FamilySearch Wiki:WikiProject United States wars/Tasks-Mexican War Historical Records

WikiProject United States wars Wiki Project United States wars Tasks-Mexican War Historical Records

Description
The purpose of this task is to insert a link and brief explanation for the FamilySearch Historical Records collection into the Mexican War section on the state Military Records pages.

Instructions

 * 1. Log in to the FamilySearch wiki using your FamilySearch login name and password.


 * 2. Open another instance of the FamilySearch Research Wiki, either on another monitor or another tab on the internet browser. This will allow you to view these instructions while editing in the wiki.


 * 3. Return to the window with this task page and scroll to the “Instructions” heading.


 * 4. Click on the “Edit” button to the right of that heading. (When you hover the mouse over the picture of the pen in a square, the word “Edit” appears. Click on the picture of the pen.)


 * 5. This task is to be completed in Wikitext so click on the word “Wikitext” in the top left corner of the edit toolbar.


 * 6. Scroll to this step and copy the entire statement below (copy all characters from the asterisk through the closing parentheses that appears at the end of the line of text before Step 7). (To copy: highlight the text by placing the cursor just before the first character and while holding down the left mouse button, drag the cursor across the desired text. When you stop pressing the left mouse button, the text will be highlighted. Now place the cursor somewhere within the highlighted text and press ‘’’Ctrl’’’ and ‘’’c’’’ simultaneously. Now the text is copied.)


 * Mexican War Index to Pension Files, 1887–1926. (NARA T317). Alphabetically arranged and includes the veteran’s name, rank, and unit; names of dependents; date of filing and application; certificate numbers; act filed under; and state from which application was made. Also available at:


 * (FamilySearch) Free digital copy. (Learn more.)
 * 7. You have not made any changes to this page, so don’t “Save” your edits. Exit the edit page by clicking on the back arrow in the upper left area of your screen or scroll to the bottom of this page and select “Cancel.”


 * 8. Return to the window with the other instance of the wiki and navigate to the state Military Records page.


 * 9. Scroll down to the “Mexican War (1846–1848)” heading. Click on the “Edit” button to the right of that heading. (When you hover the mouse over the picture of the pen in a square, the word “Edit” appears. Click on the picture of the pen.)


 * 10. Click on the word “Wikitext” in the top left corner of the edit toolbar.


 * 11. Place the cursor at the end of any text, press “Enter” two times, and paste the statement that you copied in step 6. (To paste: place the cursor where you want the text to be inserted, then press Ctrl and v simultaneously. The text should now be pasted.)


 * 12. Preview the edit by clicking on the “Show preview” button near the bottom of this page. Note that the preview is shown in Rich Text followed by the edit box with the text also in Rich Text.


 * 13. If modifications need to be made, make the edits within the edit box.


 * 14. Enter a brief explanation in the Summary field (example: added Historical Records link to Mexican War).


 * 15. Save the page and exit. The task is complete. Initial the appropriate cell in the Progress Chart [link].

After completing this task for one state, you do not need to repeat steps 1 through 7 when you perform the task for subsequent states (as long as you haven't logged out of the wiki or "copied" new text).

Hint: Quickly navigate from one state Military Records page to another by selecting the name of the state from the “State Military Records” navigation box found at the bottom of each state’s Military Records page.

Mexican War (1846-1848)
The Mexican War was caused by the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845. Most volunteer regiments were from southern states. Records of Mexican War veterans might exist in a state where the veteran later resided.


 * United States. Adjutant General’s Office. Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served during the Mexican War in Organizations from the State of Tennessee. Washington D.C.: National Archives, 1965. . This includes regimental returns, a record of events during the war, and company muster rolls.
 * Campbell, William B. Mexican War Letters of Col. William Bowen Campbell of Tennessee, Written to Governor David Campbell of Virginia, 1846-1847. Nashville, Tenn.: Tennessee Historical Magazine, 1915. Free digital copy.
 * Furber, George C. The Twelve Months Volunteer; or, Journal of a Private in the Tennessee Regiment of Cavalry, in the Campaign in Mexico, 1846-7. Cincinnati, Ohio: J.A.U.P. James, 1849. Free digital copy.
 * Mexican War Index to Pension Files, 1887–1926. (NARA T317). Alphabetically arranged and includes the veteran’s name, rank, and unit; names of dependents; date of filing and application; certificate numbers; act filed under; and state from which application was made. Also available at:


 * (FamilySearch) Free digital copy. (Learn more.)


 * Robarts, William Hugh. Mexican War Veterans : A Complete Roster of the Regular and Volunteer Troops in the War Between the United States and Mexico, from 1846-1848… Washington, D.C. : Brentano’s, 1887. Digital version available at Internet Archive

Click on these links to learn more about the Mexican War and about Mexican War pension records.