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Delaware Military Records:

A Research Guide


Contents:
Pre-Revolutionary to 1861 | Civil War | Pensions | Prisons and Prisoners | DELCAT Examples | For More Information

Pre-Revolutionary to 1861

Delaware. Public Archives Commission. Delaware Archives: Military and Naval Records. 5 vols. Wilmington, DE: Delaware Public Archives Commission, 1911-1919.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F161 .D29)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F161 .D29)
Based on manuscript materials relating to military personnel in King George's War (1744-48), French and Indian War (1754-1763), the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. Originals are in the Delaware Public Archives (DPA). DPA has additional materials which have not been published.
Daughters of the American Revolution. DAR Patriot Index. Washington, DC: Daughters of the American Revolution, 1966-1986.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref E255 .D38 1966) and supplement
Delaware Papers, Colonial and Revolutionary Documents, Circa 1770-1850.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Microforms (Microfilm nos.175-176)
Includes records pertaining to Delaware regiments and navy, lists of soldiers. No index is available.
Heitman, Francis B. Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution, April 1775 to December 1783. Washington, DC: Rare Book Shop Publishing Company, 1914.
LOCATION: Morris Library (E255 .H48)
Lists all officers from each colony in one alphabetical arrangement.
Papers of the Historical Society of Delaware. Wilmington, DE: Historical Society of Delaware, 1895-1908.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F161 .D45)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F161 .D45)
Papers relating to the Revolution: nos. 8, 10, 13-16, 30, 35, 48, 56, 57, 92 and n.s.3. The War of 1812: no. 33. Civil War: nos. 53, 62.
"Return of Moneys Paid for the Colonie on the Delaware River," Pennsylvania Archives, ser. 2, v. 5, pp. 440-444.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F146 .P44 ser.2 v.5)
Information on about 120 soldiers received by the colony of New Amstel in New Netherlands, 1659-62.
Ward, Christopher Longstreth. The Delaware Continentals, 1776-1783. Wilmington, DE: Historical Society of Delaware, 1941.
LOCATION: Morris Library (E263 .D3W3)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del E263 .D3W3)
Whiteley, William Gustavus. The Revolutionary Soldiers of Delaware. Papers of the Historical Society of Delaware. Wilmington, DE: Historical Society of Delaware, 1896.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F161 .D45 no.14)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F161 .D45 no.14)

Civil War

Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Delaware. 4 reels. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Service, 1964.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Microforms (Microfilm no. 5697)
On the four reels of this microfilm publication is reproduced an alphabetical card index to the compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers belonging to units from the State of Delaware. Each index card gives the name of the soldier, his rank, and the unit in which he served. There are cross- references for the names that appeared in the records under more than one spelling and for service in more than one unit or organization. This index is from National Archives RG 94 (M537). Copies of the complete records may be obtained from National Archives; Delaware Public Archives has microfilm of the complete records for Delaware.
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. (Dyer's Compendium) New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1959.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref E491 .D99 1959)
Volume 3 (pp. 1016-1018) has a list of the Delaware Civil War regiments, including a regimental history for each. The U.S. Army Military History Institute has a prototype digital library, which includes the Introduction and the Delaware section.
Roll of Honor: Names of Soldiers Who Died in Defense of the American Union, Interred in the National Cemeteries. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1866.
LOCATION: Morris Library - U.S. Documents (U.S. Doc W 39.7: and W 39.7/a: nos. 1-22)
Compiled by the Quartermaster General's Office. 27 volumes.
Scharf, J. Thomas. History of Delaware: 1609-1888. Philadelphia: L.J. Richards, 1888.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref F164 .S31)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F164 .S31)
LOCATION: Morris Library (F164 .S31)
LOCATION: Library Databases (via American County Histories to 1900) [restricted to UD]
A two-volume history accompanied by a three-volume index. Regimental histories, pp. 338-341, 356-360. Roster (list of members of the Delaware regiment), Appendix, pp. i-xxxiii. Note: the author's name is pronounced "Skarf."
Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1894-1922.
LOCATION: Morris Library - U.S. Documents (U.S. Doc N 16.6:)
LOCATION: Internet (http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/moa/moa_browse.html)
The set consists of two series. The searchable Internet version is part of the "Making of America" Web site at Cornell. Select the title from under the journals list.
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (OR). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1880-1901.
LOCATION: Morris Library - U.S. Documents (U.S. Doc W 45.5:)
LOCATION: Internet (http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/moa/moa_browse.html)
The set consists of four series. Popularly known as the "OR". The searchable Internet version is part of the "Making of America" Web site at Cornell. Select the title from under the journals list.

Histories of Individual Regiments

Civil War Unit Histories: Regimental Histories and Personal Narratives. Bethesda, MD: University Publications of America, 1990.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Microforms (Microfilm no. 2023)
Accompanied by a printed guide titled A Guide to the Microfiche Edition of Civil War Unit Histories, shelved in Microforms. The Library has pt. 3 (11 microfiche) for Delaware regiments only.
Murphy, T.G. Four Years in the War: The History of the First Regiment of Delaware Veteran Volunteers (Infantry). Philadelphia: James S. Claxton, 1866.
LOCATION: Morris Library (E500.5 1st .M86)
LOCATION: Morris Library (E500.5 1st .M86 1866a)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (E500.5 1st .M86)
Seville, William P. History of the First Regiment, Delaware Volunteers, from the Commencement of the "Three-Months' Service" to the Final Muster-Out at the Close of the Rebellion. Papers of the Delaware Historical Society, no. 5. Wilmington, DE: Delaware Historical Society, 1884.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F161 .D45 no. 5)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F161 .D45 no. 5)
Smith, R.G. A Brief Account of the Services Rendered by the Second Regiment Delaware Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion. Papers of the Delaware Historical Society, no. 53. Wilmington, DE: Delaware Historical Society, 1909.
LOCATION: Morris Library (F161 .D45 no. 53)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F161 .D45 no. 53)

Pensions

Clark, Raymond B. Index to Delawareans in the Index of Revolutionary War Pension Applications. Arlington, VA: R.B. Clark, 1982.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del Folio F163 .C55 1982)
A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services; With Their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Reprint ed. New York: N. Ross Publishing, 1990.
LOCATION: Morris Library - U.S. Documents (U.S. Doc C 3.11:11) Census Area
Reprint of a volume from the Sixth Census, 1840, volume 4.
Delaware Pension Roll / Delaware Pensioners, 1835. United States Senate. Report from the Secretary of War, in Obedience to Resolutions of the Senate of the 5th and 30th of June, 1834, and the 3d of March, 1835, In Relation to the Pension Establishment of the United States. [Delaware Section], Washington, D.C.: Duff Green, 1835.
LOCATION: Library Databases (via Ancestry Library Edition) [restricted to UD]
LOCATION: Library Annex (U.S. Doc Y1.1/2: 250) Serial Set 250
LOCATION: Morris Library - Microforms (Microfiche S366)
Lists invalid soldiers covered by military pension in the early 1800s. Entries include: name of soldier, rank, area of military service, and date placed on the pension roll and date pension completed. In some cases, the age of the person is listed. Note: names are not in alphabetical order in the print version.
United States. War Dept. Letter from the Secretary of the War to the Committee of Ways and Means, in Relation to the Number of Militia Called into the Public Service in 1813, to a Provision for Paying the Bounties and Premiums to Soldiers...   Early American imprints. Second series; no. 33295. Washington: A. & G. Way, printers, 1814.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Microforms (Microfiche S269.5 no. 33295)
United States. War Dept. Letter from the Secretary of War, Communicating a Transcript of the Pension List of the United States Shewing the Number of Pensioners in the Several Districts, Also, the Amount Allowed to Each Pensioner. Early American imprints. Second series; no. 30230. Washington: A. and G. Way, printers, 1813.
LOCATION: Library Databases (via Ancestry Library Edition, see Revolutionary War Pension Index) [restricted to UD]
LOCATION: Morris Library - Microforms (Microfiche S269.5 no. 30230)

Prisons and Prisoners

Jamison, Jocelyn P. They Died at Fort Delaware, 1861-1865: Confederate, Union and Civilian. Delaware City, DE: Fort Delaware Society, 1997.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref E616 .D3 T54x 1997)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del Folio E616 .D3 T54x 1997)

DELCAT Examples

Browse by subject: Search by keyword:
  united states continental army delaware regiment   war and registers and [name of state]
  delaware--militia   war and regiment? and [name of state]
  united states--history--civil war, 1861-1865--regimental histories    
  united states--history--regimental histories    
  united states army [name of state]    
  prisoners of war--[name of state or united states or confederate states]    
  national cemeteries--united states    
  military pensions--united states    

For More Information

Ancestry Library Edition.
LOCATION: Library Databases [restricted to UD]
See "Military Records" and "Search by location, U.S., Delaware."
Genealogists/Family Historians (National Archives).
LOCATION: Internet (http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/index.html)
National Archives and Records Administration page giving helpful information for genealogists. Web site includes forms necessary for obtaining records from National Archives.
Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives. Washington, DC: National Archives Trust Fund Board, 1985.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref CS68 .U533 1985)
Delaware Public Archives (DPA).
LOCATION: Internet (http://www.state.de.us/sos/dpa)
Delaware Public Archives holds originals and microforms of many military records. Resources include: Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (16 microfilm reels) and Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations From the State of Delaware (117 microfilm reels). For other resources consult the "Services: Public/Finding Aids" pages or contact DPA directly. Many original documents have been scanned and are available on the DPA Web. See the "Services: Digital Archives" section. The digital collection is especially strong in Civil War materials, including muster rolls.
Delaware Genealogical Research Guide. 3rd ed. Wilmington, DE: Delaware Genealogical Society, 2002.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref F163 .D349 2002)
LOCATION: Morris Library - Special Collections (Del F163 .D349 2002)
The most important guide for doing genealogical research in Delaware. It covers specific types of records and where they can be found in the state. Edited by Thomas P. Doherty and published by the Delaware Genealogical Society (http://delgensoc.org).
Heitman, Francis B. Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army: From its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903. Washington, [D.C.]: G.P.O., 1903.
LOCATION: Morris Library (U11 .U5 H6)
LOCATION: Morris Library - U.S. Documents (U.S. Doc W 3.11:789-903)
A standard source for military information. Provides biographical data and records of Army units.
Horowitz, Lois. A Bibliography of Military Name Lists from Pre-1675 to 1900: A Guide to Genealogical Sources. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1990.
LOCATION: Morris Library (Z5315 .U5 H67)
See pp. 4, 38-40, 134-139, 459, 504, and 698-699 for references to published lists of Delaware servicemen's names.
The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Rev. ed. Salt Lake City: Ancestry Publishing Co., 1997.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref CS49 .S65 1997)

This page is maintained by Rebecca Knight, Reference Department.
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Version: 6/2004
Last modified: 03/09/06

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