Connecticut Military Records Research Guide

American military history in Connecticut began with the establishment of the colonial militia early in the seventeenth century, primarily to fight against attacks from native inhabitants. The uses and value of Connecticut military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but Connecticut military records can also be important to researchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some Connecticut military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process.

Beginning with records from the Pequot War, there are many published Connecticut Military records.

There is no compiled listing of Connecticut Loyalists, but many citizens of Connecticut were Loyalists at the time of the war. So, when the war ended, many of them fled over the Canadian border.

Many military transcripts and related documents are held by the Connecticut Historical Society. There is also a death index for veterans from Connecticut. It can be found at the Connecticut State Library.

• Connecticut Military Records (Fold3.com)
• Connecticut Military Record Books (amazon.com)

Connecticut in the Colonial War

Colonial War Website Links

• Connecticut Soldiers, French and Indian War, 1755-62  (search.ancestry.com) This database is a listing of over 29,000 men who served in the colonial militia between 1755 and 1762. It reveals the soldier’s name, rank, location of enlistment, regiment, and company. Additionally, researchers will find the regimental and company commanders, with accompanying rank, listed with each record.
• Connecticut Society of Colonial Wars Pedigrees
• Connecticut Colonial War Books (amazon.com)

Connecticut in the Revolutionary War

Revolutionary War Website Links

• Research in the Revolutionary War 1775-1783 (uswars.net)
• Organized military Connecticut units in the Revolutionary War (uswars.net)
• Revolutionary War links from fold3.comwith original data from the National Archives:
  • Connecticut Final Payment Vouchers Index for Military Pensions, 1818-1864 These slips serve as an index to final and last payments to over 65,000 veterans of the Revolutionary War and some later wars.
  • Connecticut Revolutionary War Pensions Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files.
  • Connecticut Revolutionary War Prize Cases – Captured Vessels Prize cases heard on appeal from Colonial and state courts by the Continental Congress and the Court of Appeals in Cases of Capture.
  • Connecticut Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 Muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
  • Connecticut Revolutionary War Service Records Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
• Revolutionary War links from http://search.ancestry.com:
  • Connecticut Revolutionary War Military Lists, 1775-83 This database is a list of those men who volunteered to fight for the colonial cause. Commissioned by the Connecticut Historical Society and originally printed in 1889, it was revised and expanded in 1901. This transcription of that second edition lists nearly 13,000 men who fought against Great Britain. In addition to providing the enlistee’s name, this collection also provides residence, rank, and unit information.
  • Connecticut Pensioners, 1835 This database identifies thousands of Connecticut soldiers who were covered under various pension acts in the early 1800s. Most entries list name of soldier, rank, area of military service, and other important information.
  • Connecticut Men in the Revolutionary War This database is a record of the Connecticut men who served in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. For the Revolutionary War record the list is arranged chronologically according to the service in which the troops were engaged. Therefore, under each service group the soldiers’ names are listed according to the order in which they were called out. This first volume contains the lists of the Continental soldiers, State troops, and Militia.
  • Fire Cake and Water
• Connecticut Revolutionary War Books (amazon.com)

Connecticut in the War of 1812

War of 1812 Website Links

• Research in the War of 1812 1812-1815 (uswars.net)
• Connecticut War of 1812 Books (amazon.com)

Connecticut in the Civil War

Civil War Website Links

• Research in the Civil War 1861-1865
• Civil War links from fold3.com with original data from the National Archives:
  • Compiled Service Records of Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Connecticut
  • Civil War and Later Veterans Pension Index from Connecticut
  • Connecticut Civil War “Widows’ Pensions”
• Connecticut Civil War Infantry Regiments and Units
• Connecticut Civil War Cavalry Regiments and Units
• Connecticut Civil War Artillery Regiments and Units
• Civil War links from ancestry.com:
  • U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 – This database contains an index to compiled service records (CSRs) for soldiers who served with units in the Confederate army. Most of the men whose names appear in this index served with units from 15 different states or territories; others were soldiers raised directly by the Confederate government, generals and staff officers, and other enlisted men not associated with a regiment. Compiled service records are files of cards that abstract original military records relating to an individual soldier. A typical CSR will include an envelope that lists a soldier’s name, rank, unit, and card numbers, followed by cards with details extracted from muster rolls, rosters, hospital rolls, Union prison records, payrolls, and other records, with a new card being created each time a soldier’s name appeared on a new document. The CSRs may also include original documents pertaining to the soldier. The CSRs do not constitute an exhaustive list of all men who served in the Confederate army.
  • U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865
  • History of the First Light Battery Connecticut Volunteers, 1861-1865 : personal records and reminiscences
  • First Connecticut Heavy Artillery : historical sketch and present addresses of members
• Connecticut Civil War Books (amazon.com)

Connecticut Modern Wars

War Website Links

• Connecticut Servicemen, Spanish American War  (search.ancestry.com) This database lists the men who served from Connecticut in the war, the Philippine Insurrection and the China Relief Expedition between 21 April 1898 and 4 July 1904. Taken from records kept by the Adjutant General, researchers will find the volunteer’s name, rank, residence of induction, and birthplace. Providing information on over 3800 men, it includes men who served in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
• Connecticut, Adjutant-General Report, 1901  (search.ancestry.com) This database contains the report of the adjutant-general to the commander-in-chief of the state of Connecticut for the year ending 30 September 1901
• Connecticut, Military Census, 1917  (search.ancestry.com) The Connecticut “Military Census” was taken in 1917–1918 at the direction of the General Assembly with an eye to assessing manpower available for war and other resources in the state. The census included surveys on agriculture, factories, and even automobiles, but the forms included here are questionnaires filled out by men ages 16 and over.
• Connecticut State Register, 1924 Government & Military records

Further Reading

• Connecticut Soldiers in the Pequot War of 1637. Meridan, Conn.: Journal Publishing Co., 1913.
• Rolls of Connecticut Men in the French and Indian War, 1755–1762. Vol. 9 and 10. Hartford: Connecticut Historical Society, 1903–05.
• In Search of Your Canadian Roots (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1989) for a discussion of United Empire Loyalists.
• Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution, War of 1812, Mexican War. Hartford: Connecticut General Assembly, 1889. Transcripts of original papers with a cross-index to all records. Connecticut provided large numbers in the ranks of patriots and the largest number of African-American soldiers from all the colonies (see African Americans).
• Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the Army and Navy of the United States During the War of Rebellion. Hartford: Case, Lockwood, and Brainard Co., 1889.
• Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States in the Spanish-American War. Hartford: Case, Lockwood, and Brainard Co., 1919.
• Service Records: Connecticut Men and Women in the Armed Forces of the United States During World War I 1917–1920. Hartford: Office of the Adjutant General,[1941?].