Louisiana in the Civil War

United States    U.S. Military     Louisiana      Louisiana Military      Louisiana in the Civil War



Introduction
Before the Civil War, Louisiana was a major slave state. In 1860, 47% of the population was in slavery. However Louisiana also had one of the largest free black populations in the United States.

On January 26, 1861, Louisiana seceded from the United States. However sections of the state were strongly Union, so the U.S. Congress made those parts a state and allowed it to have a governor and U.S. Congressmen.

Louisiana formed 265 military units for the Confederacy and 23 for the Union.

For additional information, see the Wikipedia article, Louisiana in the American Civil War.

Louisiana Military Units
Most units were numbered, however, some were named. See the table below for lists of the regiments, battalions, batteries, and other units.

The information in the lists of Louisiana Military Units comes from the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors web site. This web site also can be searched by the name of a soldier. Louisiana Units by Number or by Name  'Confed. Units' 1st-3rd 4th-22nd 23rd-36th A-E F-M N-Z

Union Units 1st-7th A to Z

Louisiana Units by Type of Unit  'Confed. Units' Infantry Cavalry Artillery <div style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; background-color: rgb(208,208,208); margin: 4px; padding-left: 5px; width: 60px; padding-right: 5px; float: left; height: 40px; padding-top: 5px">Reserves <div style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; background-color: rgb(208,208,208); margin: 4px; padding-left: 5px; width: 60px; padding-right: 5px; float: left; height: 40px; padding-top: 5px">Militia <div style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; background-color: rgb(208,208,208); margin: 4px; padding-left: 5px; width: 60px; padding-right: 5px; float: left; height: 40px; padding-top: 5px">Rangers <div style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; background-color: rgb(208,208,208); margin: 4px; padding-left: 5px; width: 60px; padding-right: 5px; float: left; height: 40px; padding-top: 5px">Other

<div style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; background-color: rgb(204,255,255); margin: 4px; padding-left: 5px; width: 60px; padding-right: 5px; float: left; height: 40px; color: black; padding-top: 5px">Union Units <div style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; background-color: rgb(204,255,255); margin: 4px; padding-left: 5px; width: 60px; padding-right: 5px; float: left; height: 40px; padding-top: 5px">Infantry <div style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; background-color: rgb(204,255,255); margin: 4px; padding-left: 5px; width: 60px; padding-right: 5px; float: left; height: 40px; padding-top: 5px">Cavalry <div style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; background-color: rgb(204,255,255); margin: 4px; padding-left: 5px; width: 60px; padding-right: 5px; float: left; height: 40px; padding-top: 5px">Colored Troops <div style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; background-color: rgb(204,255,255); margin: 4px; padding-left: 5px; width: 60px; padding-right: 5px; float: left; height: 40px; padding-top: 5px">Other

Sources and Resources
Louisiana soldiers served in both the Union and the Confederate armies. Indexes to the service records and the compiled Confederate service records are at the Family History Library. The service records for both armies are at the National Archives.

Service Records
Compiled Service Records - The Compiled Service Records ($) (Footnote.com) of Confederate soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Louisiana are available online. In the future, these records will be made available at no charge through the National Archives web site. The service records are also available at no charge at National Archives research rooms. The compiled service records consist of an envelope containing card abstracts taken from muster rolls, returns, pay vouchers, and other records. Service records may provide rank, unit, date of enlistment, length of service, age, place of birth, and date of death. For more information see Confederate Service Records.

Pension records
The Louisiana State Archives Library has posted an online Confederate pension index. The Family History Library collection holds an index to Confederate application records for pensions 1898-1944. (Family History Library) A record of pensioners 1889-1940 contains abstracted information and may include name, residence, company or regiment, date, place and nature of wound received, disability, where and when paroled or discharged, if discharged where remaining until surrender, cause of death of widow's husband, where and when died, date of granting pension, monthly amount, and date of application. (Family History Library ) The Family History Library collection also holds a group widows' applications, consisting mainly of letters concerning their applications dated 1912-1936. (Family History Library ). Copies of Confederate pension applications can be ordered from the Louisiana State Archives. Union army pensions are available at the National Archives.

In 1911 a special census was taken of Confederate veterans or their widows. The census is arranged alphabetically by parish and is onFamily History Library. The original census and similar records are at the New Orleans Public Library.

Service Records
Compiled Service Records - The Compiled Service Records ($) (Footnote.com) of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Louisiana are available online. In the future, these records will be made available at no charge through the National Archives web site. The service records are also available at no charge at National Archives research rooms. The compiled service records consist of an envelope containing card abstracts taken from muster rolls, returns, pay vouchers, and other records. Service records may provide rank, unit, date of enlistment, length of service, age, place of birth, and date of death. For more information see Union Service Records.

Pension Records
Civil War Pension Index Cards - An of veterans who served in the US Army between 1861-1917 is available on FamilySearch. Each card gives the soldier’s name, application and certificate numbers, state of enlistment, and might include rank and death information. The majority of the records are of Civil War veterans, but the collection also includes records for veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, the Indian Wars, and World War I. For more information see Union Pension Records.

Veteran Lists

 * Booth, Andrew B. Records of Louisiana Confederate Soldiers and Louisiana Confederate Commands. 3 vols. New Orleans, Louisiana: N.p., 1920. (Family History Library )


 * Bartlett, Napier. Military Record of Louisiana: Including Biographical and Historical Papers Relating to the Military Organizations of the State. 1875. Reprint. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. Other libraries with book.

Southern Claims Commission
If a Union sympathizer in Louisiana claimed a loss during the Civil War due to Union military confiscation, he could apply to the Southern Claims Commission for reimbursement. Only a few applied per parish, but their neighbors were called as witnesses and asked dozens of questions. Hundreds of the residents of all kinds in a parish may be mentioned in answers to Commission questions, and their wartime activities described. To learn how to find records mentioning these neighbors in Louisiana parishes during the Civil War see the Southern Claims Commission.