Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of Confederate service records of soldiers who served in organizations from Tennessee. The records cover the years 1861 to 1865. The records include abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in the following original records:


 * Muster rolls
 * Returns
 * Rosters
 * Payrolls
 * Appointment books
 * Hospital registers
 * Union prison registers and rolls
 * Parole rolls
 * Inspection reports

For each military unit the service records are arranged alphabetically by the soldier's surname. The Military Unit field may also display the surname range (A-G) as found on the microfilm. This collection is a part of RG 109, War Department Collection of Confederate Records and is National Archive Microfilm Publication M268. Index courtesy of fold3 (Previously known as Footnote.com).

Service records were kept for each soldier. Those records, or their abstracts, were compiled into individual files. Each envelope/jacket contains information and cross references to original records relating to the soldier.

The information in this index is quite reliable. However, keep in mind that even though this index is very accurate it still may contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings or misinterpretations.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Each file usually lists:


 * Soldier’s full name and rank
 * Company and regiment/legion in which served
 * Date and place where mustered into service and by whom
 * Age (often estimated)
 * Length of time to be serve
 * Type of records in file
 * NARA publication number, title, and roll number

Collection Content
The records are in individual files which usually include the following:


 * A jacket-envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served
 * A card (or cards) with abstracts of entries from original muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers, Union prison registers and rolls, parole rolls, and inspection reports
 * The originals of any papers relating only to the particular soldier

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate age of your ancestor
 * The company or regiment 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.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s service record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family.

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

 * 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 children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name

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
 * Search the records of nearby military units.and localities

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Tennessee.
 * Tennessee Guided Research
 * Tennessee Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

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.


 * Collection Citation:"Tennessee, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865." Database. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. From "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Tennessee." Database. Fold3.com. http://www.fold3.com : n.d. Citing NARA microfilm publication M268. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1960.

Top of Page