Revolutionary War, 1775 to 1783

Portal:United States Military Records

Research a Revolutionary War Ancestor (Daughters of the American Revolution suggestions for research)

The Revolutionary War began with the confrontation between British troops and local militia at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, on 19 April 1775. Throughout the war, state troops and local militias supplemented the Continental (Federal) Army. The total number of men who served is not known.

The original service records and the earliest pension records of the Revolutionary War were destroyed in fires in 1800 and 1814. Different information can be found in the various types of military records. Substitute records were used to make the compiled service records. These records are in Record Group 93 at the National Archives. A description of the holdings for this record group is:


 * Beutrich, Mabel E., and Howard N. Wehmann. War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records. Revised edition. PI 144. Washington, D.C.: 1970.

Service Records
Service records document an individual’s involvement with the military. Specific records could include enlistment or compiled service records. Often these records provide your ancestor’s unit or organization. This information makes it easier to search the pension records. Service records seldom provide information about other members of a soldier’s family.

For further information about service records see Service Records

For further information about available records see Revolutionary War Service Records

Pension Records and Bounty Land Warrants
The first pension law in 1776 granted half-pay for life to soldiers disabled in the service and unable to earn a living. The first pension law based on service was passed in 1818, but it was later amended to make eligible only those soldiers unable to earn a living. The pension act of 1832 allowed pensions again based on service and made widows of veterans also eligible to receive pension benefits. Fires in 1800 destroyed the earliest Revolutionary War pension application records. As a result, pension application papers on file at the National Archives begin after 1800. Certain pension records predating 1800 survive in the form of Congressional reports and other legislation. Reports available are arranged by state; they give name, rank, regiment, description of wounds, and disability; they also give information regarding pension, place of residence, and physical fitness. (FHL film 0944495.)

See more general information about Bounty Land Warrants.

See more infomation about available records for Bounty Land Warrants and Pension Records.

Unit Histories
Knowing the history of your ancestor’s military unit can help you find a place of residence at the time of enlistment or help you find a death place. The following sources are helpful in identifying Revolutionary War regiments:


 * Berg, Fred Anderson. Encyclopedia of Continental Army Units, Battalions, Regiments, and Independent Corps. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books, 1972. (FHL book 973 M2be.) Provides a brief organizational sketch of each unit in the Continental Army and lists the commanding officers.
 * Wright, Robert K. The Continental Army. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army, 1983. (FHL book 973 M2wr.) Includes extensive bibliographies, maps, and brief histories of every permanent unit in the Continental Army.

Census Records
The 1840 Federal Census requested information on all surviving Revolutionary War veterans. If your ancestor is of the right age to possibly have served in the Revolutionary War, and he was still living in 1840, check the 1840 census to see if he was marked as being a Revolutionary War veteran.

The following source lists living pensioners of the Revolutionary War and other military service:


 * Federal Population Decennial Census Schedule: Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. National Archives Microfilm Publication M704. (FHL 580 films.)

These names are published in the following:


 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Service. . . . 1841. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1967. (FHL book 973 X2pc 1967; film 816370; fiche 6046771.) It lists the name, age, and residence of the pensioner and the name of the head of household with whom the pensioner lived.

The following is an index to the above source:


 * The Genealogical Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A General Index to a Census of Pensioners For Revolutionary or Military Service. 1840. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1965. (FHL book 973 X2pc index 1965; film 0899835; fiche 6046771.) The index lists alphabetically both the veteran and the head of the family with whom the pensioner resided. Names with asterisks are heads of families. Page numbers refer to the published list.

Cemetery Records
Cemetery records can aid in locating information about a Revolutionary War ancestor. Societies such as the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution have compiled lists and indexes of known Revolutionary War soldiers. State organizattions and local histories often make note of Revolutionary War veterans buried in their locality. For more information on these records see Revolutionary War Cemetery Records.

Veterans’ and Lineage Society Records
The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This society was organized in 1890. The following DAR sources are helpful to researchers:


 * DAR Patriot Index. Three volumes. Washington, D.C.: National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 2003 (FHL 973 C42da 2003.) An alphabetical list of over 100,000 patriots whose service has been established by the Daughters of the American Revolution between October 1890 and October 2003. The information was compiled from extracted data of membership applications and other sources.
 * DAR Patriot Index. An Index to the Spouses of the DAR Patriots. Volume 3. Washington, D.C.: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, 1986. (FHL book 973 C42da V.3.) An alphabetical list of the wives of patriots named in the first two volumes of the 1986 edition of the Patriot Index.
 * Lineage Books. . . . 166 Volumes. Washington, D.C.: DAR, 1895–1939. (FHL book 973 D2d; fiche 6051226.) Compiled lineages taken from membership applications with national numbers between 1 and 166,000.

An index to these is:


 * Index of the Rolls of Honor in the Lineage Books. . . . Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1988. (FHL book 973 D2d index; fiche 6051293, 1980 edition.) Contains the name of the soldier and the volume and page number of the lineage book where the soldier’s information can be located.

Copies of membership applications can be obtained for a fee from the national headquarters:

National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution 1776 D Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006 Telephone: 202-628-1776 Fax: 202-879-3252 Internet: www.dar.org

This web site links to information about headquarters buildings, membership requirements, work of the society, state chapters, overseas units, their genealogy library (including an online library catalog search), museum, and news.

National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. This society was organized in 1889. For this society, the Family History Library has the following:


 * SAR Membership Information, 1776–1996

You can also obtain microfilm numbers for the above sources using the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under

UNITED STATES - SOCIETIES

The society’s address is:

National Society, Sons of the American Revolution 1000 South Fourth Street Louisville, KY 40203 Telephone: 502-589-1776 Internet: www.sar.org

This web site has information about the society’s patriotic, historical, and educational efforts, links to state chapter web sites, and their online genealogical library catalog search.

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution published in 1998 a Patriot Index on compact disc with over 450,000 records. The 1999 edition will contain an additional 140,000 records.

The Society of the Cincinnati was organized in 1783 by officers of the Continental Army. Hereditary membership is through the eldest male and his posterity. Published lists of society members include:


 * Thomas, William Sturgis. Members of the Society of the Cincinnati. Original, Hereditary and Honorary: with a Brief Account of the Society’s History and Aims. New York, New York: Tobias A. Wright. 1929. ( FHL book 973 C4sct.) Lists original hereditary and honorary members in the United States, with a separate list for members in France. Includes name, rank, whether or not an original member, and state society of the member.
 * Metcalf, Bryce. Original Members and Other Officers Eligible to the Society of the Cincinnati, 1783–1938. Strasburg, Virginia: Shenandoah Publishing House, Incorporated, 1938. (FHL book 973 C44mb.) A list of original members and the years they served in the society. It lists their descendants eligible for the society and includes rules of eligibility and admission and officers of state societies.

The society’s address is:

Society of the Cincinnati 2118 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20008-2810 Telephone: 202-785-2040 Internet: http://www.hereditary.us/cin_history.htm

Cincinnati Fourteen is the Society’s newsletter (FHL book 975.3 C45.)

Daughters of the Cincinnati was established in 1894 by female descendants of Revolutionary War officers. The society’s address is:

Daughters of the Cincinnati 122 East 58th Street New York, NY 10022 Telephone: 212-319-6915 Internet: http://www.foundationcenter.org/grantmaker/cincinnati/

The following sources are available at the Family History Library:


 * Ancestor index file, A–Z. (FHL film 0915852.) Index lists ancestor’s name, regiment and rank, with name of applicant.
 * Eligible ancestors index, A–Z. (FHL film 0915853 item 1.)
 * Membership list and ancestors roster. (FHL film 0915853 item 2.)
 * Application packets. (FHL film 0915854–67.)

For details about records of American Loyalists (United Empire Loyalists), see the Canada Research Outline. For records of German mercenary troops known as “Hessians,” many of whom settled in the United States, see the Germany Research Outline. For records of British forces who served in the American Revolution, see the England Research Outline, the Ireland Research Outline, and the Scotland Research Outline. For records of French forces who fought as United States allies, see the France Research Outline.

Loyalists
An estimated one-third of the people of the American colonies remained loyal to Great Britain during the Revolutionary War. As many as 50,000 fled their homes and moved to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and England. Records of these individuals include name lists, muster rolls, and histories. Many filed claims and petitions to the British government for compensation for losses of real and personal property.

To find records of Loyalists: • Do a Subject Search in the Family History Library Catalog for: - AMERICAN LOYALISTS - UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS

• Do a Place Search in the Family History Library Catalog for: - Place where ancestor lived - On the Topic List, choose: -- MINORITIES -- HISTORY -- Other subject headings which look feasible

• See the Wiki articles for the states and provinces where your Loyalist ancestor lived. The outlines often list published works concerning Loyalists of that state.

• Write to: - The National Archives of Canada (395 Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A ON3) - The Archives of Ontario (77 Grenville Street, Queens Park, Toronto, ON, Canada M7A 2R9)

• An excellent guide to information on Loyalists is A Bibliography of Loyalist Source Material in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. (FHL book 973 F23bL.)

Information from: Family History Library Consultants. Q &amp; A, LAD Database, RELEASE 4.1, Jan. 2004 MJM.

Minorities
Many people of different races were involved in the Revolutionary War. The following sources may be helpful:

Original Colonies
The original 13 colonies were:

Connecticut                                                                               Delaware

Georgia

Maryland

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Virginia

Two other American colonies existed, but they decided to stay loyal to the King. They were: Upper Canada (now Ontario) Lower Canada (now Quebec)

These 2 colonies became Canada. Many Loyalists went from the other thirteen colonies and settled in the Canadian colonies during and after the Revolution.

Information from: Family History Library Consultants. LAD Database, RELEASE 4.1, Jan. 2003 4 MJM

Other Websites
The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) have gathered and preserved many records and many lineages related to people who served in the Revolutionary War:


 * http://www.dar.org/natsociety/pi_lookup.cfm is the site for Patriot Index Lookup Service.
 * http://www.dar.org/library/onlinlib.cfm is the DAR library site and online catalog.
 * http://grc.dar.org/dar/darnet/grc/grc.cfm?Action=overview   Some of the Genealogical Records Committee Reports of the DAR is searchable online in the GRC National Index. Not all states have been indexed yet, but presently the online index contains more than 18 million names and is continually growing. Once names of interest have been found in the index, you can order copies of the pages from the DAR Library’s Search Service.
 * www.colonialhall.com This site has biographies of the founding fathers and the signers of the Declaration of Independence and some of their wives.
 * http://genealogy.about.com/cs/revolution/ht/Military_Record.htm Article on how to get copies of your Revolutionary War patriot's military records.
 * http://www.archives.gov/ Site of the National Archives and Records Administration and home to many military records.
 * http://www.rootsweb.com/~ars/index.htm These pages contain the email and/or URL addresses of descendants or persons who can give you some background on the revolutionary soldier that is listed with each email address.
 * http://www.dar.org/natsociety/pi_lookup.cfm is the site for Patriot Index Lookup Service where you can find your ancestor in the DAR archives.
 * www.heritagequestonline.com Search selected records from the Revolutionary war era pension and bounty land warrant application files. ($)