Union Regular Army in the Civil War

United States U.S. Military  U.S. Civil War  Union Regular Army in the Civil War



Introduction
The Union Regular Army was the permanent core of the army. During the Civil War, only about 3% of the army was made up of Regular Army troops. The other 97% was composed of militia and volunteer units organized by states. However, the state units were commanded by federal generals. The state units were called United States Volunteers (USV) to designate them from the Regular Army (USA). Names of regiments with U.S. are Regular Army. Names with states names were USV..

Union Regular Army Units
Most units were numbered, however, some were named. See the table below for lists of the regiments, battalions, batteries, and other units.

The information in the lists of Union Regular Army Units comes from the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors web site. That web site also can be searched by the name of a soldier.

Union Regular Army Units by Number or by Name Union Units 1st-19th 20th-44th A to Z Union Regular Army Units by Type of Unit Union Units Infantry Cavalry Artillery Other

Records

 * United States Army. Registers of Enlistments in the United States Army, 1798-1914. (Washington [District of Columbia] : National Archives. Central Plains Region, 1956). 81 microfilms. The . The films specifically for 1861-1865 are:


 * v. 54-55 A-K 1859-1863, FHL US/CAN Film 350333 v. 56-57 L-Z 1859-1863, FHL US/CAN Film 350334 v. 58-59 A-K 1864-1865, FHL US/CAN Film 350335 v. 60-61 L-Z 1864-1865, FHL US/CAN Film 350336


 * Online


 * (FamilySearch)


 * The "Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army..." by Francis B. Heitman lists Regular Army and volunteer officers from 1789 to 1903 in two volumes giving a brief history of the officers service and awards received. Casualties (including prisoners of war) from 1789 to 1902 are also listed as well as a chronological list of battles, actions, etc., in which troops of the Regular Army have participated.


 * Ness, George T. The Regular Army on the Eve of the Civil War. Baltimore, Maryland: Toomey Press, 1990. . Other libraries (WorldCat).


 * Newell, Clayton R. and Charles R. Shrader. Of Duty Well and Faithfully Done. A History of the Regular Army in the Civil War. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2011. Libraries with book (WorldCat)

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Florida in the Civil War' and 'United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865' (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States. War Department. Record and Pension Office. Compiled records showing service of military units in volunteer Union organizations. (Washington, District of Columbia : The National Archives, 1964)


 * Hewett, Janet B. The Roster of Union soldiers, 1861-1865.  (Wilmington, North Carolina : Broadfoot Pub. Co., c1997-2000)


 * Madison, Wis. : Federal Pub. Co., 1908. 8 v. The Union Army : a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65, records of the regiments in the Union Army, cyclopedia of battles, memoirs of commanders and sold. (Wilmington, North Carolina : Broadfoot Pub. Co., c1997-1998)