Wyoming Military Records

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Online Resources
US Military Records Wiki article provides more information on Federal military records and search strategies.


 * Civil War Pensioners, Wyoming, 1883
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 * }U.S. Military Records provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.

Many of the federal military records are found at the National Archives, the Family History Library, and other federal and state archives. For Wyoming the following sources are also very helpful.

Forts
Fort Augur-- Established in 1869, Fort Augur was intended to protect the Bannock and Shoshoni Indians as well as the settlers in the mining district. Fort Augur's name changed to Camp Brown in 1870.

Baggs -- The remains of soldiers buried at Baggs military post were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery June 1909.

Fort Bonneville -- Fort Bonneville was never an official military post. It was established in 1832 as a trading post and rendevouz site for fur traders of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. It was located about three miles northwest of Daniel, Wyoming, where only a marker exists. The post was abandoned in 1839.

Fort Bridger -- Fort Bridger, located on the Black's Fork of the Green River, was established in 1842 by Jim Bridger. It was an important supply post for travelers on the Oregon Trail, the California Trail and the Mormon Trail. It's importance was basically terminated with the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869. It has been partially restored and preserved as an historic site. Textual records of this fort, 1859-1890, 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). The remains of soldiers buried at Fort Bridger were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery on May 29, 1891.

Fort John Buford -- The original name of Fort Sanders.

Fort Caspar -- In use as a small military post only from 1861 to 1867, the present site of Fort Caspar is a reconstructed fort, built in 1936, based on drawings created in 1863 by Lt. Caspar Collins, who was stationed at the original fort. The reconstructed Fort Caspar is operated by the City of Casper, Wyoming.

Fort Clay -- Also known as Camp Davis, Fort Clay was in use during 1855 and 1856 and located at the site of the present day Evansville, Wyoming, three miles east of Casper.

Fort Connor -- The original name of Fort Reno, it bore the name for only a few months in 1865.

Fort Fetterman-- Built in1867, Fort Fetterman was the last outpost on the Bozeman Trail. It was located 7 miles north of Douglas, Wyoming. Playing an important part in the Sioux uprising of 1876, the fort continued in service until 1886 when the railroad's completion to Douglas rendered it basically obsolete. The fort was partially restored in 1990 and now serves as a historic site. Textual records of this fort, 1867-1882, 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).The remains of soldiers buried at Fort Fetterman were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery on May 4, 1883.

Fort H. W. Halleck -- While this fort was active only during the years of 1862-1866, it was very busy. Fort Halleck was located on the north side of Elk Mountain, on a present-day ranch in Carbon County. Only one building remains, along with a marker identifying the location of the fort's cemetery. The remains of soldiers buried at Fort Halleck were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery in December 1878.

Independence Rock -- The remains of soldiers buried at Independence Rock military post were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery January 11, 1888.

Fort Phil Kearny -- Built as one of three forts to protect the Bozeman Trail from attacks by the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians in the 1860s, it was the scene of some of the bloodiest battles of that time. It was burned to the ground by Indians after it was abandoned in 1868. There is an interpretive center at the site near Story, Wyoming, administered by the State of Wyoming. Textual records of this fort, 1866-1868, 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).

LaBonte Post Office -- The remains of soldiers buried at LaBonte Post Office were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery May 26, 1896.

Fort Laramie -- Originally established as a private post in 1834, as Fort William, it was reconstructed in 1841 and named Fort John. In 1849 the fort was purchased by the U.S. Military and became an important protector and outfitting post for the trails west. It is now a National Historic Site administered by the National Parks Service. Textual records of this fort, 1850-1917, 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).The remains of soldiers buried at Fort Laramie were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery June 13, 1891.

Fort McKinney -- Originally called Cantonment Reno when founded in 1876, it was located on the Powder River. Relocated to a site near Buffalo, Wyoming in 1878, Fort McKinney was prominent in keeping the peace between the early settlers and the Sioux and Cheyenne. It also played a part in the Johnson County War of 1892. The fort was closed in 1894 and today is the site of the Wyoming Soldiers and Sailors Home. Three of its buildings still stand. Textual records of this fort, 1876-1894, 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 Nonsense -- This mocking nick-name was applied by U.S. forts to Fort Bonneville.

Old South Pass -- The remains of soldiers buried at Old South Pass military post were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery March 16, 1907.

Fort Reno -- Established in 1865 as Fort Connor, it was renamed later that year to Fort Reno. It was abandoned in 1868 and was burned to the ground, likely by Cheyenne Indians. It was visited and used by General Crook in 1876. The site is about 12 miles northeast of Sussex, Wyoming and is marked by several markers, although nothing is left of the fort itself.

Fort D.A. Russell -- Established in 1867 at a site near present-day Cheyenne, Fort Russell became the headquarters for the U.S. Cavalry. In 1919, an airfield was opened there and in 1930 the post was renamed Fort Francis E. Warren and is currently an Air Force base. Textual records of this fort, 1867-1909, 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 Sanders -- Established in 1866 to protect the Overland Trail, the importance of Fort Sanders was diminished in 1868 with the completion of Fort D. A. Russell. The buildings were sold in 1882. All that remains is a marker just south of Laramie. Textual records of this fort, 1866-1882, 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). The remains of soldiers buried at Fort Sanders were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery on May 4, 1883.

Fort Stambaugh -- Established in 1870 to protect miners going to the Wind River country, it was located near the present South Pass City in Wyoming, where only a marker commemorates its existence. It was abandoned in 1878. Textual records of this fort, 1870-1878, 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 Fred Steele -- Established in 1868 to provide protection for the Union Pacific Railroad, Fort Steele was located about 1 mile north of present-day I-80 about 7 miles east of Sinclair, Wyoming at a site administered by the State of Wyoming. The fort was deactivated in 1886. Textual records of this fort, 1868-1883, 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).The remains of soldiers buried at Fort Steele were relocated to Fort McPherson National Cemetery on April 8, 1892.

Fort Supply -- A Mormon outpost used to resupply emigrants traveling to the Salt Lake Valley during the years of 1853-1857, it was located about ten miles south of Fort Bridger. Only a marked identifies the site today. It was burned by the Mormons in 1857 in advance of Johnston's Army coming to Utah during the "Mormon War."

Camp Walbach -- Textual records of this fort, 1858-1859, 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 Francis E. Warren -- In 1930, what was then known as Fort David A. Russell was renamed Fort Francis E. Warren. It currently is an Air Force Base located just west of Cheyenne.

Fort Washakie -- Originally built in 1869 as Camp Brown to serve as a sub-post to Fort Bridger, it was officially renamed Fort Washakie in 1878. It served as a military post until 1909 and was transferred to the Wind River Indian Reservation in 1913. It is located about 17 miles northwest of Lander, Wyoming in U.S. Highway 287. Textual records of this fort, 1869-1909, 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 Yellowstone -- The U.S. Army was assigned to Yellowstone Park in 1886 to protect it from poachers and vandals. The fort was built in 1891 to provide more permanent quarters and served in that capacity until 1918 when the newly formed National Park Service assumed responsibility for the park. The fort continues its service as the Park Headquarters.

References

Encyclopedia of Indian Wars Western Bbattles and Skirmishes, 1850-1890 By Gregory F. Michno. Mountain Press Publishing Co. Missoula, Mt. C. 2003. ISBN 0-87842-468-7

Mexican War (1846-1848)
The Mexican War was triggered by the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845. Most volunteer regiments were from southern states. Records of Mexican War veterans might exist in a state where the veteran later resided.


 * Mexican War Index to Pension Files, 1887–1926. (NARA T317) can be found on Family History Library Film Numbers 537000 through 537013. The records are alphabetically arranged and include the veteran’s name, rank, and unit; names of dependents; date of filing and application; certificate numbers; act filed under; and state from which application was made. Also available at:


 * (FamilySearch) Search this free digital copy online. (Learn more.)


 * Robarts, William Hugh. Mexican War Veterans : A Complete Roster of the Regular and Volunteer Troops in the War Between the United States and Mexico, from 1846-1848… Washington, D.C. : Brentano’s, 1887. Digital version available at Internet Archive.

Click on these links to learn more about the Mexican War and about Mexican War pension records.

Civil War (1861 to 1865)
See Wyoming in the Civil War for information about the records in the Territories that would become Wyoming. It may include Civil War records, websites, etc. with links to articles about the regiments involved in the Civil War.

The regimental pages often include lists of the companies with links to the counties where the companies started. Men in the companies often lived in the counties where the companies were raised. Knowing a county can help when researching more about the soldiers and their families.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System allows name searching for soldiers. The result set gives the regiments for the soldiers. Then you can check the Wiki regiment pages to determine counties. Often knowing the counties that had men in a regiment will help you determine if a soldier was your ancestor.

The Family History Library catlog list records of the Wyoming Grand Army of the Republic and Sons of Union Veterans

Indian Wars (1780s-1890s)
Enlistment registers are available for soldiers who served in the regular army from 1798 to 1914. Many of these soldiers served in the western states, including Wyoming, during the Indian wars. The enlistment registers provide the soldiers' rank, unit, commanders, physical description, occupation, and birthplace. The records are arranged by year and by the first letter of the surname (Family History Library films —).

An online searchable index is available for soldiers who applied for pensions between 1892-1926, as a result of service in the Indian Wars which were fought between 1817 and 1898 (Family History Library films ). The pension records are only available at the National Archives.

Historical accounts of the forts and posts in Wyoming are in Robert A. Murray, Military Posts of Wyoming (Ft. Collins, Colorado: Old Army Press, 1974).

Spanish-American War (1898)
The Spanish-American War was largely fought in Cuba and the Philippines. Spanish-American War records might exist in the state from which the soldier served or in a state where the veteran later resided.

Indexes


 * (NARA T288). (FamilySearch) Free digital copy online. The index covers veterans of the Civil War, Spanish‑American War, Philippine Insurrection, Boxer Rebellion (1900 to 1901), and the regular Army, Navy, and Marine forces. (Learn more.)


 * (FamilySearch) Free digital copy online. (Learn more.)

An online searchable published roster of soldiers is in volume one of Ichabod S. Bartlett, Editor, History of Wyoming, Three Volumes. (Chicago, Illinois: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1918; Family History Library film ).

Learn more about the Spanish American War.

World War I (1917-1918)
World War I was a global war fought on multiple continents with several nations involved. Over four million men and women served from the United States.


 * United States. Selective Service System. Wyoming, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987-1988. (Family History Library films beginning with ) Also available at:


 * at FamilySearch — index and images — free


 * at FamilySearch — index and images

See WWI Draft Records for more information.


 * A published roster of Wyoming soldiers is in volume three of W. M. Haulsee, et al., Soldiers of the Great War, Three Volumes. (Washington, D.C.: Soldiers Record Publishing Association, 1920; Family History Library fiche 6051244). The Wyoming State Archives has files for men killed during the war.

World War II (1941-1945)
On April 27, 1942, the Selective Service conducted the fourth of six draft registrations related to WWII. The "World War II Selective Service Draft Cards: Fourth Registration, 1942" is often referred to as the “Old Man’s Registration” or the “Old Man’s Draft" because it included men with a date of birth from April 28, 1877 to February 16, 1897. Since there is overlap in the WWI and WWII Selective Service registration, men born in the years 1877 to 1900 may have registered twice and have both WWII and WWI draft records.


 * (FamilySearch) - free
 * (images with partial index) (FamilySearch) - free


 * Also available at:


 * Ancestry ($)
 * Fold3 ($).

World War II United States Military Records provides additional information.

Korean War (1950–1953)
The Korean War was a conflict between North Korea (and its communist allies) and South Korea (with support of the United Nations, primarily the United States). See the Korean War wiki article for information on records and their availability.

Vietnam War (1964–1972)
The Vietnam War was a conflict between North Vietnam (and its communist allies) and South Vietnam (with support of its anti-communist allies, including the United States). See the Vietnam War wiki article for information on records and their availability.

Additional Military Records
Modern discharge records are kept by each county. The Family History Library has copies of these records from a few counties. The records include the individual's date and place of birth, induction and discharge dates, and address after discharge.

The Wyoming State Archives has records of the Wyoming National Guard.

Web Sites

 * http://wyoarchives.state.wy.us/
 * Nationwide gravesite locator for veterans
 * U.S. Army Frontier Posts in Wyoming
 * American Wars
 * New Horizons Genealogy