United States, Civil War Confederate Applications for Pardons - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
The records cover the years 1865 to 1867.

Record Description
The collection consists of applications for pardons, 1865-1867, submitted to President Andrew Johnson by former Confederates excluded from the proclamation of May 29, 1865. The case files include affidavits, oaths of allegiance, recommendation for clemency, and other papers. This collection is part of RG 94, Records of the Adjutant General's Office,1780 - 1917, National Archives Microfilm Publication M1003. The index is courtesy of Fold3 (formerly Footnote).

During the Civil War, Federal officials recognized a need for new laws to deal with the rebellious acts of large parts of the Southern population. Congress passed acts on July 31, 1861 (12 Stat. 284), and July 17, 1862 (12 Stat. 589), that fixed penalties for the lesser crimes of "conspiracy" and "rebellion." The second act also provided for future pardon and amnesty "to any persons who may have participated in the existing rebellion . . . with such exceptions and at such time and on such conditions as he may deem expedient for the public welfare."

The first amnesty proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on December 8, 1863. It extended pardon to person taking an oath to support the Constitution and the Union and to abide by all Federal laws and proclamations in reference to slavery made during the period of the rebellion.

Citation for This Collection
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Record Content
The index includes the following information:


 * Petitioner Name
 * Date
 * Place or Residence
 * Fold3 (footnote) ID
 * NARA Roll Number

How to Use the Record
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 * The name of the person, including nicknames or alias names
 * The approximate date
 * The residence

Check the surname index
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Find the image
Search the records for the pages or images you listed while searching the index. Compare the information in the records to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information
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 * Use the name, date, and place or residence, to find the ancestor or family in census records.
 * Use the place or residence to locate church and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Remember to search for all known names including nicknames and aliases.
 * Compile the entries for all people who have the same surname as your ancestor, as they may be relatives.
 * Occupations or businesses may be leads to additional records such as bank or other military records.

Why the Record Was Created
The records were created to track those who applied for amnesty.

Record Reliability
The records are generally reliable.

Related Websites

 * Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons
 * Case Files of Applications From Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons Pamphlet Description M1003

Related Wiki Articles

 * Confederate Amnesty Records
 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
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A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in this Collection

 * United States, Civil War Confederate Applications for Pardon, 1865-1867" index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: ;accessed 30 September 2011).  entry for Edward B Fuller, Mississippi;  citing Civil War Records, NARA publication M1003, NARA roll 32; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, Orem, Utah, United States.