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

United States

What is in This Collection?
Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans who Served Between 1861 and 1900 on NARA microfilm publication T289 part of Record Group 15 Records of the Veterans Administration. The most of the index cards pertain veterans in the Civil War veterans. Other pension records included are for the of the Spanish-American conflict, Indian wars, the Philippine insurrection, and World War I. Index courtesy of Fold3. The pension files are located in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

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

Pension
 * 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 veteran
 * Death place of the veteran

Collection Content
Sample of indexed information:

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search you will need to know:
 * The full name of your ancestor
 * The approximate age and birth place of your ancestor
 * The state and county of residence for your ancestor
 * The approximate dates your ancestor served in the Civil War

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.

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

 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been seeking the pension
 * 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?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the United States.
 * 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)
 * Locating a Confederate Civil War Soldier (1861–1865)
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Known Issues With This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

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.