American Civil War Genealogy Research

‍Honor Their Service. Uncover Their Story. Connect to the Past.

Whether your ancestor wore Union blue or Confederate gray, tracing Civil War service offers a deeply personal view into one of the most pivotal eras in American history. Our professional genealogists specialize in researching soldiers, sailors, and civilians involved in the U.S. Civil War—helping you discover who they were, how they served, and what records remain.

Why Civil War Research Matters

From 1861 to 1865, more than 3 million Americans participated in the Civil War. Each soldier left behind a trail of records that can reveal personal details such as:

• Military service and regiment
• Age, birthplace, and physical description
• Battles fought and wounds received
• Pension applications filed by veterans or their widows
• Unit movements, promotions, and prisoner-of-war records
• Post-war benefits and burial details

These records offer not only historical context but a powerful human connection to your family's past.

Historical Context: The Civil War and Its Records

The Civil War was fought between the Union (North) and the Confederacy (South), primarily over issues of slavery and states' rights. It resulted in over 600,000 deaths and reshaped the nation.

During and after the war, federal and state governments began collecting detailed records on soldiers for military, pension, and memorial purposes. These collections are now invaluable to genealogists.

Key sources include:

• Compiled Military Service Records (CMSRs)
• Pension application files for Union soldiers and their dependents
• Confederate service records (often less centralized, but still accessible)
• Regimental histories and rosters
• Prisoner of war records and hospital registers
• Veterans census schedules (1890)
• Grave registrations and monument databases

Our Civil War Research Services

We help you discover and document your ancestor’s Civil War service with:

• Identification of Civil War ancestors from family trees or fragmentary details
• Retrieval of military service records from the National Archives (NARA)
• Access to digitized and microfilmed CMSRs, pension files, and bounty land applications
• Analysis of enlistment, discharge, and unit movements
• Contextual timelines to understand where your ancestor served and why
• Research into post-war veteran organizations (e.g., GAR, UDC) and cemetery databases

Whether you’re just beginning or need help navigating obscure unit records, we tailor our services to your goals.

Why Civil War Records Matter Beyond Military Service

Even if you’re not specifically interested in your ancestor’s military history, Civil War-era records can be vital for expanding and verifying your family tree.

Military records from this era often contain personal and genealogical details that are hard to find elsewhere—especially for individuals who may not appear in standard census or vital records.

These documents can help you:

• Confirm full names, birth dates, and locations
• (especially for individuals born before statewide vital record registration)
• Identify spouses and children through pension applications and affidavits
• Discover maiden names and prior marriages of widows who applied for survivor benefits
• Pinpoint geographic movements, especially if your ancestor relocated before or after the war
• Access firsthand testimony: many pension files contain letters, affidavits, and statements describing family relationships in detail
• Fill gaps in African American ancestry: records for formerly enslaved soldiers and contrabands often contain the earliest written evidence of family connections

In short, Civil War records are not just for military enthusiasts—they’re indispensable tools for any genealogist working on 19th-century U.S. families.

What We Retrieve from NARA

We have direct access to records at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), including:

• Union Compiled Military Service Records (CMSRs)
• Pension application files and supporting documents
• Bounty land warrant applications
• Carded medical records of volunteers
• General correspondence files from the Adjutant General’s Office
• Veterans Administration index cards and files (for post-war pensions)

If you're unsure what documents may exist for your ancestor, we’ll guide you step-by-step and military records on your behalf.

Begin Your Civil War Research Journey

Do you suspect a family member fought in the Civil War—or want to learn more about the service of a known ancestor? Let us help you explore their legacy, preserve their memory, and bring their story to life.

📧Contact us to start your American Civil War research project.

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Frequently Asked Questions

‍How do I know if my ancestor served in the Civil War?

If your male ancestors were born between 1810–1850 and lived in the U.S., there’s a strong chance they were eligible for service. We can confirm eligibility and trace their regiment.

‍Can you research both Union and Confederate soldiers?

Yes. We access both Union and Confederate military and pension records, including state-level archives when needed.

‍What if my ancestor didn’t serve as a soldier?

We also research Civil War-era civilians, nurses, laborers, and contrabands (formerly enslaved people who supported the Union Army).