Illinois Territory in the War of 1812

United States   War of 1812    Illinois Military    Illinois Territory in the War of 1812



Introduction
During the War of 1812, the Illinois Territory furnished 1,303 infantry men, 1,005 cavalry men, and 49 men in miscellaneous troops for a total of 2,357.

Explanation of the Major Record Types

 * Pearson, Thomas A., comp. Genealogical Records of the War of 1812: an Introduction and Selected Bibliography of Materials in the Collection of St. Louis Public Library. (St. Louis, Missouri: St. Louis Public Library, July 2004).

State Records

 * The Illinois Secretary of State web site provides a searchable Illinois Veterans of the War of 1812 database.

Bounty Land
An index for War of 1812 bounty land warrants for land located in Illinois is:

United States. General Land Office. Federal Land Records: 'Transcripts of the Locations of Military Warrants on Which Patents Have [Been] Issued Under the Acts of Congress Passed On and Since the Sixth of May, 1812 for Illinois; 1817–1819.' Springfield, Illinois: Office of the Secretary of State, Record Management Division, 1966, 1968. The warrant numbers given in the index refer to:


 * Bounty land in Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri was issued to soldiers who served in the War of 1812. Copies of the bounty land warrants are on 14 films at the Family History Library. The names of Illinois patentees are indexed in "War of 1812, military bounty land warrants, 1815-1858" (NARA M848) (Worldcat). The records provide the name of the soldier and his rank, unit, date of warrant, and the date the land was located.


 * War of 1812 Bounty Lands in Illinois. 1840. Reprint, Thomson, Illinois: Heritage House, 1977; originally published, as House Document 262, 26th Congress, 1st Session, 1840.

Service Records

 * Delap, Fred, comp. Illinois War of 1812 Veterans. (Free). Includes index of Illinois militiamen listed on War of 1812 muster rolls, originally published in Adjutant General's 1882 report. Digital images available in Illinois State Archives.


 * General Society of the War of 1812. The Constitution and Register of Membership of the General Society of the War of 1812 to October 1, 1899], (Philadelphia Pennsylvania: Dewey &amp; Eakens, Makers (1899). This contains registers for eight states and District of Columbia. Descendant Members of the Illinois Society identifies veteran and veteran ancestor by name, his rank, unit in which he served, dates of service, etc., page 179. Family Search..


 * Ancestry. War of 1812 Service Records .($). Database gives name, company, rank at time of induction and at time of discharge of  men mustered into the armed forces between 1812 and 1825. (Accessed 11 May 2012).

Pension Records
A soldier may have been recorded in state records (see below) or in federal records (see US War of 1812 Pension Records).


 * Access Genealogy. Illinois. 1883 Federal Pension Roll by County, A Few 1812 Names . (Free). (Digital version hosted by USGenWeb Archives War of 1812 Project). (Accessed 11 May 2012).


 * Fold3. Illinois War of 1812 Pension Files . (Free). Alphabetical by surname. Shows entire pension file for those digitized. Incomplete as of 1 June 2012.

Roll of Honor

 * Delap, Fred, comp. Index to the 1929 Illinois Roll of Honor . (Free).  Digital images available in Illinois State Archives. Includes War of 1812 veterans. Searchable by name.

Societies

 * Illinois War of 1812 becentennial 2009-2010. Illinois War of 1812 Bicentennnial Commission features brief history of Illinois involvement, selective militia roster, links to war of 1812 websites of other states, and commemorative events. (Accessed 13 June 2012).

Important National and International Sources

 * United States in the War of 1812 has lists of records, books, etc. for the United States, not just one state. The federal records are listed here rather than on each state page. Two of the most important are:


 * FamilySearch Historical Records Collection On line Database:


 * FamilySearch Historical Records Collection On line Database:


 * War of 1812, 1812 to 1815 has lists of general books and documentaries, as well as a list battles with links to web sites about the battles, and other information not tied to one country.