Wisconsin Military Records

Many military records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118) provides more information on federal military records and search strategies. Archives in Wisconsin with exceptional holdings include:

The Office of the Adjutant General has records pertaining to the National Guard in Wisconsin, primarily for the 1900s:

Office of the Adjutant General 115 East State Capitol Madison, WI 53702 Telephone: 608-266-1212 Fax: 608-267-8983 Internet: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=19&amp;prid=2625

State Historical Society. The Archives Division has copies of draft records, muster rolls, state militia rosters, pension claims, and other materials.

The Department of Veteran Affairs. This department has restricted records for World War I and later wars. It also has a file of grave registrations.

Department of Veteran Affairs 301 W. Mifflin Madison, WI 53703 Telephone: 1-800-947-8387 or 688-166-1311 Internet: http://dva.state.wi.us/

The following sources are also very helpful:

Revolutionary War (1775–1783)
White, Virgil D. Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files. 4 vols. Waynesboro, Tennessee: National Historical Publishing Co., 1990–1992. (FHL book 973 M28g.) Volume four is an every-name index to volumes one to three. These volumes contain detailed abstracts with names, dates, and places mentioned in the Revolutionary War Pension files.

Revolutionary War Veterans, 1775–1784, Buried in Wisconsin. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1975. This is a microfilm of a typescript. (FHL film 940199 item 9.) This lists 43 Revolutionary War soldiers and the states from which they came to Wisconsin.

See the United States Research Outline(30972), "Military Records" section, for several excellent DAR and SAR indexes, available at the Family History Library, to cemetery records of Revolutionary War soldiers.

War of 1812 (1812–1815)
White, Virgil D. Index to War of 1812 Pension Files. 2 vols. Waynesboro, Tennessee: National Historical Publishing Co., 1992. (FHL book 973 M22i 1992.)

If you do not have access to the above book, you will find the same information on the National Archives microfilms of the Index to War of 1812 Pension Application Files (FHL films 840421–500 and 847501–32). This lists the soldier's name and often the name of his wife.

Indian Wars (1815–1858)
White, Virgil D. Index to Volunteer Soldiers in Indian Wars and Disturbances, 1815–1858. 2 vols. Waynesboro, Tennessee: The National Historical Publishing Co., 1994. (FHL book 973 M22wiv.)

Mexican War (1846–1848)
You may wish to search records of soldiers and widows of the Mexican War, 1846–1848. For example, the following index is available:

White, Virgil D. Index to Mexican War Pension Files. Waynesboro, Tennessee: The National Historical Publishing Co., 1989. (FHL book 973 M22mw.)

Civil War (1861–1865)
The Family History Library and the National Archives have an index to service records of Union army volunteers, Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Wisconsin (FHL films 882486–518). The library also has the index to the pension files (FHL films 540757–1300), but the actual service and pension records are available only at the National Archives.

The following regimental muster and descriptive rolls made by the Adjutant General's Office are at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin and the Family History Library:

Wisconsin Adjutant General's Office. Military Records, 1861–1865. (FHL films 1311667-98.) These include such information as the soldier's name, rank, birthplace, age, and occupation. They are arranged by regiment, then company.

The Wisconsin Veteran's Museumhas a computerized index to Wisconsin Civil War soldiers' enlistments. This is for soldiers who served in Wisconsin regiments only. Please send a self-addressed stamped envelope with your request for a search.

Wisconsin Veteran's Museum 30 West Mifflin Street Madison, WI 53703 Telephone 608-267-1799 Internet: http://museum.dva.state.wi.us/

For Civil War veterans another source is:

Miljat, Leslie Elizabeth. Admission Applications, 1867–1872, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Northwestern Branch, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Wauwatosa, Wisconsin L. E. Miljat, 1991. (FHL book 977.595 M28m.) This lists Civil War soldiers from many parts of the country.

The applications contain family history information about each veteran, such as name of spouse, father, siblings, or children; Civil War unit; discharge or death date; and burial place. The Family History Library has the original applications and records of this home for the years, 1867–1934 (FHL films beginning with film 1561060.)

The censuses taken by the state in 1885, 1895, and 1905 included separate enumerations of soldiers residing in the state. The lists of soldiers were published in alphabetical order at the end of the statistical reports. For 1885, see FHL films 1032703-04. For 1895, see films 1032705-16. The 1905 lists are on 36 FHL films beginning with film 1020439. The 1885 lists were published in alphabetical order, at the end of Tabular Statements of the Census Enumeration (Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Co., 1886; FHL book 977.5 X2w; film 962237).

When the 1890 census was taken, a listing was made of Civil War soldiers and their widows. This has been indexed in:

Jackson, Ronald Vern. 1890 Wisconsin Veterans Census Index. Salt Lake City, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, Inc., 1988. (FHL book 977.5 X22w 1890.)

An important index available on microfilm is:

United States Veterans Administration. Pension Index File, Alphabetical; of the Veterans Administration. . . Washington, D.C.: Veterans Administration, Publications Service, 1953. (On 544 FHL films beginning with film 0540757.) To obtain copies of the actual pension files, you will want to write to the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Biographical sketches of soldiers are in Soldiers' and Citizens' Album of Biographical Record, 2 vols. (Chicago: Grand Army Pub., 1888, 1890; FHL book 977.5 D3s; vol. 1 is on film 928504 item 2; vol. 2 is on film 928508; vol. 2 is also on fiche 6051213).

A useful new book for tracing Civil War ancestors is:

Moore, Dennis R. Researching Your Civil War Ancestors in Wisconsin. Manitowoc, Wisconsin: Bivouac Publications, 1994. (FHL book 977.5 M27m.) This gives detailed listings of Civil War records available at the State Archives and explains what is included in each type of record.

For records of national old soldier homes including the home in Waupaca, Wisconsin, see:

United States. Veterans Administration. Registers of Veterans at National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866–1937. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1988. (On 282 FHL films.) Includes general indexes for each of the twelve homes, but some volumes are indexed separately. These Historical Registers may list the soldier's name, date and place of enlistment, rank, military unit, length of service, date and place of discharge, place of birth, age, physical description, religion, occupation, previous residence, marital status, nearest relative, pension, soldier home admission and discharge dates, disability, death date, or cause of death.

World War I (1917–1918)
A published roster of soldiers who died during the war, arranged by branch of service and by county, is John Goodby Gregory, ed., Wisconsin's Gold Star List: Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Nurses from the Badger State. . . . (Madison, Wisconsin: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1925; FHL film 1000801; film 924401 item 2; fiche 6051352).

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

United States. Selective Service System. Wisconsin, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987–1988. (On FHL films beginning with film 1685061.)

To find an individual's draft card, it helps to know his name and residence at the time of registration. The cards are arranged alphabetically by county, within the county by draft board, and then alphabetically by surname within each draft board.

Most counties had only one board; large cities had several. A map showing the boundaries of individual draft boards is available for most large cities. Finding an ancestor's street address in a city directory will help you in using the draft board map. For a copy of the map for Milwaukee, see:

United States. Selective Service System. List of World War One Draft Board Maps. Washington, D.C.: National Archives. (FHL film 1498803.)