Military
Records: Revolutionary War Muster Rolls
1. What is the original source of the data on this CD-ROM?
2. What historical background should I know to use this
data?
3. Why are there discrepancies between the number of records
shown here and war statistics on file
elsewhere?
4. How can I obtain copies of these records ?
1. What is the
original source of the data on this CD-ROM?
This CD-ROM is
comprised of 426,000 United States muster roll records from the late
1700s. Each entry contains the
soldier’s name, rank, unit, and roll number, as well as other details. The records shown here are also preserved in
the National Archives.
2. What historical background
should I know to use this data?
You really
don’t need to be familiar with any specific historical information to use this
CD-ROM. Some helpful facts and battle
dates are listed below (dates can be useful as a “cross-reference” if you know
which conflicts your ancestors were involved in):
late
1620
The “Pilgrims” arrive on the eastern coast of what would become the
United States. They left England
seeking greater freedom and a new place to establish their religion and their
future. British government uses many
tactics to keep control over them in the ensuing years, sending military
troops, passing harsh laws to hinder progress, and killing numerous colonists.
1754
Efforts to control colonization in North America begin to escalate
after almost a century of clashes between England and France.
1756-1763
The Seven Years’ War occurs as a result of the colonization
conflicts and other foreign disputes.
By 1760, the British control nearly all of French Canada and the eastern
colonies.
1763
British proclamation restricts settlement west of the Appalachians.
1764-1767
Sugar, Currency, Stamp, and Townshend Acts are passed, limiting
commerce opportunities for the colonies and imposing huge taxes upon them.
March
1770
The Boston Massacre—British soldiers fire upon a group of citizens
protesting their presence. Five Bostonians
are killed, though the soldiers are later acquitted by a verdict of
self-defense.
December
1773
Boston Tea Party staged in Boston Harbor to protest the
newly-imposed taxes.
April 1775
Battle of Lexington and Concord (Massachusetts).
July
1776
Declaration of Independence written and unanimously signed by
Congress representatives.
September
1777
Battle of Saratoga. Two
months later, Congress adopts the Articles of Confederation, a precursor to the
United States Constitution.
1778
The United States form an alliance with France for help battling
England.
1781
Battle at Yorktown leads to British surrender; the war is more or
less over.
September
1783
Peace treaty between the United States and England is signed. Four years later, the US Constitution is
finally ratified, and the new nation is “officially” recognized.
3. Why are there discrepancies
between the number of records shown here and war statistics on file elsewhere?
According to
Mr Alan Aimone, Archivist of the Military Academy at West Point,
“More muster rolls exist for
the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Civil
War than the number of
reported participants in the conflicts.
There are several
reasons for more muster rolls
than participants. Some men served
several times
in different units. Each enrollment meant a new muster roll
regardless if the
person had been in a different
unit in the same war. The U.S. War
Department
was concerned with keeping
track of all men in each individual unit for specific
time periods because of
accountability such as pay, benefits, bounty land, pensions
and confirmation of service
time. For instance, during the American
Revolutionary
War you had various service
time obligations from weeks to the duration of the
war. Militia often served for
a few weeks or a few months. Militia men serving as
levies might have served nine
months to years in a Continental Army Regiment.
Continental Army enlistments
were set at one year, three years and duration of the war.
“[Some experts] claim 25,000
Americans died in war-related deaths during the
American Revolutionary
War. Disease until the WWII era
accounts for the biggest
proportion of non-combat
deaths. Smallpox was a big killer
during the American
Revolution. Medicine was very limited. Bacteria theory
and antibiotics were not
known until the 20th
Century. Preventive health practices
followed were more by
accident than intent until
WWI. Nutrition and the lack of regular
logistics (supplies
of food, shelter, clothing,
fuel etc.) also caused more non-battle deaths.”
4. How can I obtain copies of these records?
The data in this compilation was collected from
the National Archives. For more
information on how to get copies of individual records, visit
http://www.nara.gov/research/
send a specific e-mail message to
inquire@nara.gov
or write to get details on obtaining the forms
necessary to request records at
National Archives and Records Administration
General
Reference Branch, Attn: NWCTB
700
Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington,
D.C. 20408-0001
(Note: When writing to request further
information, be sure to describe the type of record you are looking for and
which war corresponds to it. If you
know the state you need, include that as well.
For the data you find on this CD-ROM, you will most likely require NATF Form 80.)