Union Provost Marshals' File

United States U.S. Military  U.S. Civil War  Union Provost Marshals' File

Union Provost Marshals' File
The provost marshals who served in territorial commands, armies, and Army corps were the military police. They sought out and arrested deserters, Confederate spies, and civilians suspected of disloyalty. They also investigated the theft of Government property, controlled the passage of civilians in military zones and those using Government transportation, confined prisoners and maintained records of paroles and oaths allegiance.

There are two collections relating to records of the Provost Marshals. One is the "Union Provost Marshals' File of Papers Relating to Individual Civilians" (NARA M345) and the other is the "Union Provost Marshal's File of Papers Relating to Two or More Civilians" (NARA M416).

Union Provost Marshals' File (Individual Civilians)
The "Union Provost Marshals' File of Papers Relating to Individual Civilians" (NARA M345) is a collection of papers relating to civilians or "citizens" who came into contact with the Army. The records were assembled in the War Department from documents that were extracted from the files of Union Army provost marshals and from other records of Army territorial commands. The records include correspondence, provost court papers, orders, passes, paroles, oaths of allegiance, transportation permits, and claims for compensation for property used or destroyed by military forces.

See the official NARA pamphlet explaining these records in detail at M345.pdf.

Online
 * at FamilySearch How to Use this Collection - Browseable images only
 * United States, Union Provost Marshal Files, 1861-1866 at FindMyPast - Browseable images only
 * Union Citizens File (Fold3) ($)

Union Provost Marshals' File (Two or More Civilians)
The "Union Provost Marshal's File of Papers Relating to Two or More Civilians" (NARA M416) is similar to the "Union Provost Marshals' File of Papers Relating to Individual Civilians" (NARA M345) except that the records contained in this collection relate to two or more individuals. The collection includes records of civilian prisoners on rolls 84-94 of the set. They are listed alphabetically by prison location.

Online

Libraries
 * (FamilySearch)
 * United States, Union Provost Marshal Files, 1861-1866 at FindMyPast - Browseable images only


 * Locate these records at a library using Worldcat.

Additional Sources

 * Patricia Andrews, Ellen Garrison, Mark German, and Ruth Johnson, comps. Preliminary inventory of the records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau 8 volumes. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1966-1967
 * Case files of investigations by Levi C. Turner and Lafayette C. Baker, 1861-1866
 * Historical reports of state acting assistant Provost Marshal's General and District Provost Marshals, 1865
 * Reports and decisions of the Provost Marshal General, 1863-1866.