Thursday, April 7, 2011

Free, 7-Day Access to Civil War Era Records

To honor the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War, Ancestry.com and the National Archives have collaborated to release millions of Civil War records online for the first time. There are now nearly 25 million National Archives Civil War records available.

Ancestry.com is making available free access to its Civil War era records (more than 42 million records) from April 7th through 14th. This includes access to the newly digitized U.S. Civil War Draft Registration Records, 1863-1865, U.S. Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 as well as certain other Union and Confederate records. Additionally, free access will include the complete 1860 and 1870 U.S. Censuses.

To access these records, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser:

www.ancestry.com/civilwar150

Note: To view search results will require registration for a “free account.”