Many veterans who served for the Union during the Civil War received federal pensions.[1] These pensions provided support to those who qualified based on disability, service, and old age. In many cases, upon the death of a soldier, his widow or other dependents were able to collect a pension. The process of applying for a federal pension was often long and difficult, and in many cases generated a tremendous amount of paperwork. As a result, pension files are extremely valuable records for genealogical researchers.

If you have trouble logging on or accessing the articles, please contact [email protected]