Dakota Territory in the Civil War

Introduction
During the Civil War, the Dakota Territory contributed one battalion with two companies. The companies helped defend against Indian raids. The Dakota Territory became an organized territory on March 2, 1861. It included much of present-day Montana and Wyoming. The Dakota Territory was divided into the states of North Dakota and South Dakota on November 2, 1889. The United States War Department credited the Dakota Territory with supplying 206 white men to the Union Army.

Dakota Territory Military Unit

 * 1st Battalion, Dakota Cavalry (Union) Organized: Company A at Yanktown, Dakota Territory., April, 1862 and Company B at Sioux City, Iowa, March 31, 1863. Mustered out: Company A on May 9, 1865 and Company B on Nov. 15, 1865.

Index to Service Records
Index to service records of Union volunteers from the Dakota Territory (.

Compiled Military Service Records
The Compiled Service Records ($) (Fold3.com) for soldiers who served in organizations from the Dakota Territory 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.


 * United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office. DAKOTA TERRITORY 1st Battalion, Cavalry DELAWARE 1st Battalion, Cavalry Capt. Milligan's Independent Cavalry Capt. Ahl's Independent Battery, Heavy Artillery Capt. Nields' Independent Battery, Light Artillery 1st-9th Infantry. (Washington, District of Columbia : The National Archives, 1964),.

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.

The actual pension records are available only at the National Archives.

1890 Veterans Census Schedule
A special census was taken in 1890 of Union veterans of the Civil War (Family History Library ). The "Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War" (NARA M123) are available online for the states of North and South Dakota. The schedules list Union veterans and their widows living in North and South Dakota in 1890. An index to the 1890 returns has been published. For more information on the 1890 Veterans Schedules see Union Census Records.

Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic South Dakota Collection. South Dakota State Historical Society. 7 films