Michigan Military Records

Many military records are at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The U.S. Military Records Research Outline provides more information on federal military records and search strategies. The following sources for Michigan are also helpful:

Forts
Fort Detroit

Fort Michilimackinac

Fort St. Joseph

Revolutionary War (1775 to 1783) to War of 1812 (1812 to 1814)
Thousands of veterans settled in Michigan. Genealogical and biographical data is in published militia rolls, pension papers, and gravestone records. An example is:

Miller, Alice Turner, comp. Soldiers of the War of 1812, Who Died in Michigan. Ithaca, Michigan: A.T. Miller, 1962. (FHL book 977.4 M23m; film 844961 item 3.) A supplement is also available.

Indian Wars to Mexican War (1832 to 1848)
A few records for the Black Hawk War (1832), Toledo War (1835), and Patriot War (1838–39) are at the Michigan State Archives. The Family History Library has:

United States. Adjutant General's Office. Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served from the State of Michigan for the Patriot War, 1838–1839. Washington, D.C.: The National Archives, 1965. (FHL film 882795.)

Michigan. Adjutant General's Office. Michigan Volunteers Descriptive Roll, First Regiment, 1847–1848. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1972. (FHL film 915345.) A descriptive muster roll of Mexican War volunteers.

Civil War (1861 to 1865)
An index to service and pension records is on film at the Family History Library and at the National Archives. The service and pension files have not been filmed and are only available at the National Archives.

Brief service records of Michigan soldiers have been published in:

Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War, 1861–1865. 46 vols. Kalamazoo, Michigan: Ihling Bros. &amp; Everard, 1905. (FHL book 977.4 M2r; on 4 films.) For an index of names listed in these volumes use:

Alphabetical General Index to Public Library Sets of 85,271 Names of Michigan Soldiers and Sailors Individual Records. Lansing, Michigan: Michigan Secretary of State, 1915. (FHL book 977.4 M22a; film 915948.)

The Family History Library has:

Michigan. Adjutant General's Office. Records of Michigan Volunteers Mustered into the Service of the United States, 1861–1866. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1973. (On 7 FHL films.) Includes index. Lists name, rank, enlistment date and place, and residence. The records are also at the Michigan State Archives.

The library also has 50 volumes of:

Michigan. Adjutant General's Office. Michigan Volunteers Descriptive Rolls, 1861–1866; Index to Michigan Volunteers, 1861–1865. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1972. (On 16 FHL films.) Indexes are on films 915346–47. Lists name, rank, enlistment date and place, physical description, and service record. Lists death date and place for some individuals.

A register of commissioned officers is given in:

Robertson, John. Michigan in the War, Revised. Lansing, Michigan: W.S. George, 1882. (FHL book 977.4 M25a; film 1015816 item 1 &amp; 982366 item 3; 1880 edition on film 1294017.) Alphabetical lists show officer's residence, enlistment date, regiment, promotions, and date mustered out.

After the Civil War, the Grand Army of the Republic Union veterans organization was formed. For 50 volumes of their records, see:

Grand Army of the Republic. Department of Michigan. Records of Posts and Index, 1876–1945. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1973, 1991. (On 90 FHL films.) Indexed. Shows name, age, birth state, residence, occupation, service dates, and discharge cause.

Spanish American War (1898)
Muster out rolls of Michigan volunteers are in:

Michigan. Adjutant General's Office. Michigan Volunteers, Spanish American War, 1898–1899. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1973. (On 5 FHL films.) Indexed. Lists name, enlistment date, by whom enlisted, and discharge date.

World War I (1914 to 1918)
World War I Card Index for Michigan. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1976. (FHL film 1001930–66.) Often has places of residence and parents' names. Appears to be drafted persons only.

World War I draft registration cards for men age 18 to 45 may list address, birth date, birthplace, race, nationality, citizenship, and next of kin. Not all registrants served in the war. For Michigan's registration cards, see:

United States. Selective Service System. Michigan, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987–1988. (On 217 FHL films.)

To find an individual's registration card, it helps to know his name and residence at the time of registration. The cards are arranged by county, then by draft board within the county, and then alphabetically by surname within each draft board. Most counties had only one board; large cities had more.

Additional Records
Many other kinds of military records—including state militia, national guard, and old soldier home records—can be found by looking under MICHIGAN - MILITARY RECORDS in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog.

Web Sites
http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~xander/michigan-records.htm

http://www.familymilitaryrecords.com/state.asp?state=MI

http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-18835_18895_20699-50997--,00.html