Washington Military Records

The U.S. Military Records Research Outline provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.

Many of the federal military records you'll want to use are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Research Outline provides more information regarding the federal records. For Washington, the following sources are also very helpful:

Forts
Fort Billingham 1856-60

Fort Colville 1859

Fort Misqually

Fort Simcoe 1865-1859

Fort Spokane: Miles Washington built in 1812 by Pacific Fur Company, later used by the U.S. Army. Textual records of this fort, 1879-1899, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).

Fort Steilacoom 1849 -- Textual records of this fort, 1849-1868, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).

Fort Townsend 1856 -- Textual records of this fort, 1865-1895, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).

Fort Vancouver 1849 -- Textual records of this fort (also known as Vancouver Barracks), 1852-1919, including registers, reports, and correspondence, are in the National Archives and are described in Records of United States Army, Continental Commands, 1821-1920, under the section entitled Records of Posts, 1820-1940 (Record Group 393.7).

Civil War (1861-1865)
The Family History Library has the index to service records of Union volunteers from Washington Territory (FHL film 821948) and the federal index to pension applications. The actual service and pension records are available only at the National Archives. The library also has a copy of a special census taken in 1890 of Union veterans of the Civil War (FHL film 338267).

Indian Wars (1798-1914)
Muster rolls are available at the Washington State Archives. The National Archives and the Family History Library have the enlistment registers of soldiers who served in the regular army from 1798 to 1914 (81 FHL films beginning with 350307). Many of these soldiers served in the western states, including Washington, during the Indian Wars. The enlistment registers provide the soldier's rank, unit, commanders, physical description, occupation, and birth place. The records are arranged by year and by the first letter of the surname.

The Family History Library and the National Archives have an index to soldiers who applied for pensions as a result of service in the Indian Wars from 1817 to 1898 (FHL films 821610-21). The pension records are only available at the National Archives.

World War I (1917-1918)
World War I draft registration cards for men ages 18 to 45 may list address, birth date, birthplace, race, nationality, citizenship, and next of kin. Not all registrants served in the war. For registration cards for Washington, see:


 * United States. Selective Service System. Washington World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987-1988. (On FHL films beginning with 1991532.)

To find an individual's draft card, it helps to know his name and residence at the time of registration. The cards are arranged alphabetically by county, within the county by draft board, and then alphabetically by surname within each draft board.

Most counties had only one board; large cities had several. A map showing the boundaries of individual draft boards is available for most large cities. Finding an ancestor's street address in a city directory will help you in using the draft board map. There is an alphabetical list of cities that are on the map. For a copy of this map see:


 * United States. Selective Service System. List of World War One Draft Board Maps. Washington, D.C.: National Archives. (FHL film 1498803.)

Additional Military Records
Histories and rosters of soldiers of the Washington Militia and National Guard who served in the Indian Wars of the 1850s to the post-World War II era are in Virgil F. Field, Washington National Guard Pamphlet: The Official History of the Washington National Guard, Seven Volumes in three (Tacoma, Washington: Office of the Adjutant General, 1961; FHL book 979.7 M25w; film 1321447 item 1-3 vols. 1-7).

The Washington State Archives has other helpful records, including:


 * Records of residents of the State Soldiers Home and State Veterans Home up to the mid-1930s.
 * Applications and supporting papers submitted by Washington veterans of World Wars I and II for a state bonus. These often include information about the soldier's residence, occupation, relatives, age, place of birth, and enlistment.
 * National Guard Statements of Service cards for guardsmen who participated in World Wars I and II. These cards list the name of the serviceman, last residence, date and place of enlistment, date and place of birth, years of service, military organization attachment, rank, and engagements.

Web Sites
http://www.secstate.wa.gov/archives/

http://www.archives.gov/