Colombia, Military Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Colombia, Registros Militares

Record Description
This collection includes the military service records of Colombia from 1809-1958. They are housed at the Archivo General de la Nación in Bogotá, Colombia.

Such records include veteran benefit files from the Thousand Days’ War (Guerra de los Mil Días), service records, register of military promotions, and military correspondence (despachos) from the Colombian Army, Navy, and National Guard.

The records are in Spanish; see the section "For Help Reading these Records" for access to translation helps.

For a list of records by document type and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Record Content
This record set may contain draft registrations, deployments, and pensions.

Draft registrations generally include:
 * Name and age of draftee
 * Birth date and place
 * Closest relation and residence
 * Date and place of registration

Deployments usually include:
 * Name of soldier
 * Regiment/battalion
 * Deployment date
 * Commanding Officer’s name
 * Specific duties

Military pensions were typically awarded to the spouse and/or children of a fallen soldier. Pension records generally include:
 * Name of person filing for pension (applicant)
 * Date and place of application
 * Name of deceased soldier
 * Applicant’s relationship to soldier
 * Date and place of marriage to soldier
 * Date and place of soldier’s death
 * Date and place of applicant’s birth
 * Applicant’s current residence
 * Number of soldier’s children still living at home
 * Names and ages of those children
 * Date and place of those children’s births
 * Transcriptions from baptism/birth, death/burial, and/or marriage records

How to Use the Record
As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

Then, when you've found you're ancestor, use these military records to find other records that will verify the information given; for example, birth/baptism, marriage, and death/burial records.

Search the Collection
To search by image: To browse the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select Browse through images on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type and Years" which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by index or image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several entries or images and compare the information about the individuals listed to your ancestors to make this determination.

When searching: As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Spanish. For help reading the records, see the following wiki articles:
 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * Colombia Language and Languages
 * Reading Spanish handwritten records
 * Script tutorial for Spanish

Tips to Keep in Mind
When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Continue to search the indexes and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the military.

Related Websites

 * Archivo General de la Nación Colombia Website is in Spanish.
 * La Guerra de los Mil Días Website is in Spanish.

Related Wiki Articles

 * Colombia Military Records
 * Colombia Genealogy
 * Colombia

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Keep track of records where you did not find information about your ancestor so you and others will not waste time looking through these records in the future.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation for This Collection
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