A Guide to Archive Collections. Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 1986. (FHL book 973 A3ne; computer number 442184.) This book describes and gives the current location of genealogical records in state archives, the National Archives, and other libraries in the Southern and border states.
Plowman, Robert J. “An Untapped Source: Civil War Prize Case Files, 1861–1865.” Prologue: Quarterly of the National Archives 21. (Fall 1989): 197–204. (FHL book 973 132p; computer number 73342.)
Ross, Joseph B. comp. Tabular Analysis of the Records of the U.S. Colored Troops and Their Predecessor Units in the National Archives of the United States. Special list no. 33. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service, 1973. (FHL book 973 M2rt; film 1036062 item 21; computer number 230436.) Contains a description and inventory of records of the United States colored troops. The appendix includes a listing of regiments with dates of organization and name changes.
Segars, J.H., John McGlone, ed. In Search of Confederate Ancestors: The Guide. Murfreesboro, Tenn: J. McGlone, 1993. (FHL 973 book D27seg; computer number 700591.)
Speers, Lonnie R. Portals to Hell: Military Prisons of the Civil War. Mechanicsburg, Penn.: Stackpole Books, 1997. (FHL book 973 M2spc; computer number 818085.) This book discusses many issues relating to prison camps and prisoners of war. It contains specific chapters on life as a prisoner of war, prison creation, prison exchange, and a list of identified prison camps.
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Soldier Homes, Confederate
Pickett, Connie. Old Soldiers Home, Arkansas Confederate and Widows. St. Louis: Ingmire Publications, 1985. (FHL book 976.7 M28i; computer number 448681.) Arranged alphabetically by name of veteran or widow and includes the county and date.
• Georgia
Wight, Willard E. Index to Registers of Inmates of the Confederate Soldiers Home of Georgia. Atlanta: Georgia Dept. of Archives and History, 1964. (Vol. 1 1901–1913 FHL film 1445835; Vol. 2 1913–1927 film 1445836; computer number 433159.) Contents include name, occupation, county of residence, date of birth, date and place entered military service, rank, company, regiment, when and where wounded, when and where taken prisoner, when and where put on specific detail, when and where separated from service, commanding officers, branch of service, age upon admission to home, date entered home, relatives, date of death or discharge, and date and place of burial.
• Louisiana
Soldiers Home of Louisiana (New Orleans). Register Books, 1884–1934; index, 1905–1944. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Genealogical Society of Utah, 1990. (FHL film 1685399 items 5–8; film 1685400 items 1–2; film 1703673 item 2; film 1703674; film 1704156 item 1; computer number 673398.) Entries include date of admission, name, birth date and place, company, regiment, state, cause of admission, by whom sent, date of leaving, and cause of discharge.
• Missouri
Missouri Adjutant General’s Office. Confederate Pension Applications and Soldiers’ Home Admission Applications. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Genealogical Society of Utah, 1977. (FHL films 1021119–27; computer number 195357.) Contents include name, birth date, birthplace, residence, length of residence in Missouri, date of enlistment, rank, unit of service, death date, and burial place.
• Tennessee
Strange, Judith A. The Tennessee Confederate Soldier’s Home: Marching Out of the Mist Into the Light. . . . Goodlettsville, Tenn.: Tennessee Tracers, 1996. (FHL book 976.8 M2s; computer number 777448.) Contains rosters of veterans at the home from 1890 to 1934. Entries typically include date and place of birth, enlistment date, unit served, current residence, occupation, and death date or discharge date from the home. Also contains an index to applications to the home listing name, county of residence, and unit served, as well as cemetery lists for the home cemetery.
•Texas
Roster of the Residents of the Texas Confederate Old Soldiers Home in Austin, TX. Austin, Tex.: Texas State Library, 1990. (FHL film 1689628; computer number 553885.)
•Virginia
Robert E. Lee Camp Confederate Soldier’s Home. Application for Admission, 1884–1941. Richmond, Va.: Virginia State Library, 1995. (FHL films 2026354–84 and 2027890–9; computer number 795108.)
Prisoner of War Records
Unit Histories
Census Records
Cemetery Records
Veterans’ and Lineage Society Records
United Daughters of the Confederacy
This web site has information about the society’s objectives, membership, library facilities, magazine, and conventions.
Memorial Building
328 North Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23220
Telephone: 804-355-1636
Fax: 804-359-1325
Internet: www.hqudc.org
Sons of Confederate Veterans
This web site includes genealogical researcher addresses, a Confederate genealogical research guide, news, organization purposes, membership information, and links to related sites.
Elm Springs
Box 59
Columbia, TN 38401-0059
Telephone: 615-380-1844
Internet: www.scv.org/
Additional Confederate Sources
Sources for Further Reading
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/9/2001]