New Hampshire Military Records

Military records identify millions of individuals who served in the military or who were eligible for service. Evidence that an ancestor actually served may be found in family traditions, census records, naturalization records, biographies, cemetery records, and records of veterans’ organizations. In addition to his record of military service, military records can give birth, marriage, and death dates, names of spouse and children, and localities of residence.

Early military records are generally known as militia records, and many of these can be found in the individual town records. These include muster rolls and payrolls and may list the battles fought. There is a comprehensive listing of federal military records available in the National Archives and other federal archives. For information on these records, consult the United States Research Outline (30972). The U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118) provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.

For a military history of New Hampshire, see:

Potter, Chandler Eastman. The Military History of the State of New Hampshire. Concord, N.H.: McFarland &amp; Jenks, 1866. (FHL film 1033664; fiche 6046858.) This history comprises events from the first settlements in New Hampshire to the rebellion in 1861. It includes biographical notices of many of the officers and explanatory notes.

Colonial Military Records (1600s–1775)
New Hampshire Provincial and State Papers, 40 vols. (See "Court Records" in this outline for the full citation. FHL book 974.2 N2nhp, vols. 5, 6, 14, 16.) French and Indian War records (1754–1763) can be found in volume 5, film 1033735; volume 6, film 1033736; volume 14, film 983564; volume 16, film 983565. These volumes each have a name index.

Indian and French Wars and Revolutionary Papers. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1975. (FHL films 983571–72.) These papers comprise four volumes of records and papers. The index to the papers is in volume one, and the papers are found in volumes 1–4.

Revolutionary War (1775–1783)
If a person supported the Revolution, he may be mentioned in records as a rebel, patriot, or Whig. Those who opposed the Revolution were loyalists or Tories.

Patriots. Service and pension records and indexes for patriots are available on film at the National Archives and the Family History Library. See the U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118) for these sources. Sources including information specifically about New Hampshire soldiers are:

United States. War Department. Revolutionary War Rolls 1775–1783. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0246. Washington D.C.: National Archives, 1957. (On 138 FHL films beginning with 830280.) These films contain the jackets (compilation of records) for each soldier. The index for all years is on film 830280. The films listing the jacket numbers of the records are arranged by state. New Hampshire records are found on films 830822–33.

New Hampshire Provincial and State Papers, 40 vols. (See the "Court Records" section of this outline for the full citation. FHL book 974.2 N2nhp vols.14–17 and 30.) Rolls and documents relating to soldiers in the Revolutionary War are found in volumes 14–17 and 30. Volumes 14 and l5 are on film 983564; volume 16, film 983565; volume 17, film 983566; volume 30, film 983567. Volumes 14 through 17 deal with miscellaneous records for 1775 through 1782. Volume 30 pertains specifically to New Hampshire records. They are all fully indexed. An index to volumes 14–17 is:

New Hampshire Historical Society. Card Index to Revolutionary and Other Military War Rolls Listed in the New Hampshire State Papers, vols.14–17. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1975. (FHL films 1001450– 53.) These are films of the original records at the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, New Hampshire. The cards are arranged alphabetically by the first letter of the surname.

Draper, Mrs. Amos G. New Hampshire Pension Records, 1776–1850. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1971. (On 25 FHL films beginning with 879672.) These are films of the originals records at the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. The names are alphabetically arranged through volume 99. Volume 100 is an alphabetical listing of miscellaneous names that were missed in the original listing.

Revolutionary Pensioners Records of New Hampshire: With a Brief Abstract Showing Names of their Wives and Residence. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1951. (FHL films 15469–94.) These pensions are arranged alphabetically by surname.

Additional resources for the Revolutionary War are found in the U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118).

Loyalists. Loyalists were those colonists who were loyal to Britain during the American Revolution. Their lives were no different from the patriots. They were farmers, traders, merchants, lawyers, and clergymen who were content under the British rule and saw no reason for change. The loyalists were persecuted by the patriots because of their loyalty, and they were driven from their homes. The records that were kept of their lives and their escape to Canada provide good genealogical information on the families of the loyalists. Following the war, the loyalists filed claims for return of their land. These records are held in the National Archives in Ottawa, Canada, and in London, England. Many of these records have been filmed by the Public Records Office in London, and most are available on microfilm at the Family History Library:

American Loyalist Claims, AO 12. London, England: Public Records Office, 1972. (On 32 FHL films beginning with 1401498.) These films are series one, volumes1–112, and have been indexed by the name of the claimants. They contain original handwritten claims submitted to the British government by citizens in America for losses sustained during the American Revolution as they remained loyal to the Crown.

American Loyalist Claims, 1730–1835. London, England: Public Record Office, 1960–1962. (Series 13) (On 189 FHL films beginning with 944044.) These records consist of bundles of memorials, certificates, accounts, and vouchers of loyalist claims as presented to the commission established to inquire about the claims.

Bunnell, Paul J. The New Loyalist Index. Bowie, Maryland., Heritage Books, 1989. (FHL book 973 M2bun.) This index is a comprehensive list of loyalists in the Revolutionary War. Each entry provides name, regiment, and rank along with brief data on residence, birth, marriage, or death. Some have additional information.

For other loyalist records, see the "Military Records" section of the Canada Research Outline (34545).

You may also use the Family History Library Catalog Subject Search under:

AMERICAN LOYALISTS

UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS

War of 1812 (1812–1815)
The Family History Library has indexes to the federal service and pension files for the War of 1812. See the U.S. Military Records Research Outline (34118) for details and sources.

Civil War (1861–1865)
Indexes to the service and pension records are available at the Family History Library. The actual service and pension records are available only at the National Archives. For records of New Hampshire soldiers see:

United States. Adjutant General’s Office. Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of New Hampshire. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0549. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1964. (FHL films 822018–30.)

Civil War Service Record, Card File Index, 1860–1865. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1975. (On 13 FHL films beginning with 1001781.) This file includes names of substitute soldiers in addition to the regular roster.

New Hampshire. ''Adjutant General’s Office. Revised Roster of the Soldiers and Sailors of New Hampshire in the War of the Rebellion''. Concord, New Hampshire: Ira C. Evans, 1895. (FHL book 974.2 M23nh; film 1697872.) Many entries show the place of birth, age, residence, date and place of death, and other information.

Waite, Otis F.R., New Hampshire in the Great Rebellion. Claremont, New Hampshire: Tracy, Chase, 1870. (FHL book 974.2 M2w.) This source contains regimental histories, biographical sketches, and lists of officers.

Unit Histories. An important inventory for finding Civil War military histories is:

A Guide to the Microfiche Edition of Civil War Unit Histories: Regimental Histories and Personal Narratives. Part 2, The Union-New England. Bethesda, Maryland.: University Publications of America, 1992. (FHL book 973 M2cwu pt. 2.) New Hampshire units are listed on pages 53–59. The library has the large microfiche collection described in this guide. Use the library catalog to find individual items. This may include correspondence, diaries, memoirs, and regimental histories published before 1920. The guide shows the unit name, counties where it was raised, author, title, publication information, number of pages, and source repository. This guide includes an author index and a major engagements index.

Internet sites with information about New Hampshire in the Civil War include:

"The Civil War Archive-Union Regiments-New Hampshire." N.p., 1998 [cited 25 February 2000]. Available at www.civilwararchive.com/unionnh.htm.This site includes histories and background information on New Hampshire regiments.

State Soldier Homes. New Hampshire maintained a home for veterans in Tilton, New Hampshire. They have records of the veterans who lived there, some of which have been sent to the Adjutant General and the Division of Records Management and Archives. Contact the veteran’s home first.

New Hampshire Veteran’s Home P.O. Box 229 Tilton, NH 03276 Telephone: 603-286-4412

World War I (1917–1918)
World War I draft registration cards for men age 18 to 45 may list address, birth date, birthplace, race, nationality, citizenship, and next of kin. Not all registrants served in the war. For New Hampshire’s cards see:

United States. Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987– 1988. (On 17 FHL films beginning with 1711715.) The cards are alphabetical for each county or registration district. The records include the date of birth and may mention the name of a close relative.

When searching for a person’s registration card, it helps to know his name and residence at the time of registration. The cards are arranged alphabetically by county, within the county by draft board, and then alphabetically by surname within each draft board. Most counties had only one board, large cities had more. Finding an ancestor’s street address in a city directory will help you determine the board number if he lived in a large city.

Haller’s Army. During World War I, the Polish Army in France, commonly called Haller’s Army, recruited about 20,000 soldiers from among Poles living in the United States. Two forms that contain genealogical information were filled out by the recruits. Form A contains each volunteer’s name, address, marital status, number of children, American citizenship status, age, physical description, signature, and recruiting station and the date. Form C contains additional information such as the volunteer’s birth date and place, the address of his closest relative in America and closest relative in Poland, his previous military service, and remarks. All volumes of the collection are available through:

PGS of America ATTN: Haller’s Army Request 984 N. Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60622

A name index is on the Internet at:

"Haller’s Army Index." In Polish Genealogical Society of America. [Chicago, Illinois: PGSA], 1998 [cited 17 July 1999]. Available at www.pgsa.org/haller.htm. You can search by surname and first name. The index shows the volunteer’s surname and given name, town and state where he volunteered, his form (form A or C described above, or L, that is, loose papers), and page number.

A microfilm copy of Form A records only is:

United States (with some from Ontario, Canada) Recruits for the Polish Army in France, 1917– 1919: States Represented most Frequently are New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Connecticut, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Delaware, Nebraska &amp; Kansas (for Complete Breakdown See Film Inventory). Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1995. (On 11 FHL films beginning with 1993525.) The forms are in Polish, but at the beginning of each film is a blank form printed in English. The records are not organized by locality and New Hampshire recruits are listed on almost every film. There is, however, an alphabetical list of volunteers for each item.

More military records and sources can be found in the Family History Library Catalog by using a Locality Search under:

NEW HAMPSHIRE- MILITARY HISTORY

NEW HAMPSHIRE- MILITARY RECORDS

NEW HAMPSHIRE, [COUNTY]- MILITARY RECORDS

NEW HAMPSHIRE, [COUNTY], [TOWN]- MILITARY RECORDS