Taken from Chapter 9: Research in Military Records, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy by Johni Cerny revised by Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck and David Thackery edited by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking (Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Incorporated, 1997). Contrary to custom of several years ago, the medical documents were not withheld and are routinely part of the general file. Where disability and need were factors in the decision, medical reports of physical condition were included. Included are a declaration by the claimant, a statement of service from the War Department or the Navy Department, a personal history questionnaire, a family questionnaire, and affidavits by comrades-in-arms, relatives, and neighbors attesting to the validity of the claimant's declarations. The files contain much military service and family information. Veterans, widows, parents, and minor dependents were eligible for pensions under certain conditions, and each was required to file an application. Each amendment extended the benefits by more liberal terms. Requirements for a pension varied according to congressional amendments after the original 1862 legislation. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City or The National Archives and Records Administration (microfilm #T288) are excellent sources for the complete collection on microfilm. The microfilm rolls of these original source cards may provide additional data for these missing images. faded, illegible, etc.), about 1% of the pension cards were not included in this index, and may be re-scanned and included at a later date if legible digital scans can be created. Please Note: Due to deficiencies in the microfilms of the original source cards (i.e. In addition, the index contains a link to a digitized image of the index card itself, which will contain additional information on the individual, such as unit of service, date of filing, and application and certificate numbers for the pension case file housed at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington D.C. To researchers of Civil War ancestors this database can be a useful source of detailed information. Because these pension files were for federal benefits, this collection only contains the names of Union veterans. If a widow or a child filed the application, their name is provided. Each record includes the veteran's name and state in which he, or his dependents, filed the application. This database is an index to nearly 2.5 million of these application cards. These application cards (for Federal, not Confederate pensions) were indexed by the Pension Office and kept by the National Archives. Millions of these men, or their dependents, applied for pension support from the federal government. One of the defining events in American history, the Civil War involved millions of men who served the United States and the Confederate States. Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934

Civil wart file cards