Many military records are at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118) provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.

Colonial Wars (1664–1775)

New York residents participated in King William's War (1689–97), Queen Anne's War (1701–13), King George's War (1744–48), and the French and Indian War (1756–63). Nearly all original muster rolls for colonial wars were destroyed in the 1911 fire at the state library. Before the fire, however, muster rolls from 1664–1775 were published with a name index:

New York Secretary of State. Muster Rolls, 1664–1775. These are in the Second Annual Report of the State Historian of the State of New York, 1896 and Third Annual Report of the State Historian of the State of New York, 1897 (Albany and New York: Wynkoop, Hallenbeck, & Crawford Co., 1897–98; FHL book 974.7 M2ne; films 924818–19; fiche 6088376; computer number 348152). Sometimes lists ages and country or town of birth.

A book which is not as complete as the above source, but which may be helpful is Carol M. Meyers, Early Military Records of New York, 1689–1738 (Saugus, Cal.: RAM, 1967; FHL book 974.7 M2m; fiche 6105194; computer number 149240). Lists counties where units were raised.

Revolutionary War (1775–1783)

Nearly one-third of all Revolutionary War battles took place in New York, including the battles of Long Island, Oriskany, Bennington, and Saratoga. The British occupied New York City during the war. New York contributed at least 51,972 rebel soldiers, more than any province except Massachusetts and Virginia. Some rosters are:

Roberts, James A. New York in the Revolution as Colony and State. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. Albany, N.Y.: Press of Brandow Printing, 1898; Vol. 2. Edited by Frederic Gregory Mather. Albany, N.Y.: J.B. Lyon, 1904. (FHL book 974.7 M28n 1898; vol. 1 on film 940048 item 2; vol. 2 on 1035618 item 14; vol. 1 on fiche 6046684; computer number 149252.) The first volume lists some 45,000 names from regimental rosters. The second volume has lists of bounty land recipients, refugees, naval lists, prisoner of war lists, lists of suspected Loyalists, claimants for damages, and information about confiscated estates.

Fernow, Berthold. New York State Archives. New York in the Revolution. Vol. 1. Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York. Vol. 15. 1887. Reprint, New Orleans: Polyanthos, 1972. (FHL book 974.7 H2d vol. 15; film 824391 item 1; computer number 152213.) Indexed. Lists name, regiment, company, rank, and sometimes residence.

DeLancey, Edward F., ed. Muster and Pay Rolls of the War of the Revolution, 1775–1783. Collections of the New York Historical Society for the Years 1914–15. 2 vols. Vols. 47–48. 1916. Reprint, Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1990. (FHL book 974.7 B4n v. 47–48; film 845303 items 2–3; v. 2 also on 547506 item 2; fiche 6078201, vols. 47–48; computer number 357090.) Lists name, regiment, company, rank, residence, and sometimes service dates.

Wilson, Thomas B., ed. Inhabitants of New York 1774–1776. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1993. (FHL book 974.7 X4w; computer number 719178.) This book contains names from various sources of residents in New York County, Queens County, and Suffolk County.

New York. Secretary of State. Calendar of Historical Manuscripts Relating to the War of the Revolution, in the Office of the Secretary of State, 1638–1801. 2 vols. Albany, N.Y.: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1868. (FHL film 1550750; computer number 494319.) Vol. 1 includes lists of patriots and loyalists for Charlotte, Cumberland, Dutchess, Orange, Suffolk, and Ulster counties in 1775. Index in vol. 2.

Guides to more sources are:

Bielinski, Stefan, ed. A Guide to the Revolutionary War Manuscripts in the New York State Library. Albany, N.Y.: New York State American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, 1976. (FHL book 974.4 A3r; computer number 219106.)

Klein, Milton M., comp. New York in the American Revolution: A Bibliography. Albany, N.Y.: New York State American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, 1974. (FHL book 974.7 H23k; film 928293 item 2; computer number 146538.)

Pension Records. A man born between 1730 and 1765 who lived in New York is probably listed in some form of military record. If he supported the Revolution, he may be mentioned in records as a rebel, patriot, or Whig. Those who opposed the Revolution were Loyalists or Tories. For patriot records of the Revolutionary War, see:

White, Virgil D. Genealogical Abstracts of the Revolutionary War Pension Files. 4 vols. Waynesboro, Tenn.: National Historical Publishing, 1990. (FHL book 973 M28g; computer number 534698.) May include name, unit, service and application dates and places, age, birth date, marriage date, residences, and names of relatives. These abstracts are mainly from:

United States. Veterans Administration. Selected Records from Revolutionary War Pension & Bounty-Land-Warrant Application Files. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1969. (FHL films 840256–406; computer number 356373.)

United States. Veterans Administration. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land-Warrant Application Files. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1969. (FHL films 970001–2670; computer number 178932.) 80,000 complete pension files alphabetical by surname.

White, Virgil D. Index to Revolutionary War Service Records. 4 vols. Waynesboro, Tenn.: National Historical Publishing, 1995. (FHL book 973 M22wv; computer number 755463.) Shows the name, rank, and unit of over 390,000 patriots. Transcripts of:

United States. Adjutant General's Office. General Index to Compiled Military Service Records of Revolutionary Ward Soldiers. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1942. (FHL films 882841–98; computer number 280117.)

The service records and pension files for Revolutionary War patriots are available at the Family History Library. For more information, see U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118). You can also use NATF Form 80 to obtain copies of some records from the National Archives for a fee.

State Service and Pension Records

Federal Service and Pension Records. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of almost all the Revolutionary War service, pension, and miscellaneous records at the National Archives. These are further described in the U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118).

Burial Records. The New York State Library has a special card index called Revolutionary War Soldiers Grave Card Index. It indexes Daughters of the American Revolution, Graves of Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in New York, 15 vols. (Typescript, 1921–55; FHL films 860330–32; computer number 635651). Each volume is also individually indexed.

The U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118) lists several more nationwide indexes to Revolutionary War veterans' graves, including many from New York.

Loyalists. New York had one of the highest percentages of Loyalists, and many enrolled in Loyalist military units. The majority of emigrant Loyalists from New York moved to Nova Scotia or New Brunswick after the war. The American Loyalist Claims record information about property lost by loyalists. The claims are at the Public Record Office in London and on microfilm at the Family History Library. See the Canada Research Outline (34545) and the U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118) for more information.

Some published sources of importance include:

Yoshpe, Harry Beller. The Disposition of Loyalist Estates in the Southern District of the State of New York. New York: Columbia University Press, 1939. (FHL book 974.7 R2y; computer number 156338.) The appendices include lists of the names of Loyalists whose estates were confiscated. Lists county of residence, date of sale, and awards paid.

New York. Commission for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies. Minutes of the Commissioners for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies in the State of New York. Albany County Sessions, 1778–1781. 3 vols. Edited by Victor Hugo Paltsits. Albany, N.Y.: J.B. Lyon, 1909–1910. (FHL film 1705179; computer number 507856.) Volume 3 includes the index to all volumes. May show names, dates, residence, military service record, and occupation.

Hereditary Society Records. Several lineage societies have been organized for descendants of Revolutionary War veterans. In addition to those described in the “Societies” section of the United States Research Outline (30972), the following register helps locate compiled genealogies for descendants of New York patriots:

Sons of the American Revolution. Empire State Society. Register of the Empire State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. New York: the Society, 1899. (FHL book 974.7 C4r; film 238380 or 1673276 item 22; computer number 271963.) Lists soldiers and descendants. Gives clues for finding SAR applications.

War of 1812 (1812–1815)

Many land and naval conflicts occurred along the New York-Canadian border during the War of 1812. The state archives has copies of payrolls and payroll card files. The National Archives (D.C.) has the service and pension records and muster rolls. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of indexes to service and pension records. They are listed in the Family History Library Catalog Locality Search under UNITED STATES - MILITARY RECORDS.

Applications and awards based on military service are at the New York State Archives. There are some 17,000 claims. A published index is Index of Awards on Claims of the Soldiers of the War of 1812 (1860; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1969; FHL book Q974.7 M22i; computer number 149244). The residences of those seeking claims are included.

Military commissions, arranged by year and then by county, have been published in Hugh Hastings, comp. and ed., Military Minutes of the Council of Appointment of the State of New York, 1783–1821, 4 vols. (Albany, N.Y.: James B. Lyon, 1901–02; FHL book 974.7 M2ny; films 1425595–96; computer number 150666). Since militia were organized locally, knowing the unit a soldier served in can help you determine where he was from. Index in volume 4. Volume 3 shows which county each unit was from.

Mexican War (1846–1848)

Only two New York regiments participated in the Mexican War: the First and Seventh Regiments of New York Volunteers. The Family History Library has indexes to service and pension records found at the National Archives. They are listed in the Family History Library Catalog Locality Search under UNITED STATES - MILITARY RECORDS and are described in the United States Research Outline (30972).

Civil War (1861–1865)

New York contributed about 465,000 soldiers to Union armed forces, more than any other state. More than 50,000 of them died. Many who served were recent German and Irish immigrants.

A helpful index to New York Civil War soldiers is United States, Adjutant General's Office, Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers . . . New York. (Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1964; FHL films 882057–213; computer number 377673). Gives regiment, company, and rank. This information can help locate pension records.

The Family History Library has indexes to federal service and pension records of Union Army soldiers. They are listed in the Family History Library Catalog Locality Search under UNITED STATES - MILITARY RECORDS. The federal service and pension records themselves have not been filmed and are available only at the National Archives (D.C.). They are described in more detail in the United States Research Outline (30972).

During the 1870s and 1880s, New York began making abstracts of various War Department records. These are available only at the state archives and include:

• Abstracts of Civil War Muster Rolls for New York State Volunteers, 1,231 vols. These are printed forms arranged by unit number and then alphabetically by the names of officers and enlisted men (excluding naval personnel). The abstracts were published as New York Adjutant General, Registers of New York Regiments in the War of the Rebellion (supplemental vols. to the Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York, 1893–1905) Serial no. 1–43 (Albany, N.Y.: James B. Lyon, 1894–1906; 1897 and 1901 in FHL book 974.7; 1897 on film 1320818 item 4; computer number 351113). The series is arranged by regiment and then alphabetically by soldiers' names. There is a seventeen-volume name index (not at FHL). The books have most but not all of the information found in the original abstracts. The Library only has volumes for the 15th and 16th Artillery and 81st to 87th Artillery. May show name, age, date, and place of enlistment, unit, or death or discharge date or place.
  
• Abstracts of Muster Rolls for New York State Militia Units Mustered into Federal Service During the Civil War, 1861–1865. 92 vols. These are arranged by unit and then alphabetically by name. The archives has a separate index to them.
  
• Abstracts of Muster Rolls for Men Who Served in the United States Navy During the Civil War, 1861–1865. 96 vols. These are arranged by U.S. Regular officers, volunteer officers, and enlisted men.