What is the Civil War Roster Project?
The Civil War Roster Project is an ongoing effort to illuminate the service record of every individual from North Carolina who served in the American Civil War, for both the United States and the Confederacy, and to highlight stories from North Carolina Civil War history.
The North Carolina Digital Civil War Roster
In July 2025, the North Carolina Civil War Roster launched its online database of North Carolinians that served in the Civil War. Currently, the searchable database contains service records for all North Carolinians that served in the United States Navy during the war. Project staff will continue expanding and updating the database as additional service records become available.
The Civil War Roster Project aims to offer a comprehensive list of the North Carolinians who served in the American Civil War.
In 1961 the Office of Archives and History and the North Carolina Centennial Commission established this project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Civil War. From its inception, the series has been dedicated to documenting the Civil War service of all North Carolinians, including those who served in United States and Confederate armed forces. When the North Carolina Centennial Commission ended in 1965, the Office of Archives and History continued the Roster Project—first as part of the State Archives, then, in 1970, as part of the Historic Publications Office, and finally, in 2014, as part of the merged Historical Research and Publications division.
Twenty-two volumes document Confederate service under the title North Carolina, A Roster: 1861-1865. Twenty-one of those volumes detail the service of individuals in North Carolina’s Confederate army troops, including artillery and cavalry units. Volume twenty-two lists the service of North Carolinians in the Confederate Navy, including marines and Charlotte Naval Yard workers.
Each published volume contains both a narrative overview and a roster of individuals. Rosters are organized alphabetically by battalion or, in the case of the navy, by service branch. Volume twenty, however, organizes North Carolina generals and staff into alphabetical lists. If you have difficulty locating a specific individual, please refer to the index available in the Resources tab.
In 2025, the Civil War Roster Project transitioned into a digital project. This project is now housed on two websites. Narrative, document-based exhibits housed on MosaicNC, while a searchable and continually expanding database of service records is available through the North Carolina Civil War Roster Database.
This new format aims to make North Carolina Civil War history more accessible than before.Visitors can search for family service records and learn about the Civil War in North Carolina from the comfort of their own home.
The digital Roster Project service record database is currently compiling service records for North Carolinians—African American and White—who served in the United States Army and Navy. Nearly 1,300 service records for North Carolinians who served in the United States Navy are currently published and available online. Upcoming research and digitization efforts will focus on adding United States Colored Troops (infantry, artillery, and cavalry), followed by North Carolina Union Volunteers (White), Mounted Infantry units, and people who “galvanized”—took the Oath of Allegiance and went from prisoner of war to service in the United States Army or Navy. At present, Confederate service records remain available through published print volumes. The project intends to digitize those records in the future.
The exhibits housed on MosaicNC will explore North Carolina during the Civil War-era through primary source documents. Each exhibit will focus on an event, topic, theme, or individual, allowing readers to engage directly with historical interpretation and archival materials. In this format, the Civil War Roster Project seeks to tell underexplored stories or overlooked perspectives while offering new insight into the Civil War’s impact on North Carolina.
Given the on-going nature of this project, the Historical Publications staff accepts submissions of reliable information about North Carolina soldiers and sailors who served in the American Civil War.
Examples of valuable information include:
• Soldier/sailor's full name
• Birth and death dates
• Place of residence
• Details related to military service during the war
Please note that only information determined to be reliable can be incorporated into the project. If you have original documents relating to someone’s Civil War service, such as letters, diaries, official records, or other research materials, please contact the Historical Research and Publications staff by email at mosaicnc@dncr.nc.gov.
Civil War Roster Digital Database: Explore the new home of the Civil War Roster! Currently, the database includes only North Carolinians who served in the U.S. Navy. Search by name, place, or keyword to discover the experiences of North Carolinians during the American Civil War. Check back as additional service records are added.
PDF Index: The index includes all roster entries through Volume 20. Entries are listed alphabetically by last name and can be searched using the search function of your computer’s PDF reader. Entries follow this format: Last Name, First Name: Volume: Page.
Search by County: This index assists researchers looking to compile lists of men who served from a particular county. Each county includes associated regiments and companies of service, along with the corresponding North Carolina Troops, 1861-1865: A Roster volume containing more relevant information. Counties are listed alphabetically.
The Civil War Roster is available for purchase through UNC Press. Use the links below to navigate to each volume.
