Texas Military Records

The U.S. Military Records Research Outline provides more information on federal military records and search strategies.

Many military records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Research Outlineprovides more information about the federal records. For Texas the following sources are also very helpful.

War of 1812 (1812-1815)
A published roster with added genealogical information for veterans is Mary Smith Fay, War of 1812 Veterans in Texas (New Orleans, Louisiana: Polyanthos, 1979; FHL book 976.4 M2f).

War of Texas Independence (1835-1836)
Published muster rolls of soldiers who served in the war are in Muster Rolls of the Texas Revolution (Austin, Texas: Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Incorporated, 1986; FHL book 976.4 M2mr).

Abstracts of pension applications are in John C. Barron, et al., Republic of Texas Pension Application Abstracts (Austin, Texas: Austin Genealogical Society, 1987; FHL book 976.4 M2bj).

A detailed history of the Alamo seige and a roster of the garrison will be found in Phil Tosenthal and Bill Groneman, Roll Call at the Alamo (Ft. Collins, Colorado: The Old Army Press, 1985; FHL book 976.4351 M2r).

Biographical sketches of soldiers who served in the Battle of San Jacinto are in Sam Houston Dixon and Louis Wiltz Kemp, The Heroes of San Jacinto (Houston, Texas: The Anson Jones Press, 1932; FHL book 976.4141 M2d; film 1000606).

Mexican War (1846-1848)
Many soldiers from Texas served in this conflict. The National Archives and the Family History Library have the service records for Texas volunteers (FHL films 471519-37) and the indexes to service and pension records. The pension records have not been filmed and are only available at the National Archives.

A published history of the role Texas played in the war is Henry W. Barton, Texas Volunteers in the Mexican War (Wichita Falls, Texas: [Texican Press, 1970]; FHL book 976.4 M2b).

Civil War (1861-1865)
Soldiers from Texas served in both the Union and Confederate armies. The National Archives and the Family History Library have:


 * Indexes to the service records (FHL films 881592-3 Union; 880014-54 Confederate)
 * Service records for Union soldiers (FHL films 1292646-58)
 * Index to Union pensions

The Union pension records are not on microfilm and are available only at the National Archives.

Service records for Confederate soldiers are available at the National Archives and at the Texas State Library. Approved and rejected pensions for Confederate veterans are at the Controller's Office in Austin and on 700 microfilms at the Family History Library (FHL film 960664—; index is on FHL film 960279).

A published index to the pension papers is John M. Kinney, Index to Applications for Texas Confederate Pensions, Rev. ed. (Austin, Texas: Archives Division, Texas State Library, 1977; FHL book 976.4 M22k 1977; 1975 ed. is on film 928040 item 3; 1977 ed. is on fiche 6019976).

Additional documents are in Texas Confederate Index: Confederate Soldiers of the State of Texas (FHL films 227483-96.) This lists each soldier's name, enlistment date and place, discharge date and place, age, residence, physical description, and other information.

A published roster of some Texas regiments is Martin Hardwick Hall, The Confederate Army of New Mexico (Austin, Texas: Presidial Press, 1978; FHL book 978.9 M2ha; fiche 6087304). This lists soldiers of Texas stationed in New Mexico during the war.

Spanish-American War (1898)
The Texas Volunteer Guard was mustered into federal service in 1898. Records of these volunteers are at the National Archives. The Texas State Library has some records and muster-out rolls (records of soldiers discharged from military service) for 1899.

World War I (1917-1918) to the present
Records of Texans who have participated in any war since World War I are filed in the National Archives and the National Archives—Fort Worth Branch. See the United States Research Outline for more information.

Records of the National Guard units drafted into federal forces are at the Adjutant General's Office, Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas.

Additional Military Records
The Texas State Library has pre-statehood records for groups such as the Rangers and Minute companies. The following volumes summarize many of these early records:

Ingmire, Frances Terry. Texas Rangers: Frontier Battalion, Minute Men, Commanding Officers, 1847-1900. Six Volumes. St. Louis, Missouri: Ingmire Publications, 1982. (FHL book 976.4 M2ift.)

Ingmire, Frances Terry. Texas Frontiersmen, 1839-1860: Minute Men, Militia, Home Guard, Indian Fighters. St. Louis, Missouri: F.T. Ingmire, 1982. (FHL book 976.4 M2i.)

Stephens, Robert W. Texas Ranger Indian War Pensions. Quanah, Texas: Nortex Press, 1975. (FHL book 976.4 M24u.)

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 registration cards for Texas see:

United States. Selective Service System. Texas, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1509. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1987-1988. (On FHL films beginning with 1927189.)

To find an individual's draft 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 several. A map showing the boundaries of individual draft boards is available for most large cities. Finding an ancestor's street address in a city directory will help you in using the draft board map. There is an alphabetical list of cities that are on the map. For a copy of this map see:

United States. Selective Service System. List of World War One Draft Board Maps. Washington, D.C.: National Archives. (FHL film 1498803.)

Web Sites
http://www.archives.gov/

http://www.archives.gov/southwest/