United States, Mexican War Index and Service Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of a name index to the compiled military service records (M616) for the Mexican War and compiled service records for the states of Mississippi, (M863), Pennsylvania (M1028), Tennessee (M638), Texas (M278) and Mormon Battalion (Iowa) (M351). The records are a part of RG 94 Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780s-1917.

Record Content
Most of the service records include the following information:


 * Name of soldier
 * Name and class of dependent
 * Rank and unit in which served
 * State from which served
 * Date of filing
 * Application number
 * Certificate number
 * Type of records in file
 * NARA publication number, title, and roll number

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * Name of the soldier
 * Other identifying information such as age, birth date and place, military unit, or enlistment place

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

Search the Collection
To search by index: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the "Document Type" ⇒ Select the "Surname Range or Military Unit and Surname Range" this will take you to the images.

Search the collection by 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 images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

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.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Make a photocopy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. For example:


 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the age and location of the military unit to find the soldier’s family in census, church, and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.
 * 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 index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search the records of nearby military units.

Related Websites

 * National Archives Access to Military Service and Pension Records
 * Family Link Military Records Search
 * Mexican War Veteran Research

Related Wiki Articles
United States Military Records

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information (often called citing your sources). This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection citation:

Image citation: