United States, Compiled Military Service Records Of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served With The U.S. Colored Troops - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of compiled military service records of volunteers who served in the United States Colored Troops. The records include abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in original records such as muster rolls, payrolls, hospital and prison records. A file may also include original documents. Many volunteers were former slaves who enlisted after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. This collection is a part of Record Group 94, Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917, Colored Troops Division, Administrative History Note.

This collection contains a portion of the Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers who served with the United States Colored Troops, including:
 * 1st through 5th United States Colored Cavalry, 5th Massachusetts Cavalry (Colored), 6th United States Colored Cavalry M1818
 * 1st U.S. Colored Infantry, 1st South Carolina Volunteers (Colored) Company A, 1st U.S. Colored Infantry (1 Year) M1820
 * Infantry Organizations, 36th through 40th M1993

National Archives Microfilm Publications

 * Military Service in the United States Colored Troops (USCT) during the Civil War, 1863–1866. This document gives the microfilm publication of Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers serving with the United States Colored Troops which have been microfilmed by the National Archives. (PDF)

National Archives Related Collections

 * Register of U.S. Colored Troop Deaths During the Civil War, 1861 - 1865

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 2

Inventory
For a list showing the content of all the films and folders included in this Historical Records publication see United States, Compiled Military Service Records Of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served With The U.S. Colored Troops - Inventory.

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search you need to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The age and birth place of your ancestor
 * The military unit in which your ancestor served

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * 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 other relatives
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * You may need to compare the information of more than one family or person to make this determination
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the United States.
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records
 * Beginning United States Civil War Research
 * Locating a Union Civil War Soldier (1861-1865)
 * Researching African American Genealogy
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * United States Research Tips and Strategies

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog
 Compiled Military Service Records - United States Colored troops
 * M1817, 1st through 5th United States Colored Cavalry, 5th Massachusetts Cavalry (Colored), 6th United States Colored Cavalry
 * 1st United States Colored Infantry; 1st South Carolina Volunteers (Colored), Company A, 1st United States Colored Infantry
 * M1820, Infantry Organizations 2nd through 7th including Tennessee and Louisiana
 * M1821, Infantry organizations 8th through 13th including the 11th (new)
 * M1822, Infantry organizations, 14th through 19th
 * M1823, Infantry organizations, 20th through 25th
 * M1824, Infantry Organizations 26th through 30th including 29th Connecticut
 * M1992, Infantry organizations, 31st through 35th
 * M1993, Infantry organizations, 36th through 40th
 * M1994, Infantry Organizations, 41st through 46th
 * M2000, Infantry Organization, 47th through 55th.
 * M1898, 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment (Colored)
 * M1801, 55th Massachusetts Infantry (Colored)
 * M1894, Descriptive recruitment lists of volunteers for the United States Colored Troops for the State of Missouri,1863-1865
 * Slave Claims Commission Records, Delaware, Kentucky
 * Sandra K. Gorin. Kentucky Civil War slave compensation claims.Glasgow, Kentucky : Gorin Genealogical Publishing, 2017. FS Library 976.9 M2gss
 * Compiled records showing service of military units in volunteer Union organizations Rolls 204-217

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * William A. Dobak. Freedom by the sword :the U.S. Colored Troops, 1862-1867. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History. United States Army, 2011
 * Joseph B. Ross, comp. Tabular analysis of the records of the U.S. colored troops and their predecessor units in the National Archives of the United States. Washington, D.C. : NARS, 1973
 * Kenneth W. Munden and Henry Putney Beers, Guide to Federal archives relating to the Civil War Washington, D.C. : The National Archives and Record Service, 1962

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.