Soldier databases

[David Ireland]

What's the best way to find out the middle names and next of kin for soldiers? Does the VA maintain some database that has all that? What are the fees associated with that?

I wanted to get people's opinion before I spent money on the project.

Thank you

 

[Cdoug96]

The best way is to use Familysearch, it is free but you need an account and the pension records are just indexes but out can show the name of the widow, son, daughter, or even mother or father.

Next best is https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers.htm# but at most it shows the middle initial only and basic info such as regiment and company.

Then comes http://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/datcivil.html and it has plenty of info but the quality of the info can vary per soldier and it only has soldiers from Illinois.