United States, Mexican War Index and Service Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of a name index to the compiled military service records (M616) for the Mexican War and compiled service records for the states of Mississippi, (M863), Pennsylvania (M1028), Tennessee (M638), Texas (278), and Mormon Battalion (Iowa) (M351). The records are a part of RG 94 Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917.

Record Content
Most of the records include the following information:


 * Soldier’s name
 * State served in
 * Regiment
 * Type of records in file
 * NARA publication number, title, and roll number

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * Name of the soldier
 * Other identifying information such as age, birth date and place, military unit, or enlistment place

Search the Collection
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Make a photocopy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. For example:

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the age and location of the military unit to find the soldier’s family in census, church, and land records.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search the records of nearby military units.

Related Websites

 * National Archives Access to Military Service and Pension Records
 * Family Link Military Records Search

Related Wiki Articles
United States Military Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record Found in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.


 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

United States. Adjutant General's Office. Record Group 94; NARA Publications M616, M863, M1028, M638, M278, M351. Mexican War Index and Service Records, 1846-1848. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.

The suggested format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections is found in the wiki article Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.