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 (M278) and Mormon Battalion (Iowa) (M351). The records are a part of RG 94 Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917.

For a list of records by document type and surname range currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

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.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Most of the records include the following information:


 * Name of soldier
 * Name and class of dependent
 * Rank and unit in which served
 * State from which served
 * Date of filing
 * Application number
 * Certificate number
 * 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
To search the collection by name fill in your ancestor’s name in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about those in the list to what you already know about your own ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person.

To search the collection image by image ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the "Document Type" ⇒ Select the "Surname Range or Military Unit and Surname Range" this will take you to the images.

Look at the images one by one. Again you will need to compare the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor.

Be aware that with either search you may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

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:


 * 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.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * 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.

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
 * Mexican War Veteran Research

Related Wiki Articles
United States Military Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
Citations for individual image records are available for this collection. Browse through images in this collection and click on the "Show Citation" box: United States Mexican War Index and Service Records, 1846-1848

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.