This information is provided to assist researchers and other interested individuals in obtaining military records. A search may be easy or difficult depending on what is currently available; some soldiers have hundreds of pages of documentation; others may not be located. However, more details are being added daily - especially the records of the American Civil War.
Military records may be found in either Federal or State archives or both. For example, a soldier who joined the 69th in 1914 took an oath of allegiance to the State of New York as a National Guardsman. In 1916, he would have been called up to serve on the Mexican Border. His enlistment record and record of activation would be normally found in New York State records. If activated into Federal Service for World War I, he was discharged from the New York Army National Guard on the floor of the 69th Regiment Armory at one table and then accessed into the U.S. Army a few paces forward. His record of National Guard service might be found in New York State archives and record of Federal Service might be found in Federal archives. If he served in World War I with the unit, he went overseas as a member of the 165th Infantry (American Expeditionary Force - AEF), 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division (Federal Records). Upon returning home in 1919, he was discharged from the United States Army and rejoined the New York National Guard. Many soldiers repeated this process 21 years later for World War II. The records may be in State files, Federal files, both or neither.
Searching requires effort and persistence and we trust that the information provided will offer some assistance
The Veterans' Corps, 69th Regiment maintains a listing of its members and has the roster of the men who left with the Regiment for France in 1917. This will only show name, rank and Company. Rarely do we have any details in our files. We do not possess individual files. Individual's military records are kept by New York State and/or the Federal Government. The 69th Veterans' Corp can only inform you if the individual in question was ever a member of the Veteran Corps. Write to: Secretary, Veteran Corps, 69th Regiment, Inc., PO Box 98, Madison Square Station, New York, NY, 10010.
AMERICAN CIVIL WAR (NORTHERN) 1861-1865
The vast majority of Soldiers in the American Civil War were State forces and their records are maintained by the individual States - usually in the State Archives, State Historical Society (Association) and/or the Department of Education.
Much detail was created by the Federal Government and files were established for almost every soldier who served for the North. If a Veteran was wounded, he or a relative probably applied for a pension in 1888 or later. A large amount of documentation was necessary to receive the pension. This information is in the National Archives in Washington, DC. You can visit Washington and conduct a search or you can have someone do it for you. Most search services charge about $60-$100 for their efforts.
These records are in The National Archives in Washington D.C. and are available to the public for personal inspection.
AMERICAN CIVIL WAR (CONFEDERATE) 1861-1865
As the Confederacy was opposed to the centralization of Government soldiers served their individual State and records on individual soldiers are maintained by each State. Contact the State Historical Society or Department of Archives for further information.
CIVIL WAR RECORDS - New York State (Cooperstown)
The New York State Historical Association Research Library in Cooperstown, New York lists the following resources:
973.7
N56 & Index
New York State Adjutant General's Office.
Annual Report of the Adjutant General. Register of New York Regiments in the War of the Rebellion (Albany: State Printers, 1894-1905).
43 volumes + two volume index
Reference
312
U58n
1890 Index
Dilts, Bryan Lee. 1890 New York
Census Index of Civil War Veterans and Their Widows (Salt Lake City: Index Publishing. 1984). This is an index to the names in 13 rolls of microfilm of the Special Schedules of the 11th census (1890) enumerating Union veterans and widows of Union veterans of the Civil War.
973.7
P573
Phisterer, Frederick. New York in the War of the Rebellion. 1861 to 1865. (Albany: J.B. Lyon, 1912). 5 volumes and an index.
Includes histories of New York regiments and rosters of officers.
Oversize
973.7
N567
New York State Adjutant General's Office. A Record of the Commissioned Officers and Privates of the Regiments Which Were Organized in the State of New York.
(Albany: Comstock & Cassidy, 1864-1868). 8 volumes.
Spine title: Muster Rolls. N.Y.S. Vols.
The New York State Adjutant General's Office list a complete roster of any NY State Militia Regiment activated for Federal service. Copies of the report can be found at the NY State Archives in Albany and the NY Public Library (Main Branch) at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue, Manhattan. Or contact:
New York State Archives
Cultural Education Center
Room 11D40
Albany NY 12230
518-474-8955
New York MILITIA AND VOLUNTEER UNITS 1800-1899
The NYS Archives has this item It is likely to be of interest to anyone researching New York Militia and Volunteer Units,
Organization Rosters of Military Officers, 1800-1899. Quantity: 6 cu. ft.
(including 14 volumes)
Arrangement: Arranged by military organization.
Historical/biog note: The New York State Militia was organized pursuant to Chapter 45, Laws of 1793 (16th Session) and continued by Chapter 222 of the Laws of 1818. It was reorganized under Chapters 205 and 290 of the Laws of 1849, and Chapter 477 of the Laws of 1862 (this latter act renamed it the National Guard). Chapter 211 of the Laws of 1821 required the Adjutant-General to keep a "local description of the several regiments, brigades, and divisions". This provision was repeated in the Revised Statutes, 1829, Part I, Chapter 10, Title 8, Art. 1, Section 2, and by the later statutes cited above.
Corporate author: New York (State). Executive Dept.
Host item entry: (CStRLIN)NYSV86-a349.
Host item entry: (CStRLIN)NYSV89-a221.
Location: New York State Archives, Cultural Education Center, Albany
The New York State Military Museum has newspaper clippings from the Civil War on 219 New York units. These range in length from 1 to 140 pages. They are in the process of scanning this collection and making it available over the internet.
Due to size restrictions they will not make the original scans available; rather only the text will be put online. If you would like copies of the original please email the New York State Military Museum at int-historians@ng.army.mil.
Important Notice: For people who use proactive spam control, (i.e. requiring people to register before being able to receive their email) the NY State Military Museum will not be able to reply to your inquiry. .
These clipping files were compiled by the Bureau of Military Statistics during the War. Unfortunately, most clippings do not indicate either a source or date. Compounding this confusion is the fact that the clippings are not in chronological order. We have attempted to keep our transcriptions as close to the clippings as possible. This includes staying with the spelling as it is in the original. The one time we will make changes is when two portions of an article are not logically situated.
Below is list of the unites the New York State Military Museum maintaines. If the unit is a hyperlink then the file has been completed.
Current List of Units with Clipping Files
New York Engineer Regiment, 1st, 1861-65, 1 page
New York Engineer Regiment, 15th, 1861-65, 9 pages
New York Mounted Rifles Regiment, 1st, 1861-65, 4 pages
This view this article you must have the Adobe's Acrobat Reader. This is free software that can be downloaded here:
www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
New York Mounted Rifles Regiment, 2nd, 1863-65, 5 pages
New York 1st Light Artillery Regiment, 1861-65, 3 pages
New York 1st Light Artillery Regiment, Battery A, 1861-65, 2 pages
New York 1st Light Artillery Regiment, Battery B, 1861-65, 3 pages
New York 1st Light Artillery Regiment, Battery C, 1861-65, 1 page
New York 1st Light Artillery Regiment, Battery D, 1861-65, 4 pages
New York 1st Light Artillery Regiment, Battery H, 1861-65, 8 pages
New York 1st Light Artillery Regiment, Battery K, 1861-65, 2 pages
New York 1st Light Artillery Regiment, Battery L, 1861-65, 38 pages **Large file size - 293k
New York 1st Light Artillery Regiment, Battery M, 1891-65, 2 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Battalion, 1st, 1861-63, 1 page
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 2nd, 1861-65, 9 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 3rd, 1861-65, 10 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 4th, 1861-65, 10 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 5th, 1862-;65, 15 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 6th, 1862-65, 7 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 7th, 1862-65, 30 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 8th, 1862-65, 21 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 9th, 1862-65,11 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 10th, 1862-65, 14 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 11th, 1863-63, 8 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 14th, 1861-63, 21 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 15th, 1863-65, 2 pages
New York Heavy Artillery Regiment 16th, 1864-65, 1 page
New York Independent Battery, 1st, 1861-65, 6 pages
New York Independent Battery, 2nd, 1861-63, 1 page
New York Independent Battery, 5th, 1861-65, 1 page
New York Independent Battery, 6th, 1861-65, 1 page
New York Independent Battery, 7th, 1861-65, 1 page
New York Independent Battery, 8th, 1861-65, 1 page
New York Independent Battery, 11th, 1861-62, 68/1 pages
New York Independent Battery, 12th, 1862-65, 3 pages
New York Independent Battery, 16th, 1862-65, 1 page
New York Independent Battery, 17th, 1862-65, 4 pages
New York Independent Battery, 18th, 1862-65, 21 pages
New York Independent Battery, 19th, 1862-65, 1 page
New York Independent Battery, 21st, 1862-65, 1 page
New York Independent Battery, 23rd, 1863-65, 1 page
New York Independent Battery, 24th, 1863-65, 2 pages
New York Independent Battery, 26th, 1863-65, 2 pages
New York Independent Battery, 27th, 1862-65, 2 pages
New York Independent Battery, 33rd, 1862-65, 2 pages
New York Independent Battery, 34th, 1863-65, 44 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 1st, 1861-65, 7 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, Veterans, 1st, 1861-65, 2 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 2nd, 1861-65, 20 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 3rd, 1861-65, 22 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 4th, 1861-65, 6 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 5th, 1861-65, 11 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 7th, 1861-65, 1 page
New York Cavalry Regiment, 8th, 1861-65, 27 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 10th, 1861-65, 6 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 11th, 1862-65, 14 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 12th, 1863-65, 5 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 13th, 1863-65, 4 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 14th, 1863-65, 3 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 15th, 1864-65, 13 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 16th, 1863-65, 35 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 18th, 1863-66, 1 page
New York Cavalry Regiment, 20th, 1863-65, 1 page
New York Cavalry Regiment, 21st, 1864-65, 7 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 22nd, 1864-65, 8 pages
New York Cavalry Regiment, 24th, 1864-65, 1 page
New York Infantry Regiment, 1st, 1861-63, 6 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 2nd, 1861-63, 36 pages **Large file size - 184k
New York Infantry Regiment, 3rd, 1861-65, 40 pages **Large file size - 171k
New York Infantry Regiment, 4th, 1861-63, 3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 5th, 1861-63, 25 pages **Large file size - 167k
New York Infantry Regiment, 6th, 1861-63, 19 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 7th, 1861-63, 5 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 8th, 1861-63, 5 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 9th, 1861-63, 32 pages **Large file size - 175k
New York Infantry Regiment, 10th, 1861-65, 8 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 11th, 1861-62, 50 pages **Large file size - 379k
New York Infantry Regiment, 12th, 1861-63, 22 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 13th, 1861-63, 31 pages **Large file size - 163k
New York Infantry Regiment, 14th, 1861-63, 118/1 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 15th, 1861-61, 5 pages -- see 15th New York Engineers
New York Infantry Regiment, 17th, 1861-63, 20 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 18th, 1861-63, 29 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 19th, 1862-62, 20 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 20th, 1861-63, 5 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 21st, 1861-63, 34/5 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 22nd, 1861-63, 65 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 23rd, 1861-63, 6 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 24th, 1861-63, 42 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 25th, 1861-63, 15 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 26th, 1861-63, 51 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 27th, 1861-63, 38 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 28th, 1861-63, 30 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 29th, 1861-63, 4 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 30th, 1861-63, 55 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 31st, 1861-63, 8 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 32nd, 1861-63, 11 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 33rd, 1861-63, 54 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 34th, 1861-63, 59/3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 35th, 1861-63, 26 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 36th, 1861-63, 4/1 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 37th, 1861-63, 27 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 38th, 1861-63, 10 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 39th, 1861-65, 21/1 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 40th, 1861-65, 5 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 41st, 1861-65, 4 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 42nd, 1861-64, 16 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 43rd, 1861-65, 44 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 44th, 1861-64, 97 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 45th, 1861-65, 1 page
New York Infantry Regiment, 46th, 1861-65, 2 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 47th, 1861-65, 5 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 48th, 1861-65, 39 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 50th, 1861-64, 31 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 51st, 1861-65, 10 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 52nd, 1861-65, 11 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 53rd, 1861-62, 4 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 54th, 1861-66, 3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 55th, 1861-62, 10 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 56th, 1861-65, 25 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 57th, 1861-64, 13/1 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 58th, 1861-65, 2 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 59th, 1861-65, 15 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 60th, 1861-65, 15 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 61st, 1861-65, 6 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 62nd, 1861-65, 6 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 63rd, 1861-65, 24 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 64th, 1861-65, 15 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 65th, 1861-65, 4 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 66th, 1861-65, 4 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 67th, 1861-64, 11 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 68th, 1861-65, 1 page
New York Infantry Regiment, 69th, 1861-65, 71 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 70th, 1861-64, 7 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 71st, 1861-64, 4 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 72nd, 1861-64, 15 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 73rd, 1861-65, 10 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 74th, 1861-64, 3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 75th, 1861-65, 20 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 76th, 1862-65, 18 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 77th, 1861-65, 28 pages **Large file size - 185k
New York Infantry Regiment, 78th, 1861-62, 5 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 79th, 1861-65, 8 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 80th, 1861-66, 33 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 81st, 1861-65, 37 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 82nd, 1861-64, 8 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 84th, 1861-64, 49 pages **Large file size - 156k
New York Infantry Regiment, 85th, 1861-65, 8 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 86th, 1861-65, 13 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 87th, 1861-62, 1 page
New York Infantry Regiment, 89th, 1861-65, 18 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 90th, 1861-66, 3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 91st, 1861-65, 38 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 92nd, 1862-65, 37/1 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 93rd, 1861-65, 22/1 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 94th, 1861-65, 38 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 95th, 1861-65, 4 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 96th, 1862-66, 6 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 97th, 1862-65, 20 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 98th, 1862-65, 20 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 99th, 1861-65, 5 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 100th, 1861-65, 105/1 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 101st, 1861-62, 83 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 102nd, 1861-65, 3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 103rd, 1861-65, 3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 104th, 1861-65, 31 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 105th, 1861-63, 13 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 106th, 1862-65, 18 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 107th, 1862-65, 11 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 108th, 1862-65, 63 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 114th, 1862-65, 54 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 115th, 1862-65, 34 pages **Large file size - 185k
New York Infantry Regiment, 116th, 1862-65, 51 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 117th, 1862-65, 27 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 118th, 1862-65, 17 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 119th, 1862-65, 4 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 120th, 1862-65, 19 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 121st, 1862-65, 44 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 122nd, 1862-65, 59 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 123rd, 1862-65, 40 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 124th, 1862-65, 63 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 126th, 1862-65, 114 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 127th, 1862-65, 3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 128th, 1862-65, 87 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 130th, 1862-63, 43 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 131st, 1862-65, 2 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 132nd, 1862-65, 5 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 133rd, 1862-65, 6 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 134th, 1862-65, 14 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 136th, 1862-65, 15 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 137th, 1862-65, 28 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 140th, 1862-65, 71 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 141st, 1862-65, 48 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 142nd, 1862-65, 7 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 143rd, 1862-65, 15 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 144th, 1862-65, 3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 145th, 1862-63, 3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 146th, 1862-65, 19 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 147th, 1862-65, 48 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 148th, 1862-65, 25 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 149th, 1862-65, 24 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 150th, 1862-65, 49 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 151st, 1862-65, 11 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 153rd, 1862-65, 11 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 154th, 1862-65, 32 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 155th, 1862-65, 1 page
New York Infantry Regiment, 156th, 1862-65, 10 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 157th, 1862-65, 28 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 158th, 1862-65, 1 page
New York Infantry Regiment, 159th, 1862-65, 25 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 160th, 1862-65, 13 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 161st, 1862-65, 21 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 162nd, 1862-65, 10 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 164th, 1862-65, 3 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 165th, 1862-65, 7 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 168th, 1863-63, 5 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 169th, 1862-65, 29 pages **Large file size, 260k
New York Infantry Regiment, 170th, 1862-65, 1 page
New York Infantry Regiment, 173rd, 1862-65, 2 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 174th, 1862-64, 1 page
New York Infantry Regiment, 175th, 1862-65, 14 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 176th, 1862-66, 16 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 178th, 1863-66, 1 page
New York Infantry Regiment, 179th, 1864-65, 14 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 184th, 1864-65, 2 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 185th, 1864-65, 28 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 186th, 1864-65, 4 pages
New York Infantry Regiment, 187th, 1864-65, 1 page
New York Infantry Regiment, 194th, 1865-65, 1 page
NY NATIONAL GUARD 1920-PRESENT . Personnel file are restricted to protect personal privacy. Not open to the public; you must be inquiring about a relative and be a direct kin.
NYS Division of Military & Naval Affairs
330 Old Niskayuna Road
Latham NY 12110