The U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118) provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.

Many military records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Research Outline provides more information about the federal records.

The New Mexico Records Center and Archives has muster rolls, cemetery records, and files of the Adjutant General's office from 1848 to 1945. The following sources are also very helpful.

Spanish Service Records

Valuable records of those who served in the military in New Spain from 1786 to 1800 are at the General Archives in Simancas, Spain, and on microfilm at the Family History Library (FHL films 1156334-42, for index see FHL Europe book 946 M23e). You will also find military information in the Spanish Archives of New Mexico and the Mexican Archives of New Mexico (see the “Genealogy” section of this outline).

Civil War (1861-1865)

The Family History Library and the National Archives have an index to service records of Union soldiers who served in units from New Mexico (FHL films 821883-86), the service records (FHL films 471538-83), and the federal indexes to pensioners. The actual pension records are only available at the National Archives.

A special census was taken in 1890 of Union veterans of the Civil War. The returns for New Mexico are on FHL film 338203. A published index is available (FHL book 978.9x22jv 1890).

Indian Wars (1862-1898)

Many soldiers from throughout the United States served in the western states during the Indian Wars. Enlistment registers, pension records, and service records for this war are described in the United States Research Outline. The Family History Library has miscellaneous records and some muster rolls from the Adjutant Generals' Office in New Mexico for 1862 to 1898 (FHL films 016612-13).

Spanish-American War (1898)

Names of soldiers who served in Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders from New Mexico are listed in History of New Mexico: Its Resources and People, vol.1 (Los Angeles: Pacific States Publishing Co., 1907; FHL book 978.9 H2h; film 844902, vol. 1)

World War I (1917-1918)

A published roster of soldiers who died in the war is W. M. Haulsee, F. C. Howe, and A. C. Doyle, Soldiers of the Great War, 3 vols. (Washington, D.C.: Soldiers Record Publishing Association, 1920; FHL book 973 M23s; fiche 6051244). Volume 2 contains the New Mexico returns.

World War I draft registration cards for men ages 18 to 45 may list address, birth date, birthplace, race, nationality, citizenship, and next of kin. Not all registrants served in the war. For registration cards for New Mexico, see:

United States. Selective Service System. New Mexico, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987-1988. (On FHL films beginning with 1711857.)

To find an individual's draft card, it helps to know his name and residence at the time of registration. The cards are arranged alphabetically by county, within the county by draft board, and then alphabetically by surname within each draft board.

Most counties had only one board; large cities had several. A map showing the boundaries of individual draft boards is available for most large cities. Finding an ancestor's street address in a city directory will help you in using the draft board map. There is an alphabetical list of cities that are on the map. For copies of the maps see:

United States. Selective Service System. List of World War One Draft Board Maps. Washington, D.C.: National Archives. (FHL film 1498803.)

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