Maryland Revolutionary War

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The original service records and the earliest pension records of the Revolutionary War were destroyed in fires in 1800 and 1814. Substitute records were used to make the compiled service records. These records are in Record Group 93 at the National Archives. For more general information about this war see the Revolutionary War Page.

Patriot Records
A man born between 1730 and 1765 who lived in Maryland is probably listed in some form of military record. If he supported the Revolution, he may be mentioned in the records as a rebel, patriot, or Whig. Those who opposed the Revolution were Loyalists or Tories. The often forgotten soldiers of the revolution were women. For Revolutionary War patriot records, see:


 * Revolutionary War Service Records; Footnote ($) contains Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War, NARA M881.
 * Genealogical Abstracts of the Revolutionary War Pension Files The abstracts may contain name, unit, service and application dates and places, age, birth date, marriage date, residences, and names of relatives. These abstracts are mainly from the following collection of records:
 * Selected Records from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land-Warrant Application Files 
 * Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land-Application Files . This collection contains 80,000 complete pension files organized alphabetically by surname.
 * Index to Revolutionary War Service Records This source shows the name, rank, and unit of over 390,000 patriots. The index is a transcript of: General Index to Compiled Military Service Records of Revolutionary Ward Soldiers

The service records and pension files for Revolutionary War patriots are available at the Family History Library. You can also use NATF Form 86 for service records and NATF Form 85 for pension files to obtain copies of records from the National Archives for a fee.

Muster Rolls
Muster and pay rolls and other records of Maryland continental and state troops, have been published in Muster Rolls and Other Records of Service of Maryland Troops in the American Revolution: 1775-1783 at Ancestry ($). This book may include officers, regiments, rank, service dates, or residence.

Pension and Land Records
The first pension law in 1776 granted half-pay for life to soldiers disabled in the service and unable to earn a living. The first pension law based on service was passed in 1818, but it was later amended to make eligible only those soldiers unable to earn a living. The pension act of 1832 allowed pensions again based on service and made widows of veterans also eligible to receive pension benefits. Fires in 1800 destroyed the earliest Revolutionary War pension application records. As a result, pension application papers on file at the National Archives begin after 1800. Certain pension records predating 1800 survive in the form of Congressional reports and other legislation. Reports available are arranged by state; they give name, rank, regiment, description of wounds, and disability; they also give information regarding pension, place of residence, and physical fitness. Abstracts from pension and bounty land applications are in:


 * Revolutionary War Pensions; Footnote ($) This collection includes entire records of pension files for soldiers and sailors who served in the Revolutionary War.
 * Maryland Revolutionary Records The information comes from pension claims and bounty land applications. It may include regiment, rank, land grant acreage, or marriage information.
 * Maryland Revolutionary War Pensioners, War of 1812 and Indian Wars May include rank, date of pension, age, residence, or emigration to another state. See the "Land and Property" page for records of land (Bounty Land) paid to Revolutionary soldiers.

History
To learn more about the Maryland Continental Line, see A Short History of the Maryland Line in the Continental Army This book describes the seven regiments formed in Maryland, as well as an eighth regiment sometimes called the "German Battalion."

Indexes
The Maryland State Archives has several card indexes related to service in the militia. Names of men found in surviving militia records are listed in The Maryland Militia in the Revolutionary War

Loyalists
In the fall of 1777, a regiment of Loyalists was raised in Maryland. To learn more about these men, see Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War May include regiment, officers, service dates, rank, and where mustered.

Online Resources

 * FamilySearch Digital Library, Maryland Revolutionary records : data obtained from 3,050 pension claims and bounty land applications, including 1,000 marriages of Maryland soldiers and a list of 1,200 proved services of soldiers and patriots of other states
 * Ancestry ($), Maryland Revolutionary War Records search by name
 * Classes of Pensioners and Pension Lists
 * Maryland State Archives Reference & Research