Find Civil War Soldier Records

Use this article to help find and use Civil War soldier records for Ancestry Research.

Researching and writing about military service and war experiences before 1900 will be very challenging but not impossible. This article will help provide insights and direction on finding records to help you build and write a narrative about a Civil War soldier. Civil War soldier stories can be about the individual who served in the military and the individuals who stayed home, such as spouses, children, extended family, and friends.

The following categories and additional resources are provided to aid your research and finding of military records for the Civil War 1861-1865:

See these articles to help you find articles for other military records.

How to Find Other U.S. Military Records
WWII
1939-45		 WWI
1914-1918		 Civil War
1861-1865
Mexican War
1846-1848		 Early Indian Wars
1815-1858		 War of 1812
1812-1814
Revolutionary War
1776-1783

First Lesson about Civil War Soldier Research

When I first started writing about a Civil War soldier, I was focused on finding information about one individual. I found a few items of interest, but not enough to make it worthwhile to invest time writing about their war experiences. I knew the town he was from and his unit and a few other odds and ends.

As part of my research, I visited the state library of Virginia. I shared my goal and mission with the reference librarian, and he asked a few questions like the following, which changed the direction of my research.

  • Was the individual a soldier for the Union or Confederate Army or Navy?
  • What city, county and state did he live in before the war?
  • What unit did he belong to?

I queried why these questions mattered. He responded by saying that men from the community went to war together and unusually stayed together throughout the Civil War. With that insight and information I had, I uncovered a wide variety of soldier records and histories about the unit and individuals in the unit who shared the same experience of Civil War soldier I was researching. This information was kept by the government, libraries, historical societies, historians, museums, family and more.  A great place to start is the National Archives Civil War.

Civil War Overview

Civil War Confederate and Union soldiers

Fought between the years of 1861-1865, the U.S. Civil war resulted from decades of tensions between the North and South related to slavery and states’ rights which came to a head after the election of Abraham Lincoln n 1860. Within 11 months, eleven southern states seceded and formed the Confederate States of America. The Civil War was the largest military conflict in United States history, with over 3.3 million soldiers engaged in the action (2. 1 million soldiers for the North and 1.1 million for the South.) It cost 600,000-plus American lives, more than in World War I and World War II combined. The consequences of the war were far-reaching, which included 1) the Emancipation of four million enslaved African Americans, 2) Vast changes to the nation’s financial system 3) Alteration of the relationship between the states and the federal government.

Northern and Confederate states

The following map provides an overview of the alignment of Union and Confederate states during the Civil War:

Civil War North and South Map

Northern States (blue) California Connecticut Illinois Indiana
Iowa Kansas Main Massachusetts
Michigan Minnesota New Hampshire New Jersey
New York Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania
Rhode Island Vermont West Virginia Wisconsin
Southern States (Red) Seceded before April 15, 1861 Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana
Mississippi South Carolina Texas
Slaves States (Yellow) Did not secede Arkansas North Carolina Tennessee Virginia
Delaware District of Columbia Kentucky Maryland
Missouri
Territories not yet formed Arizona Colorado Idaho Oklahoma
Montana Nebraska Nevada New Mexico
North Dakota South Dakota Utah Washington

Build A Search Profile for Each Civil War Soldier

Civil War Soldier Military Records

I have made it a good practice to search for Civil War soldier records for males that I find in the 1860-1910 U.S. Federal censuses who would have been between ages of 10 and 70 during the Civil War years of 1861-1865.

Yes, I realize that a 10-year-old boy or 70-year-old man would have rarely been in the war; however, the Civil War was a conflict that involved the nation, loss of life and property was catastrophic, boys/men served at all ages. With the online availability of records, searching for Civil War soldier records should be part of your research process for males born between the years of 1791 and 1854.

Begin by developing a short profile for each male you will be researching. You will use the list as a reference for your search. Include the following

  • Name of male and variations
  • Approximate age at the beginning and end of the Civil War
  • An approximate birth year or birth date
  • Approximate death year or death date
  • Name of the wife and children during their lifetime
  • Whether they served for the Union Army or the Confederate Army
  • State (include county if possible) where male lived before, during and after the Civil War
  • Regiment or company if known (You will need this information to search for records, separate them from others with a similar name, search the internet for records associated with the units)

Where do you find this personal information? I would begin to build my search profile, viewing the 1860 and 1870 U.S. Federal census information.

Check the 1860 U.S. Federal census to identify

  • Living males between the ages of 6 and 66
  • Place of birth for each male
  • Whether they were single or married
  • If married, name of spouse and children and their ages
  • Place of residence (state and county) at the time of the census

Note: If you can’t find the individual in the 1860 census, look at the 1850 census and see if they appear in the 1870 census.

Check the 1870 U. S. Federal census to identify

  • Living males between the ages of 16 and 76
  • Males who are in the 1860 census and not in the 1870 census (may indicate he died in the war)
  • Place of birth for the male
  • If married, name of spouse and children and their ages
  • Place of residence (state and county) at the time of the census

Check the 1880-1910 U.S. Federal censuses for

  • Additional children
  • Change in marital status
  • Death of individual
  • Change in location

Start with at least the 1860 and 1870 census and expand to 1850, 1880, 1900, 1890 and 1910 censuses as needed. A sample search profile is as follows:

Sample U.S. Civil War male search profile
Census year Name Age and approx birth year Family Location Place of birth
1850 Census John Isacc Stewart 14 (1836) Living with father James M. Stewart Franklin co., New York New York
1860 Census John I. Stewart 25 (1835) (F) Sarah 23 Dauphin co., Pennsylvania New York
(F) Mary 2
(M) James 1
1870 Census J. I. Stewart 35 (1835) (F) Sarah 33 Dauphin co., Pennsylvania
(F) Mary 12
(M) Jim 11
(M) Robert 9
(M) Joshua 4
1880 Census John Stewart 45 (1835) (F) Sarah 43 Dauphin co., Pennsylvania
(M) Robert 19
(M) Joshua 14
(F) Martha 13
1900 Census John Stewart 54 (1834) (F) Sarah 53 Dauphin co., Pennsylvania
(F) Martha 23
1910 Census J. Stewart 64 (1834) (F) Sarah 63 Dauphin co., Pennsylvania
(F) Martha 33
(F) Amy 6
1920 Census Not Listed (F) Sarah 73 Dauphin co., Pennsylvania
Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (CWSS) website Battle unit name Side Company Soldier’s rank Alternate name
95th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry Union C Sergeant
Film number Notes
M233 Roll 30 General Note – See original register for additional information.
1890 Special Schedule Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War Name Rank Company Name of Regiment or Vessel Date of Enlistment
John Stewart Sergeant Co. C 95 P.A. Inf (95th Pennsylvania Infantry) June 21, 1861
Date of Discharge Length of Service Post Office Address Disability incurred Remarks
September 20, 1865 4 years 1 month Berrysburg, Pa Left hip wound
1910 Census question (Confed or Union Veteran) Sarah listed as a dependent

Searching U.S. Civil War Soldier Records

Civil War Soldier

Once you have developed a Civil War search profile for the males you want to research with available information, you are now ready to search government, libraries, historical societies, historians, museums, family and more both online and onsite of record repositories (e.g., libraries).

No one repository will contain all the records related to soldiers’ service. Why? There was heavy destruction throughout the war because of intense military activity and deliberate burring of courthouses, libraries and other repositories. You will need to search multiple resources to complete a picture from among the available fragments that still exist. I would suggest starting your search for pension records and Compiled Military Service Record (CMSR).

Search Civil War Soldier Pension Records

Pension records will vary for Union and Confederate soldiers.

Union pension records

If your soldier served in the Union army, search to see if he, his widow or dependents applied for a pension. These records are also available from the National Archives, state libraries and archives, Ancestry.com. Note: check to see if your library has the accessible version of the subscription databases like Ancestry and FamilySearch. If you end up ordering the original records from the National Archives, make sure you ask to have all the pages copied; otherwise, you will only get a few. For more information, check out this resource from FamilySearch.

Pension records for Confederate soldiers

Most confederate states sponsored their pension programs. Some programs would only cover the indigent or disabled Confederate veterans, widows or orphans. The veteran could apply to the state where he lived even if he served in a unit from another state. Search the state archives/libraries and county and state historical societies. Several states have put information online. Use the search queries like:

  • North Carolina Confederate Pension Applications
  • Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications
  • Georgia Confederate Pension Applications

I found the following for North Carolina:

For more information, see the National Archives Confederate Pension Records and FamilySearch.

Search Civil War Soldier Compiled Military Service Record (CMSR)

Civil War Soldier Compiled Military Service Record (CMSR)

Every soldier had a CMSR for every regiment he served in. If your solder were in more than one, I would search for all of them. The CMSR can include information from muster rolls and related records of the period he was in the regiment, facts related to enlistment and discharge, wounds and hospitalization, personal papers, and prisoner of war records.

Start first with online databases. The following are a few of the resources I would suggest visit and research for records of the males you have listed on the search profile.

  • U.S. Civil War Era Records, free service, sponsored by FamilySearch, United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865, is arranged by the state for Union and Confederate soldiers. The records include a jacket envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served. The jacket-envelope typically contains card abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in original muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers, Union prison registers and rolls, parole rolls, inspection reports; and the originals of any papers relating solely to the particular soldier. For each military unit, the service records are arranged alphabetically by the soldier’s surname.
  •  The American Civil War Research Database, subscription-based, is a historic effort to compile and link all available records of common soldiers in the American Civil War. Historical Data Systems has compiled and interlinked many records, including state rosters, pension records, regimental histories, photos, and journals. The database is also available on Ancestry.com and FindMyPast.com.

Ancestry.com and FindMyPast, subscription websites, have an extensive list of available records from the Civil War. Check to see if your library has free subscriptions to these services. Sample of available records includes:

Union

  • Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934
  • Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1879-1903
  • U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914
  • U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865
  • U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles
  • U.S., Colored Troops Military Service Records, 1861-1865
  • U.S. Military and Naval Academies, Cadet Records and Applications, 1805-1908
  • U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938
  • U.S. Navy Pensions Index, 1861-1910
  • U.S. Pensioners, 1818-1872
  • U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865
  • U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006

Confederate

  • Confederate Service Records, 1861-1865
  • U.S., Confederate Pensions, 1884-1958
  • U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865

*Do a Google search on any of the above titles and locate where you can search these records. National Archives has resources that available at libraries, FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindMyPast and others. I highly recommend you search the free databases first. For example, a web search on the following:

  • Bounty land warrant applications based on wartime military service 1775-1855
  • Pension claims based on military service from 1775-1916
  • Military personnel serving for the confederate states government from 1861-1865
  • Enlisted personnel serving in the U.S. Army from 1789 to October 1912
  • Officers serving in the U.S. Army from 1789- to June 1917
  • Officers in the Revenue Cutter Service terms of service extended beyond 1915
  • Officers serving in the Coast Guard from 1890 to 1929
  • Enlisted personnel serving in the Marine Corps from 1789 to 1904
  • Officers serving in the Marine Corps from 1789 to 1895
  • Enlisted personnel serving in the U.S. Navy from 1789 to December 1885
  • Officers serving in the U.S. Navy from 1789 to December 1902
  • Officers in the Revenue Cutter Service, the Life-Saving Service, or the Lighthouse

Search Civil War Soldier Regiment and Company InformationCivil War Regiment

There are several places that you can search for regiment and company information. They include:

Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (CWSS) Database. This is a free service sponsored by the U.S. National Parks Service. This database contains information about the men who served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. Other information on the site includes histories of Union and Confederate regiments, links to descriptions of significant battles, and selected lists of prisoner-of-war records and cemetery records, which are amended as new information is available. CWSS contains information transcribed from the General Index Cards.

1890 U.S. Federal Census Veterans Schedule

The schedule includes the following information:

  • State, county, and district where the person lived
  • Date of census
  • Full name of surviving soldier, sailor, marine, or widow
  • Rank
  • Company
  • Regiment or vessel
  • Date of enlistment
  • Date of discharge
  • Length of service in years, months and days

You can search this schedule on FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com.

Also, locate libraries where you can search the microfilm resource using WorldCat. In the Worldcat “Search everything” search bar, enter the following search term:

  • 1890 Union veterans and widows of Union veterans

1910 U.S. Federal Census

This census asked whether the person was a survivor widow of the Civil War. Abbreviations were as follows: Union Army (U.A.), Union Navy (U.N.), Confederate Army (C.A.), and Confederate Navy (C.N.).

State censuses

Check to see if a state census from where you Civil War Soldier lived included questions about the Civil War. For example:

  • Alabama 1907, 1921, 1927
  • Arkansas 1911
  • Louisiana 1911
  • New York 1865
  • Wisconsin 1885

Search Civil War Fraternal Groups and Organizations

As I have researched my Civil War soldiers, I learned that several of them join organizations specifically related to their service after the war. I first learned about these organizations from symbols I found on headstones. Check to see if records the organizations have available, publications and index to the publications, and whether they have groups near you. Also, look in the state/county historical societies to if they have information from these groups.

Some of the more well-known Union organizations that exist today as hereditary societies (i.e., need to prove lineage) include:

  • Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, formed by Union Officers. The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply as the Loyal Legion, is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by officers of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States who “had aided in maintaining the honor, integrity, and Supremacy Clause of the national movement” during the American Civil War. Loyal Union military officers formed it in response to rumors from Washington of a conspiracy to destroy the Federal government by the assassination of its leaders, in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln…Source
  • Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), enrolling 40% of Union veterans) was a fraternal organization of honorably discharged Union Civil War veterans. Some of their rituals were based on Freemasonry The GAR was founded in 1866 by Benjamin Franklin Stephenson in Decatur, Illinois. By 1890 they had 409,000 members. The GAR was involved in charity and politics, and they lobbied for soldiers’ homes and pensions. They also began the tradition of Decoration Day on May 30, now called Memorial Day. By 1890 they had 409,000 members. The GAR was involved in charity and politics, and they lobbied for soldiers’ homes and pensions. They also began the tradition of Decoration Day on May 30, now called Memorial Day. Five presidents were members of the GAR: Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Benjamin Harrison and William McKinley. The last GAR member, Albert Woolson, died in 1956 at age 109 (although census research indicates he may have been 106 or 108). He was also the last undisputed surviving Civil War veteran on either side…Source
  • Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War 1861-1865 was incorporated in 1885 in Massillon, Ohio, as the National Alliance Daughters of Veterans and was endorsed by The Grand Army of the Republic’s annual Encampment in 1900. The name was changed to the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War in 1925, and in 1944 it became the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865. Membership is open to direct line female descendants of veterans of the Union Army and Navy who fought to preserve the Union during the American Civil War. This includes all descendants of honorably discharged soldiers and sailors who served in the Union Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Revenue Cutter Service from 1861 to 1865, and those who died or were killed while serving between April 12, 1861, and April 9, 1865…Source
  • Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War was created by the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), formed in 1866. Wanting to pass on its heritage, the GAR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, created a Corps of Cadets in 1878, which later became the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (S.V.).

The S.V. units functioned much as National Guard units and served with state militia during the Spanish American War. In 1904, the S.V. was elected to become a patriotic education society and in 1925 changed its name to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW). However, to keep the military aspect alive, the SUVCW created the Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR) within the organization, which was carried on the Army rolls as a Reserve contingent. Some SVR units served with the Army during World War I. After World War I, the SVR was listed as a training company of the U.S. Army. In more recent years, the SVR’s mission has become historic, ceremonial, and commemorative.
Before disbanding and before the death of its last member, the GAR officially designated the SUVCW as its successor and heir to its remaining property. The final Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic was held in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1949, and the last member, Albert Woolson, died in 1956 at the age of 109 years…Source

  • United Confederate Veterans, formed in 1889, I have found records of the organization at the Library of Virginia and Family Search. The United Confederate Veterans (UCV, or simply Confederate Veterans) was an American Civil War veterans’ organization headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was organized on June 10, 1889, by ex-soldiers and sailors of the Confederate States as a merger between the Louisiana Division of the Veteran Confederate States Cavalry Association; N. B. Forrest Camp of Chattanooga, Tennessee; Tennessee Division of the Veteran Confederate States Cavalry Association; Tennessee Division of Confederate Soldiers; Benevolent Association of Confederate Veterans of Shreveport, Louisiana; Confederate Association of Iberville Parish, Louisiana; Eighteenth Louisiana; Adams County (Mississippi) Veterans’ Association; Louisiana Division of the Army of Tennessee; and Louisiana Division of the Army of Northern Virginia…Source
  • Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) is an American nonprofit and charitable organization[2]:5 of male blood-descendants of Confederate veterans[2]:6–9 headquartered at the Elm Springs in Columbia, Tennessee.[2]:29 The SCV was founded on July 1, 1896, at the City Auditorium (present-day Virginia Commonwealth University Cary Street Gym) in Richmond, Virginia, by R. E. Lee Camp, No. 1, Confederate Veterans.[1][3] It is known for erecting and maintaining American Civil War memorials and graves, observing Confederate Memorial Day, and encouraging Southern historical study…Source
  • United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is an American hereditary association of women engaging in the commemoration of Confederate Civil War soldiers, the funding of monuments to them, and the promotion of the pseudo-historical Lost Cause ideology and white supremacy. It was established in 1894 in Nashville, Tennessee. The group’s headquarters are in the Memorial to the Women of the Confederacy building in Richmond, Virginia, the former CSA capital…Source

Search for Civil War Soldier Cemetery Records

Civil War Soldier Headstones

Finding graves from the Civil War era for both Union and Confederate soldiers is easier than you might think. The following are few resources.

Department of Veterans Affairs National Gravesite Locator. Search for burial locations of veterans and their family members in V.A. National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries, and for veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker using the Gravesite Locator.

  • Headstones Provided for Deceased Union War Veterans circa 1879-1903. Congress of February 3, 1879, extended the privilege of government-provided gravestones to soldiers buried in private cemeteries. One hundred sixty-six thousand (166,000) cards record these headstones as reproduced on microfilm (NARA microfilm M1845-22 rolls). You can find the film at LDS Family History Library/Centers and National Archives, and regional record services. These records consist of 3-inch by 4-inch cards arranged alphabetically by surname, thereunder by the first name.

The cards include some or all of the following information about each soldier: rank, company, and regiment; place of burial, including the cemetery’s name, and the city or town, county, and state in which it is located; grave number if any; date of death; the name of the contractor who supplied the headstone and the date of the contract under which the stone was provided. Most of the burials occurred in private cemeteries, probably in the county of the soldier’s last residence. Some occurred in cemeteries at National Homes for Disabled Volunteers Soldiers.

  • Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. The organization has a national graves registration database that primarily lists burials for Union soldiers. However, some Confederate soldiers are also listed. Information that may be given for a person includes birth and death dates, age, unit, rank, enlistment and discharge dates, and name and address of cemetery. Put the following term in the site search box: Graves
  • Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (CWSS). The CWSS now includes a lookup capability for Civil War Monument graphical images. These images are associated with units and states, and the capability now exists to link the unit history narratives (above) to images of all monuments associated with a particular unit. The National Park Service manages 14 National Cemeteries, all but related to a Civil War battlefield park. The NPS is planning on listing all names of burials in these cemeteries on the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System. The first phase involves data taken from Poplar Grove National Cemetery’s written records at Petersburg National Battlefield and includes images of the headstones.
  • Confederate soldiers. There are an estimated 250,000-plus confederate graves that are not very well marked. FamilySearch has two books written by Raymond W. Watkins. Deaths of Confederate Soldiers in Confederate Hospitals (15 volumes) (FHL book 975 V2w.) and Confederate Burials (28 volumes) (FHL book 975 V3w.).

Civil War Headstone Design for Union and Confederate

Union and Confederate Soldier Headstones

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) maintains many cemeteries devoted explicitly to veterans. Most have various rules regarding what must take place to be interred there. The VA only permits graphics on Government-furnished headstones or markers that are approved emblems of belief, the Civil War Union Shield, the Civil War Confederate Southern Cross of Honor, and the Medal of Honor logo. The following is an overview of the symbolism of U.S. veteran graves:

  • Civil War Union Shield. For Civil War Union and Spanish American War, a shield is inscribed, which encompasses the arched name, then abbreviated military service. Because of the unique design and historical uniform significance, no emblem of belief or additional inscription may be inscribed. The dates of birth and death are inscribed below the shield.
  • Confederate Cross of Honor. The inscription on the unique style for Civil War Confederate is also limited. The Southern Cross of Honor is automatically inscribed at the top. The name is arched, followed by abbreviated military service and dates of birth and death. No additional items of the inscription can be inscribed. If a flat marker is desired for a Confederate soldier, the Southern Cross of Honor can be inscribed if requested, or any of the other approved emblems may be inscribed if requested.

Historical society headstone symbolism

Also, be on the lookout for symbols on graves of individuals that were members of the historical societies.

Civil War Soldier Union Fraternal Symbols

Civil War Soldier Confederate Fraternal Symbols

Knowing that individuals were members of these societies can provide clues that their families may have copies of the research and applications used to apply for membership or that one of a person did fight the Civil War. It would help if you were searching for military records. These organizations required the person to provide genealogical proof that their ancestor did indeed fight in the Civil War.

Search Home for Civil War Soldier Records and Memorabilia

Civil War Memorbilia

Home is a great place to begin your search for learning about family and an individuals’ military service. For example:

Military records and artifacts

This can include disability records, discharge records, National Guard records, pension records, selective service records, service medals or ribbons, swords or firearms, uniforms.

Photographs

Photographs are great resources because you can see clues such as the branch of service, unit numbers, specific war or time of service, service ribbons and medals, rank, patches, and pins related to skills and training. Photographs exist from as early as the Civil War. Many Civil War images can be found in online collections.

Writings

As you research a person’s writings (e.g., postcards, letters, notes), look carefully at the periods covering the various wars and conflicts. These communications are among the most saved and treasured in families. Our family has the WWI letters between grandpa and grandma, which share their inner thoughts, activities, experiences, hopes, and dreams. Look at clues such as postmarks, stamps, inscriptions on postcards to see if they will give you any indications of where to look for information/records.

Scrapbooks and momentous

Look for collections of artifacts that include scrapbooks that are often organized by topic or timeline. I found a family trunk loaded with military images, letters, newspapers, postcards and much more from a WW I soldier.

Journals, written and oral family histories

Check to see if journals exist for family members. Has any member of your family written their memoirs about their military service? Is there an oral history or written history related to military service? I’ve been fortunate to record my dad and his brothers’ military experiences for WWII and Korean War.

Newspapers

Take the time to search microfilm or online collections of newspapers from the hometown where the family lived during War/conflicts. You can most likely find papers online or on microfilm. In searching for WWI and WWII time periods, the newspapers were filled with stories about soldiers such as enlistments, graduations, letters from the front being published, promotions, images and deaths. Search every issue carefully; most stories about soldiers were on the front page of hometown papers. In our family, we have articles showing grandpas enlistment in WWI and a series of articles about an uncle in WWII 1) June of 1943, his plane was shot down in WWII and was missing in action 2) July of 1943, he is in a prisoner of war in Germany and 3) April 1945 he is freed. Your best chance of finding articles will be from the 1890’s forward.

Death event records

As I have searched for death event records, I have been able to identify references that have helped me research military records. For example, obituaries will often mention branches of military service and related details. Headstones can say service and rank or even have markers related to the branch of service.

Google Search Civil War Soldier Records

Google Civil War Records
I have successfully searched the internet for resources provided by the National Archives, state libraries and archives, historical and lineage societies, regional libraries, and family organizations. I have already mentioned a few sights and examples earlier in the article.

The records available for the Civil War availability will vary depending on whether they served in the military for the United States and the Confederate States of America. I make sure that I always counsel with the librarian as to their knowledge of available Civil War records at the local, regional and state level and who else I can counsel with to help me locate records.

Many of the collections have been put online by the various groups that include service records and rosters. For example, many historical societies have done extensive research on the units representing their communities. See if these records have been put online with Google searches such as

  • Virginia “Civil War”
  • Maryland “Civil War” soldiers
  • Mississippi “Civil War” records
  • New York Union regiments
  • North Carolina Confederate Pensions
  • Texas Historical Society “Civil War”
  • Goochland County Historical Society “Civil War”
  • Pennsylvania Civil War Records
  • Alabama Confederate Records

Be sure to include quotation marks around any word or words that you want Google to be sure to include. Wherever I have used the name of a state our county, replace the word with the name of the places where your soldier lived.

Suppose you have the company and regiment of your Civil War soldier. In that case, you can search the internet for available e information that can include histories and lists to detailed records about individuals: Example of a search query could be:

  • 95th Pennsylvania Infantry
  • 95th Pennsylvania OR Penna Infantry
  • 95th Pennsylvania OR Penna Inf OR Infantry
  • 95th Pennsylvania Infantry Company C
  •  95th Pennsylvania Inf OR Infantry co OR company C
  • 95th Pennsylvania Regiment
  • 95th Pennsylvania OR Penna regt OR reg’t OR regiment

Many states have put online a variety of documents related to the Civil War.

Many states have put online a variety of documents related to the Revolutionary War. Do a Google search on the category names to find related websites:

State Do a Google search on category name
Alabama 1st Alabama Cavalry, United States Volunteers (Union)
Alabama Census of Confederate Soldiers, 1907, 1921
Alabama Civil War Muster Rolls, 1861-1865
Alabama Civil War Veterans
Alabama Confederate Civil War Records
Alabama Confederate Pension and Service Records, 1862-1947
Alabama Union Civil War Records
Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of
Alaska Alaska Confederate Civil War Records
Alaska Union Civil War Records
Arizona Arizona Confederate Civil War Records
Arizona Union Civil War Records
Arkansas Arkansas Confederate Civil War Records
Arkansas Confederate Pension Records Index and Confederate Home Records Index
Arkansas Union Civil War Records
Arkansas, Confederate Pension Records Index, 1891-1935
California California Confederate Civil War Records
California Union Civil War Records
Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1867
Colorado Colorado Civil War Veterans
Colorado Confederate Civil War Records
Colorado State Archives Civil War Indexes
Colorado Territory Civil War Volunteer Records
Colorado Union Civil War Records
Connecticut Connecticut Civil War Manuscripts Project from the Connecticut Historical Society Library
Connecticut Confederate Civil War Records
Connecticut Union Civil War Records
Connecticut: Fitch’s Home for Soldiers – The Deceased Veterans Discharge Files 1882-1936
Connecticut: Noble Pension Database
Delaware Delaware Confederate Civil War Records
Delaware Roster of Union Soldiers
Delaware Union Civil War Records
Delaware: Records Related to Delaware’s Involvement in the American Civil War
Florida Florida Confederate Civil War Records
Florida Confederate Civil War Service Records
Florida Confederate Pension Application Files
Florida Union Civil War Records
Georgia Andersonville Prison – Search for Prisoners
Fulton County: Oakland Cemetery Book, Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia Civil War Muster Rolls, 1860-1864
Georgia Confederate Civil War Records
Georgia Confederate Civil War Service Records
Georgia Confederate Muster Rolls 1861-1865
Georgia Confederate Pension Applications, 1879-1960
Georgia Confederate Veteran Grave Database
Georgia Union Civil War Records
Hawaii Hawaii Confederate Civil War Records
Hawaii Union Civil War Records
Idaho Idaho Civil War Veterans
Idaho Confederate Civil War Records
Idaho Union Civil War Records
Illinois Alton, Illinois – Civil War Era – Confederate Prison
Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Database
Illinois Confederate Civil War Records
Illinois Union Civil War Records
Illinois: 1929 Roll of Honor Database
Rock Island County – Confederate Dead at Rock Island Prison
Indiana Indiana Civil War Muster Rolls Index
Indiana Confederate Civil War Records
Indiana Union Civil War Records
Iowa Iowa Civil War Soldier Burials
Iowa Confederate Civil War Records
Iowa Union Civil War Records
Kansas Kansas Civil War and Military Index
Kansas Civil War Enlistment Papers, 1862, 1863, 1868
Kansas Confederate Civil War Records
Kansas Enrollment of Civil War Veterans, 1889
Kansas Grand Army of the Republic Post Reports, 1880-1940
Kansas Union Civil War Records
Kansas Virtual Civil War Cemetery
Kentucky Battle of Perryville Casualty Database ongoing project
Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Kentucky
Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Kentucky
Kentucky Confederate Civil War Records
Kentucky Confederate Civil War Volunteers
Kentucky Confederate Pensions 1912-1946
Kentucky Union Civil War Records
Kentucky Union Civil War Volunteers
Records of Death and Interment at Camp Nelson, KY, 1864-1865
Louisiana Chalmette National Cemetery Union Burials
Louisiana Confederate Civil War Records
Louisiana Confederate Civil War Service Records
Louisiana Confederate Pension Applications Index Database
Louisiana Union Civil War Records
Louisiana: Census Enumeration of Ex-Confederate Soldiers and Widows of Deceased Soldiers in 1911
Maryland Antietam National Cemetery Burials & Confederate Soldiers Killed at Antietam
Fort McHenry Prison
History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-5 Volumes 1 & 2
Maryland Confederate Civil War Records
Maryland Confederate Civil War Service Records
Maryland Union Civil War Records
Massachusetts Massachusetts Civil War Research Center searchable database of 150,000 soldiers
Massachusetts Confederate Civil War Records
Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War
Massachusetts Union Civil War Records
Michigan Department of Michigan, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Michigan Civil War Principals and Substitutes Index
Michigan Civil War Service Records
Michigan Confederate Civil War Records
Michigan Union Civil War Records
Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War 1861-1865
Minnesota Minnesota Civil War Records, 1861-1865
Minnesota Confederate Civil War Records
Minnesota Union Civil War Records
Mississippi Beauvoir Confederate Soldiers Home Veterans
Mississippi Confederate Civil War Records
Mississippi Confederate Civil War Service Records
Mississippi Confederate Grave Registry
Mississippi Confederate Pension Applications, 1889-1932
Mississippi Union Civil War Records
Missouri Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations From the State of Missouri State Historical Society of Missouri: The Civil War in Missouri
Index to Descriptive Recruitment Lists of Volunteers for the United States Colored Troops for the State of Missouri, 1863-1865
Missouri Confederate Civil War Records
Missouri Confederate Civil War Service Records
Missouri Men Who Served in Illinois Civil War Regiments
Missouri Men Who Served in Kansas Civil War Regiments
Missouri Soldiers Database includes 380,000 listings for the Civil War
Missouri Union Civil War Records
Missouri’s Union Provost Marshal Papers 1861-1866
St. Louis: Index to the List of Union Veterans Buried in and about St. Louis
Montana Montana Confederate Civil War Records
Montana Union Civil War Records
Nebraska 1893 Nebraska Census of Civil War Veterans
Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations From the Territory of Nebraska
Nebraska Civil War Grand Army of the Republic Members Index & Nebraska Civil War Veterans’ Data
Nebraska Civil War Veterans Database
Nebraska Confederate Civil War Records
Nebraska Union Civil War Records
Nevada Nevada Civil War Volunteers
Nevada Confederate Civil War Records
Nevada Union Civil War Records
New Hampshire New Hampshire Confederate Civil War Records
New Hampshire Union Civil War Records
New Jersey New Jersey Civil War Gravestones Database
New Jersey Civil War Treasury Vouchers, 1861-1865
New Jersey Confederate Civil War Records
New Jersey Union Civil War Records
William S. Stryker’s Record of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Civil War 1861-1865
New Mexico New Mexico Confederate Civil War Records
New Mexico Union Civil War Records
New York New York Civil War Database
New York Civil War Regiment Lists
New York Confederate Civil War Records
New York Union Civil War Records
New York, Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900
New York, Town Clerks’ Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War, ca 1861-1865
New York, Veteran Burial Cards, 1861-1898
North Carolina North Carolina Confederate Civil War Records
North Carolina Confederate Civil War Service Records
North Carolina Confederate Pension Applications, 1901
North Carolina Confederate Soldiers Burial Database
North Carolina Union Civil War Records
North Carolina, Civil War Confederate Soldiers and Widows Pension Applications, 1885-1953
Wake County: Confederate Burials at Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh, NC
Ohio Johnson’s Island Civil War Confederate Prison Cemetery
Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Vols. 1-12
Ohio Civil War Documents
Ohio Civil War Roster
Ohio Confederate Civil War Records
Ohio Union Civil War Records
Oklahoma Oklahoma Confederate Civil War Records
Oklahoma Union Civil War Records
Oklahoma: Index to Oklahoma’s Confederate Pension Records
Oregon Oregon Confederate Civil War Records
Oregon Union Civil War Records
Oregon: Index to 1890 Veterans Census
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Civil War Burial Index
Pennsylvania Civil War Era Newspapers
Pennsylvania Civil War Veterans’ Card File Index 1861-1866
Pennsylvania Confederate Civil War Records
Pennsylvania Union Civil War Records
Registers of Pennsylvania Civil War Volunteers, 1861-1865
Rhode Island Rhode Island Confederate Civil War Records
Rhode Island Union Civil War Records
South Carolina Confederate Rolls of South Carolina
South Carolina Confederate Civil War Records
South Carolina Confederate Civil War Service Records
South Carolina Union Civil War Records
South Carolina: Records of Confederate Veterans
The New South Newspaper 1862-1866, Port Royal and Beaufort, South Carolina
South Dakota South Dakota Confederate Civil War Records
South Dakota Union Civil War Records
Special Census of Civil War Veterans Living in Dakota Territory (South Dakota) in 1885
Tennessee Tennessee Civil War Confederate Pension Applications Index
Tennessee Civil War Veterans’ Questionnaires
Tennessee Confederate Civil War Pension Applications – Soldiers & Widows
Tennessee Confederate Civil War Records
Tennessee Confederate Civil War Service Records
Tennessee Confederate Physicians
Tennessee Confederate Soldiers’ Home Applications
Tennessee Southern Claims Commission Index 1871-1873
Tennessee Union Civil War Records
Texas Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Texas
Texas Adjutant General Service Records Index
Texas Confederate Civil War Records
Texas Confederate Indigent Families Index 1863-1865
Texas Confederate Pension Applications, 1899-1975
Texas Confederate Pensions Index
Texas Muster Roll Index Cards, 1838-1900
Texas Union Civil War Records
United Confederate Veterans Robert E. Lee Camp No. 158 in Fort Worth
Utah Confederate Civil War Records
Union Civil War Records
Vermont Vermont Confederate Civil War Records
Vermont in the Civil War includes rosters of Vermont units
Vermont Union Civil War Records
Virginia Alexandria, Virginia National Cemetery Civil War Era Burials
Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Virginia
Confederate Disability Applications and Receipts
Confederate Navy, Electronic Card Index
Confederate Pension Records, 1884-1958 for Virginia
Confederate Pension Rolls, Veterans and Widows
Index to Confederate Veteran Magazine
Index to Virginia Confederate Rosters
Northern Virginia 1890 Veterans Census — Union
Oath of Allegiance in Virginia, 1862-1865
Online Virginia Death Records Indexes and Cemeteries
Richmond Daily Dispatch Newspaper – Civil War Period 1860-1865
Robert E. Lee Camp Confederate Soldiers’ Home Applications for Admission
Valley of the Shadow Civil War Project
Virginia Confederate Civil War Records
Virginia Military Dead Database
Virginia Military Institute Archives – Historical Rosters Database 1839-1925
Virginia Union Civil War Records
Volunteers for Freedom: Black Civil War Soldiers in Alexandria National Cemetery
Washington Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State
Washington Confederate Civil War Records
Washington Union Civil War Records
West Virginia West Virginia Civil War Union Service Records
West Virginia Confederate Civil War Records
West Virginia Union Civil War Records
West Virginia Union Militia in the Civil War
Wisconsin Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865
Wisconsin Confederate Civil War Records
Wisconsin in the Civil War Database from the Wisconsin Historical Society
Wisconsin Union Civil War Records
Wyoming Wyoming Confederate Civil War Records
Wyoming Union Civil War Records