Vermont, Enrolled Militia Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The records are in good condition and are composed of the following groups of records:
 * Registers - Arranged by town, then grouped in rough alphabetical order by first letter of the last name
 * Personal War Sketches - Authored by the company historian and usually indexed
 * Record of burials
 * Certificates of appointment and commendation

The images in this collection are from the following Town Clerk or Town Treasurer offices:


 * Belvidere, Lamoille Co., 1863-67
 * Bolton, Chittenden Co., 1863
 * Cambridge, Lamoille Co., 1861-65
 * Charlotte, Chittenden Co., 1863-65
 * Essex, Chittenden Co., 1863-65
 * Fairfax, Franklin Co., 1861-67
 * Glastonbury, Bennington Co.,1861-66
 * Hinesburg, Chittenden Co., 1861-66
 * Huntington, Chittenden Co., ca. 1861-63
 * Johnson, Lamoille Co., 1863
 * Richford, Franklin Co., 1865
 * Richmond, Chittenden Co., 1863-64
 * Tinmouth, Rutland Co., 1861-64
 * Waltham, Addison Co., 1866-67
 * Waterville, Lamoillie Co., 1866
 * Westmore, Orleans Co., 1863-67
 * Winhall, Bennington Co., 1863
 * Woodford, Bennington Co., 1861-66

For additional town enrolled militia records see "FamilySearch Catalog" below.

On an annual basis, per the Act of 1844, listers in each town were to enroll every male liable to enrollment, between the ages of 18 and 45, who were not members of uniformed companies (for the time period of these records every male between 18 and 45 was to be listed). Duplicate copies of the enrollments were to be given to the town clerk who in turn would send one of the copies to the adjutant and inspector general. The records identify thousands of men from the state of Vermont who served in the military or who were eligible for service during the time period 1861-1867.

This collection contains militia records for the years 1861 through 1867.

The record was created to provide a list of those men in the state of Vermont who were eligible to serve in the military.

The records are fairly reliable; however, the records are only as accurate as the knowledge of the individual who provided the information and the accuracy of the individual who recorded it.

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

Registers
 * Name
 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Remarks. This section may contain any of the following:
 * Injuries, illnesses, disabilities and nature of disability
 * Death or burial date
 * Exemptions and nature of the exemption
 * Substitutes furnished and commutations paid
 * Change of residence and often name of new residence
 * Enrollment and discharge dates along with length of service
 * Service in US military
 * Color or Race
 * Salary paid
 * Military unit served in

Personal War Sketches
 * Name
 * Birth date
 * Birthplace
 * Mustering in date and place
 * Discharge date and place
 * Details of service such as:
 * companies served in
 * battles fought in
 * injuries sustained
 * Captures and confinements in prison
 * Rank and offices held
 * Pensions, bounties, and payments received
 * Death date and place
 * Burial date and place
 * Names of close relatives and/or friends
 * Photographs
 * Date war sketch was made
 * Author of sketch

Burials
 * Name
 * Rank
 * Company
 * Arm of service
 * Death date
 * Burial place
 * Remarks

Certificates
 * Name
 * Post number
 * Reason for certificate
 * Date

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Soldier's name
 * Identifying information such as age, occupation or birth place

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
 * Death dates may lead to death certificates, mortuary, or burial records
 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased, this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been seeking the pension
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for a different index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals with the same family number

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Vermont.
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records
 * Beginning United States Civil War Research
 * Locating a Union Civil War Soldier (1861-1865)
 * Vermont Guided Research
 * Vermont Record Finder
 * Vermont Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Vermont Research, 1880-Present

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Howard Coffin. Full duty : Vermonters in the Civil War. Woodstock, Vermont : Countryman Press, c1993. FS Library 974.3 M2ch
 * Vermont Genealogy St. Albans, Vermont : Genealogical Society of Vermont, c1996- FS Library 974.3 D25v
 * Lainhart, Ann Smith. Digging for genealogical treasure in New England town records Boston, Massachusetts : New England Historic Genealogical Society, c1996 FS Library 974 N2L
 * Addison Co, Addison, Enrolled militia, January, 1863
 * Addison Co, Addison, military record, 1855-1908 (Enrolled militia index, 1863-1866)
 * Addison Co., Weybridge, Militia, 1864-1865
 * Bennington Co., Pownal, Enrolled militia, 1862-1865
 * Chittenden Co., Colchester, Enrolled militia, 1863-1867
 * Orleans Co., Charleston, Enrolled militia, 1862-1866
 * Orange Co., Chelsea, Enrolled militia
 * Orleans Co, Holland, Militia, 1821-1834; Enrolled, 1863-1866
 * Rutland, Fair Haven, Enrolled militia, 1863
 * Rutland Co., Middleton Springs, Enrolled militia, 1862-1867
 * Rutland, Middletown Springs, v. about 1867
 * Rutland, Mount Tabor, Enrolled militia
 * Rutland, Tinmouth, Enrolled militia, 1821-1876
 * Rutland, Wells, n. d.
 * Windham Co., Athens, Enrolled militia, 1863

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865
 * United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934
 * United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * G.G. Benedict. 2 volumes. Vermont in the Civil War : a history of the part taken by the Vermont soldiers and sailors in the War for the Union, 1861-5. Burlington, Vt. : Free Press Association, 1886-1888

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.