Where to Look

• 1). Go to Washington, D.C. The National Archives Building is located at 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Reference librarians are available to assist you.
  
  
• 2). Go to a regional facility. Portions of the compiled military service records and some other military records are located at the National Archive's regional facilities. Call your nearest location to verify availability and to reserve the material.
  
  
• 3). Make a request by mail or online. Forms can be obtained on the National Archives website. Fill out NATF Form 85 to request military service records or Form NATF 86 to request pension records.
  
  
• 4). A request must be made for each individual for whom you would like records.
  
  Mail the requests to National Archives and Records Administration, Attn: NWCTB, 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20408. Form NATF can be filled out and submitted online at the National Archives' website.
  
  

Finding the Records

• 1). Look through the "Civil War Records" guide. It provides detailed explanations of volumes and where to locate the information.
  
  
• 2). Check the compiled military service records. For Union soldiers, find the volume officially titled "M594, Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Volunteer Union Organizations." For Confederate soldiers, check the volume "M861, Compiled Records Showing Service of Military Units in Volunteer Confederate Organizations."
  
  The compiled military service records contain basic information about each soldier's military career. The Confederate records are not complete because many were destroyed during the Civil War.
  
  
• 3). Check pension records. The volume is titled "T288, General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934." These are available only for Union soldiers, as Confederate soldiers did not receive pensions from the U.S. government.
  
  Many soldiers, their widows or their children applied for pensions after the Civil War. The pension file may contain more biographical information than the compiled military service record.
  
  
• 4). Look through the "Civil War Records" guide suggested publications. It refers to useful reading that may be gathered at your local library.