United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

Why Should I Look at This Collection?
After the French and Indian war ended 1773, the British Parliament imposed a series of taxes on their American colonies in an attempt to recover some of the cost of the war, to have the colonies pay for their own defense, and to assert authority over the colonies. The taxes were not well received by the colonists who felt that as they lacked representation in the Parliament, their rights as Englishmen were being violated the taxes were unlawful. The colonists attempted to gain representation in the British Parliament without success. When gaining representation failed each colony began to form their own parliaments or governments. These colonial government bodies would then overturn British laws that they felt were unlawful and created an undue burden. In response, Britain sent in more soldiers, and the colonies were occupied by a standing army. The already overburdened colonists were required to feed and clothe the army. This series of events lead to the outbreak of war on April 19, 1775. The colonists original aim was to restore their rights as Englishmen; however, by early 1776 the idea that the American Revolution was a bid for independence began to form and take root, and by July the Colonists had declared their independence from the rule of the British Empire.

In 1775, when war seemed like a possibility a congress was formed with delegates from all 13 original colonies. This congress, the Continental Congress, was a loose confederation of the colonies soon to become states. As part of their duties, the Continental Congress formed an army originally of enlisted men of short duration, but over the course of the war became a standing army of both enlisted men and conscripts, soldiers who were drafted into service. In addition to the Continental Army formed by the Congress, states, counties, and towns formed militias who fought and protected around their local area or for with the Continental Army. Revolutionary War records are record the enlistment or muster roles both the local militias and the Continental Army. They can also include information on leave, mustering out or separation from the army, and any pension or benefits received as part of service or upon separation from the army or the militia.

What is in This Collection?
United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775–1783 records are digital images of published state rosters of Revolutionary War soldiers from the states of Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia. For Massachusetts volumes 2 Bes-Byx, 9 Kab-Lsu, and 16 Tra-Whe, are not currently available in this publication.

The following is a complete bibliography for the published rosters included in this collection:
 * Revolutionary Soldiers in Alabama; being a list of names, compiled from authentic sources, of soldiers of the American Revolution, who resided in the state of Alabama. Thomas M. Owen, comp. Montgomery, Ala.: Brown Print. Co., 1911.
 * Record of service of Connecticut Men in the I. War of the Revolution, II. War of 1812, III. Mexican War. Adjutant General's Office, Henry P. Johnston. Hartford, Connecticut: Case, Lockwood & Brainard, 1889.
 * The Revolutionary Records of the State of Georgia. 3 volumes. By Allen D. Chandler. Atlanta [Georgia]: Franklin-Turner Co., 1908.
 * Authentic list of all land lottery grants made to veterans of the Revolutionary War by the state of Georgia. By Alex M. Hitz. Atlanta [Georgia]: Secretary of State, 1966.
 * Maryland Revolutionary Records. Data obtained from 3,050 pension claims and bounty land applications, including 1,000 marriages of Maryland soldiers and a list of 1,200 proved services of soldiers and patriots of other states. By Harry Wright Newman. Washington [District of Columbia]: H.W. Newman, 1938.
 * Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War. 17 volumes. By Secretary of the Commonwealth. Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Co., State Printers, 1896-1908.
 * The state of New Hampshire, rolls of the soldiers in the Revolutionary War, 1775, to May 1777. By Isaac Weare Hammond. Concord, New Hampshire: New Hampshire Historical Society, 1885.
 * The State of New Hampshire, rolls of the soldiers in the Revolutionary War, May 1777 to 1780. By Isaac Weare Hammond. Concord, New Hampshire: New Hampshire Historical Society, 1886.
 * Official Register of the Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War. Adjutant General's Office, William S. Stryker. Trenton, N.J. : Trenton: Wm. T. Nicholson and Co., 1872.
 * Muster and Pay Rolls of the War of the Revolution. Collections of the New York Historical Society. New York, New York: New York Historical Society, 1916.
 * New York in the Revolution as Colony and State and volume 2 New York in the revolution as Colony and State. New York Comptroller’s Office. 2 volumes. Albany, New York: J.B. Lyon Co., 1904.
 * Roster of the Soldiers from North Carolina in the American Revolution. Daughters of the American Revolution. [S.l.]: NCDAR, 1932.
 * Pennsylvania Archives. Fifth Series Volumes 2-8. By Thomas Lynch Montgomery. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Harrisburg Pub. Co., 1906.
 * Pennsylvania Archives. Sixth Series Volumes 1-2. By Thomas Lynch Montgomery. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Harrisburg Pub. Co., 1906.
 * Pennsylvania Archives. Second Series. Volumes 10-11, 13-15. John B. Linn and Wm H Egle, ed. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania : E.K. Meyers, 1876-1890, 1896.
 * The State of Vermont. Rolls of the Soldiers in the Revolutionary War, 1775 to 1783. John E. Goodrich comp. and ed. Rutland, Vermont : The Tuttle Company, 1904.
 * Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, 1775-1783. By John Hastings Gwathmey. Richmond [Virginia] : Dietz Press, 1938.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 3

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The soldier or sailor's full name
 * The state where your soldier or sailor resided

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find church and vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage and death records
 * Use the information found in the record to find land or probate records
 * Repeat this process with additional family member’s records to find more generations of the family

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

 * Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. You could browse through the original record collection at the [] which may help you find who you are looking for or provide additional leads
 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

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
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * United States Research Tips and Strategies

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * edited by Howard H. Peckham, ed. The Toll of independence : engagements & battle casualties of the American Revolution. Chicago, Illinois : University of Chicago Press, 1974. FHL 973 M2ti
 * Fred Anderson Berg. Encyclopedia of Continental Army Units.
 * Pierce's register : register of the certificates issued by John Pierce, Esquire, Paymaster General and Commissioner of Army accounts for the United States, to officers and soldiers of the Continental Army under act of July 4, 1783 ; seventeenth report of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution
 * Alexander Ray, compiled, Officers of the Continental Army who served to the end of the War and acquired the right to commutation pay and bounty land : also officers killed in battle or died in the service. Washington : J. and G. S. Gideon, printers, 1849.. FHL film 1550318 item 9; DGS 7957324
 * C. Rogers McLane, editor, American chaplains of the Revolution Louisville, Kentucky : National Society, Sons of the American Revolution, c1991 FHL 973 M2aco
 * Compiled service records of American Naval personnel and members of the departments of the Quartermaster General and the Commissary General of military stores who served during the Revolutionary War
 * Numbered record books concerning military operations and service, pay and settlement of accounts, and supplies in the War Department collection of Revolutionary War records
 * Miscellaneous numbered records (The Manuscript File) in the War Department collection of Revolutionary War records, 1775-1790's

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * United States Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783
 * United States Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Applications, 1800-1900
 * United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872
 * United States Revolutionary War Compiled Service Records, 1775-1783

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * James C. Neagles and Lila L. Neagles, Locating your Revolutionary War ancestor : a guide to the military records Logan, Utah : Everton Publishers, c1983
 * Mabel E. Deutrich, comp. Preliminary inventory of the War Department collection of Revolutionary War records : record group 93.Washington, D.C. : National Archives and Records Service, 1962
 * Robert K. Wright, Jr. The Continental Army Washington, D.C. : Center of Military History, U.S. Army, 1983
 * Francis B. Heitman. Historical register of officers of the Continental Army : during the War of the Revolution, April 1775 to December 1783. Washington, D.C. : The Rare Book Shop Pub. Co., Inc., c1914.
 * Saffell's Records of the Revolutionary War
 * J.M. Toner. The medical men of the revolution : with a brief history of the medical department of the continental army. Containing the names of nearly twelve hundred physicians. An address before the alumni association of Jefferson medical college, March 11, 1876.Philadelphia : Collins Printer, 1876.
 * Danske Bedinger Dandridge, American prisoners of the Revolution Charlottesville, Virginia : Michie Co., 1911''

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.

Estados Unidos, Listas de soldados y marineros de la Guerra Revolucionaria (Registros históricos de FamilySearch) Estados Unidos, Listas de Soldados e Marinheiros da Guerra Revolucionária (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)