Union Service and Pension Records

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Union Service Records
Union Army soldiers may have served in the U.S. Army, local militia units mustered into federal service, or volunteer regiments raised by the individual states. The length of service varied from 90 days to three years. Many soldiers also reenlisted, serving in more than one regiment. The Union Army and Navy enlisted over 2.3 million men, of which nearly 359,000 died in combat or from wounds and disease.

For records of sailors who served in the Union Navy, contact the National Archives. The records have not been filmed and are available only at the National Archives in Record Group 24, Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel. The weekly returns of enlistments, 1855 to 1891, are the records of most value for sailors, particularly those who served between 1855 and 1865. Entries list the sailor’s name, enlistment date, birthplace, age, occupation, personal description, date of or return of enlistment, and record of previous naval service.

Compiled Service Records
Compiled Service Records - The Compiled Service Records ($) (Footnote.com) for Union and Confederate soldiers are now available online. In the future, these records will be made available at no charge through the National Archives web site. The service records are also available at no charge at National Archives research rooms and any library providing free access to Footnote.com.

The compiled service records consist of an envelope containing card abstracts taken from muster rolls, returns, pay vouchers, and other records. Service records may provide rank, unit, date of enlistment, length of service, age, place of birth, and date of death.

For a listing of microfilms and other records available at the National Archives, Family History Library and other resources see Union Service Records.

Additional Resources
Additional Union records are available at state archives and historical societies.