Military records were created for enlistment, service, discharge, and pension. Military records are available on the federal, state, and local county level. Many military records have been microfilmed or are available on the Internet.

Elements of the citation could include: the name of the person serving in the military, rank, military unit, name of the war, National Archives catalog title, record group number, repository, repository location, agency that created the record, and type of document.

First Footnote or Endnote Subsequent Footnote or Endnote Bibliography
NARA compiled service record Compiled service record, [Name of soldier], [rank], [company], [military unit]; [National Archives catalog title], record group [number]; National Archives, Washington, D.C. Compiled military service record, [Name of soldier [rank], [company], [military unit]; Civil War, RG [number]; NA–Washington. Military, Compiled Service Records. [Name of war]. [National Archives catalog title-shortened version]. Record Group [number]. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Example Compiled service record, Casper Gorg, Pvt., Batt’y. M, 2 Missouri L. Art.; Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the American Civil War, compiled 1890–1912, documenting the period 1861–1866, Record Group 94; National Archives, Washington, D.C. Compiled military service record, Casper Gorg, Pvt., Batt’y. M, 2 Mo. L. Art., Civil War, RG 94; NA–Washington. Military, Compiled Service Records. Civil War. Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations. Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1890–1912, Record Group 94. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
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Mexican War
Widow’s
Pension
[Specific document], [date], [Widow’s name], widow’s pension application no. [number], certificate no. [number]; service of [Name of soldier], ([rank], [company], [military unit], [War]); [National Archives catalog title], Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group [number]; National Archives, Washington, D.C. [Specific document], [Widow’s name], widow’s pension no. [number], [War], RG [number]; NA–Washington. [National Archives catalog title]. Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group [number]; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Example Application, 1847, Caroline James, widow’s pension application no. 13012, certificate no. 10001; service of Austin James (2nd Lt., Co. G., 61st Ill. Vols., Mexican War); Pension and bounty land application files based upon service prior to the Civil War, Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C. Application, Caroline James, widow’s pension application no. 13012, Mexican War, RG 15; NA–Washington. Pension and bounty land application files based upon service prior to the Civil War, Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15; National Archives, Washington, D.C. 
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Missouri Confederate Pension Microfilm [Item]; [file or volume], [roll]; [Series]; [Subgroup]; [Record group title], Record Group [number]; [Repository], [Location].3 [Item], [file or volume], roll [number]; RG [number]; MSA, Jefferson City. [Series title]. Office of the Adjutant General. Record Group [number]; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City.
Example Memorandum of Service, J. M. Upton, Confederate pension file, no. 1516, roll S1089; Missouri Confederate Pensions Applications, 1891-1893; Office of the Adjutant General; Confederate Pension Files; Record Group 133; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City. Memorandum of Service, J. M. Upton, Confederate pension file no. 1516, roll 15; MSA, Jefferson City. Missouri Confederate Pensions Applications, 1891-1893. Office of the Adjutant General. Record Group 133; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City.
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Missouri Confederate Veterans Home [Item]; [file or volume], [roll]; [Series]; [Subgroup]; [Record Group Title], Record Group [number]; [Repository], [Location]. [Item], [file or volume], roll [number]; RG [number]; MSA, Jefferson City. [Series title]. Office of the Adjutant General. Record Group [number]; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City.
Example Application for Admission to the Confederate Soldiers Home at Higginsville, Missouri, John M. Upton, Roll S1089; Missouri Confederate Home Applications, 1892-1951; Office of the Adjutant General, Record Group 133; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City. Application for Admission to the Confederate Soldiers Home at Higginsville, Missouri, John M. Upton, Roll S1089; RG 133; MSA, Jefferson City. Missouri Confederate Home Applications, 1892-1951. Office of the Adjutant General. Record Group 133; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City.
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World War I Bonus [Item]; [file or volume], [roll]; [Series]; [Subgroup]; [Record Group Title], Record Group [number]; [Repository], [Location]. [Item]; [file or Volume], [roll]; [Series]; [Subgroup]. [Series]. [Repository], [Location].
Example William Rowland, Crawford County, Missouri, “World War I Bonus Pay Records,” manuscript collection; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City. William Rowland, Crawford County, Missouri, “World War I Bonus Pay Records.” “World War I Bonus Pay Records.” Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City.
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Digital image from Web page “[Title],” digital images, [Web page title] ([URL] : accessed [full date], [unit], pg. [number], headed “[Title of Record],” entry for [Name of soldier]; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm publication [title of series], [microfilm publication number], roll [number]. “[Title],” digital images, [Web page title], [unit], pg. [number], entry for [Name of soldier]. “[Title].” Digital images. [Web page title]. [URL] : [year accessed].
Example “Civil War Service Records, Union Records,” digital images, Fold3 (http://www.fold3.com : accessed 20 October 2011), Fourteenth Cavalry, pg. 5, headed “Muster and Descriptive Roll of a Detachment of U.S. Vols, forwarded for the 14>th Reg’t. Missouri Cavalry,” entry for Charles Wegeli; citing NARA microfilm publication Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations From the State of Missouri, M405, roll 279. “Civil War Service Records, Union Records,” digital images, Fold3, Fourteenth Cavalry, pg. 5, entry for Charles Wegeli. “Civil War Service Records, Union Records.” Digital images. Fold3. http://www.fold3.com : 2011.
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Compiled records, book format reprint [Author(s)], author, [Title,] vol. [number], [Specific Title to Volume] ([original publication year], reprint, [Publisher city], [Publisher state]: [Publisher], [year published], [page number]. [Author(s) last name], [Title], vol. [number], [Specific Title of volume], [page number]. [Author(s), last name first], author, [Title]. [number of volumes] volumes. [Original publication year]. Reprint, [Publisher City], [Publisher State]: [Publisher], [Years of publication of all volumes in set].
Example Robert N. Scott, compiler, War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume I, (1880, reprint, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: The National Historical Society, 1971, 688. Scott, compiler, War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume I, 688. Scott, Robert N., compiler, War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. 69 volumes. 1880. Reprint, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: The National Historical Society, 1971–1972.
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World War I Draft Registration Online images “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918,” digital images, [Name of Web page.] ([URL] : accessed [full date]), [Name of registrant], serial no. [number], order no. [number], Draft Board [number or Name], [City], [County], [State]; citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918, NARA microfilm publication M1509; no specific roll cited. World War I draft registration card for [Name of registrant], serial no. [number], order no. [number], Draft Board [number or Name], [City], [County], [State]. “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918.” Database and images. [Name of Web page.] [URL] : [year accessed].
Example “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918,” digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 October 2011), Elmer Leo Piant registration, serial number unreadable, no. 51 (right side numbering), Draft Board 8, City of St. Louis, Missouri; citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918, NARA microfilm publication M1509; no specific roll cited. World War I draft registration card for Elmer Leo Piant, serial no. unreadable, no. 51, Draft Board 8, City of St. Louis, Missouri. “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918.” Database and images. Ancestry.com. http://www.ancestry.com : 2011.

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3 Missouri Secretary of State, “Research Room; Citing Records at the Missouri State Archives,” Missouri State Archives (http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/citations.asp : accessed 20 January 2012).

Last modified: 29-Jun-2016 17:50