New York, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes records from 1861 to 1865.

The collection consists of Union service records of soldiers who served in the 1st New York Volunteer Engineers. The records include abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in the following original records:


 * Muster rolls
 * Returns
 * Rosters
 * Payrolls
 * Appointment books
 * Hospital registers
 * Union prison registers and rolls
 * Parole rolls
 * Inspection reports

For each military unit the service records are arranged alphabetically by the soldier's surname. The Military Unit field may also display the surname range (A-G) as found on the microfilm. This collection is a part of RG 94, Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s - 1917, and is National Archive Microfilm Publication M2004. Index courtesy of fold3 (previously Footnote.com).

Service records were kept for each soldier. Those records, or their abstracts, were compiled into individual files. Each envelope/jacket contains information and cross references to original records relating to the soldier.

This index was created to provide quick access to compiled service records. The information in this index is quite reliable. However, keep in mind that even though this index is very accurate it still may contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings or misinterpretations.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Service
 * Jacket name
 * Soldier’s full name
 * Rank, company and regiment
 * Year(s) of service
 * Age (often estimated)
 * Military unit in which he served
 * Remarks regarding transfers, reassignments and desertions
 * Type of records in file
 * NARA publication number, title, and roll number

Collection Content
Civil War service records are in individual files which usually include the following:


 * A jacket-envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served
 * A card (or cards) with abstracts of entries from original muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers, parole rolls, and inspection reports
 * The originals of any papers relating only to the particular soldier

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the solider
 * The regiment in which the soldier served

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
Use the located information found in the index (such as roll number and the unit served in) to locate your ancestors in the service records. 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. If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names. Keep in mind that even though these indexes are very accurate, they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

When you have located your ancestor’s service record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date
 * Use the age and location of the military unit to find the soldier’s family in census, church, and land records
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, check for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Consult the New York Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of New York.
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records
 * Beginning United States Civil War Research
 * Locating a Union Civil War Soldier (1861-1865)
 * New York Guided Research
 * New York Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step New York Research, 1880-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Town clerks' registers of men who served in the Civil War, ca. 1865-1867
 * Rolls of volunteers for Civil War, New York City, New York, 1863-1865

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865
 * United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Frederick Phisterer, New York in the war of the rebellion, 1861 to 1865 6 volumes, Albany, New York : J.B. Lyon Co. State Printers, 1912

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.