United States, Civil War and Later Pension Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
The bulk of index cards imaged on this publication refer to pension applications of veterans who served in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1865 (U.S. Civil War). Other pension records include those of the Spanish-American conflict, Indian wars, the Philippine insurrection, and the first year (1917) of U.S. involvement in World War I.

Record History
The index was produced to provide easier access to the full pension application files. These records cover about 40 percent of soldiers who served in the Civil War or their widows and minor children.

Why This Record Was Created
Pensions were issued to compensate Civil War veterans and their widows and minor children for their service.

Record Reliability
Pension applications are usually reliable, depending on the memory of the applicant and the records to which he had access.

Record Description
The index is handwritten on preprinted cards with one individual per card.

Record Content
The Civil War pension index includes the following genealogical information:


 * Name of the person claiming the pension
 * Service record of the soldier, including rank, company, and regiment
 * Enlistment date
 * Discharge date
 * Date pension was filed
 * Whether an invalid, widow, or minor
 * Application number
 * Certificate number
 * Additional service information, including company and regiment
 * Death date of the soldier
 * Death place of the soldier

How to Use the Record
Use the index to find pension applications of Civil War veterans and also veterans of the Indian wars, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine insurrection, and 1917 records of World War I.

Related Websites
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Related Wiki Articles
United States, Civil War 1861-1865, Union Pension Records

Sources of This Collection
"Civil War Pension Index Cards," database, FamilySearch; from the National Archives. "Organization index to pension files of veterans who served between 1861 and 1900-[1917]." National Archives, Washington, D.C. FHL microfilm, 765 reels. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

A full bibliographic record is available in the Family History Library Catalog.

How to Cite Your Sources
An example of citing these records is: National Archives, Washington D.C.. Index card. From FamilySearch Internet (www.familysearch.org), John W. Murphy, company/regiment B, 3, Maine, Infantry, 1907, NARA publication number T289.

Instructions for citing this source can be found at: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections