Louisiana 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 Louisiana for the years 1861 to 1865.

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 M320. Index courtesy of www.fold3.com (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.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The index to these records contains the following:


 * Jacket name
 * Soldier’s full name
 * Residence in city, county and state
 * Year(s) of service
 * Age (often estimated)
 * Military unit in which soldier served
 * Officers' names
 * Type of records in file
 * Links to additional records
 * NARA publication number, title, and roll number
 * Muster rolls
 * Returns
 * Rosters
 * Payrolls
 * Appointment books
 * Hospital registers
 * Union prison registers and rolls
 * Parole rolls
 * Inspection reports

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person
 * The age as a soldier

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?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information and to find additional information.

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

 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records
 * Search for church records

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

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Louisiana.
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies
 * Beginning United States Civil War Research
 * Locating a Confederate Civil War Soldier (1861–1865)
 * Louisiana Guided Research
 * Louisiana Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections

 * Louisiana Confederate Pensions

Related Digital Books

 * Roster of Confederate Soldiers Volume 1
 * Roster of Confederate Soldiers Volume 2
 * Roster of Confederate Soldiers Volume 3 Book 1
 * Roster of Confederate Soldiers Volume 3 Book 2

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.