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CIVIL WAR RECORDS: Some 2.8 million men served the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War (1861-65), and more books, periodical articles, and Internet sites discuss the Civil War than any other American military conflict. These include references to both Union and Confederate soldiers and their widows and are a valuable source for genealogists.

The National Archives has pension applications and records of pension payments for veterans, their widows, and other heirs. The pension records in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. are based on service in the armed forces of the United States between 1775 and 1916. Pension application files usually provide the most genealogical information. These files often contain supporting documents such as: narratives of events during service, marriage certificates, birth records, death certificates, pages from family Bibles, family letters, depositions of witnesses, affidavits, discharge papers and other supporting papers.

Military pension files, service records, and other documents were created as a result of the Civil War. Records also include indexes to pension files, compiled military service records and related indexes, unit and regimental histories, Civil War draft records, militia rolls, soldiers' home records, discharge records, and more.   The PENSION RECORDS is where the real genealogy is -- the application forms allows you to chose between SERVICE (NATF Form 86) and PENSION (NATF Form 85) RECORDS.  I ordered both my Great-Grandfathers records a few years back.  Although the service record is pretty cool to look at -- it tells where the soldier enlisted, battles fought by the regiment and discharge information, the real find was in the PENSION RECORDS.  There I located his marriage information (1st & 2nd wife) along with death certificate information for the soldier and his last wife, who died 2 decades later.  Well worth the fee charged by the National Archive.  These two forms (NATF Form 85 and 86) are not available online.  You must email or write to the national Archive for the form -- here's the link on the internet as well as the mailing address to request these forms.  There is no fee required to order the forms -- the fee is sent in as directed on the completed form.  Also, there is a link to a site where you can order these records ONLINE using a credit card -- personally I have not tried this out, I've ordered all my copies through the mail.

To obtain NATF Form 85 or NATF Form 86:

• Provide your name and postal mailing address
• Specify the form number
• State the number of forms you need (limit 5 per order)
• order the forms online at NARA or
• in a letter addressed to the National Archives and Records Administration, Attn: NWCTB, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20408-0001

And here's a link to an online database that lists CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS & SAILORS -- very helpful and nicely done.