Civil War Service Records Research Guide

Civil War Service Records

Union Soldiers
Each Union volunteer soldier should have a Compiled Military Service Record (CMSR) for each regiment in which he served. Most of these records are held by the National Archives. The CMSR contains basic information about the soldier's military career. The soldier's place of birth may be given -- if foreign born, only the country of birth is given. Information about age, residence, occupation and physical description is sometimes included. Some may also show facts about a soldier's imprisonment.

Confederate Soldiers
The National Archives also has some compiled military service records of Confederate officers, noncommissioned officers, and enlisted men. These are similar to the records of volunteer Union soldiers.

Finding Aids
To find your ancestor's Compiled Military Civil War Service Record you will need this basic information about him:

Name
Unit (Regiment) & State [Example: 41st Virginia Infantry]
Allegiance - whether Union or Confederate

You can usually obtain this information at...

Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (start here)
Online Civil War Indexes, Records and Rosters of Soldiers (try here for many other indexes)

Once you have this information then you can order your ancestor's "Compiled Military Service Record" through the mail or try searching for it on microfilm.

Ordering Civil War Service Records Online or by Mail

Order from NARA: You can order Civil War Service records from the National Archives online or by mail for a fee. Be sure to have the person's name, regiment, state and allegiance as indicated above before ordering.
- Order Online: Order Civil War Records Online from the National Archives
- Order by Mail: Start by downloading the form for "Military Service Records (NATF 86)" from... Forms for Ordering Copies of Records from the National Archives After you obtain the form, fill it out and mail it in with your order. You will find instructions on the form. There is a fee.

Download from Footnote: Scanned copies of Compiled Confederate Volunteer Soldier Service Records for Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia; and Compiled Union Volunteer Soldier Service Records for Alabama, Arkansas, Dakota, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon and Utah can be downloaded online from Footnote for a fee. (Note: some of these state and territory databases are not yet complete.) Click on the link below and type your ancestor's name (surname only if unusual) in the Civil War Service Records search box there:
- Civil War Service Records Online at Footnote
- Or try the individual state listings here: Online Civil War Records and Rosters of Soldiers

Finding Civil War Service Records on Microfilm
Some service records have been microfilmed and they are available from the National Archives or the LDS Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City. Be aware that not all states have been microfilmed yet. You can use this link to see what the National Archives has...

Civil War Records at the National Archives

The Family History Library has many of the National Archives Civil War service records available on microfilm. These microfilm rolls can be ordered from many local LDS Family History Centers for viewing and photocopying for a fairly reasonable fee.

Here are basic instructions for finding these records. I'm going to use the state of Virginia as an example. The steps are basically the same for any other state. Start by doing a place search in the Family History Library Catalog for the state you are looking for. Then look for and click on the topic called "Virginia - Military records - Civil War, 1861-1865." Then choose and click on the appropriate subtopic like the examples given below (depending on whether you are looking for a Union or Confederate soldier)...

Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Virginia - United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office
Compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Virginia - United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office

Read over the information there, then click on the "view film records" button (upper right hand corner). From there you must search for the unit you need, followed by the soldier's surname by group - surnames are listed in groups by the first 2 letters of the surname. You can order the microfilm roll you need from local Family History Centers using the microfilm number given there.

Civil War Pension Records

Ordering Civil War Pension Records - Union and Confederate

Online Civil War Indexes

Online Civil War Indexes, Records and Rosters of Soldiers

Disclaimer

The tips given here are merely suggestions to help you research your Civil War ancestors. You may not be able to find the records you are seeking for a variety of reasons.

Civil War Service Records Research Guide

How To Find Compiled Military Service Records For Civil War Soldiers