Source:Mexican War Veteran Research Online Rosters

According to U.S. Government documents published in 1848, a little more than 100,000 men served in the armed forces of the United States during the War with Mexico. Of these, approximately 75,000 served in volunteer organizations raised by the following states: Alabama; Arkansas; California; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana: Iowa (Mormon Battalion); Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland and the District of Columbia; Massachusetts; Michigan; Mississippi; Missouri; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Pennsylvania: Ohio; South Carolina; Tennessee; Texas; and Virginia. The remainder served in the regular U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, or the Marines. The number of men employed by the Quartermaster's Dept. as teamsters or steamboat hands or the number of women who served as cooks or laundresses is presently unknown.

Most volunteers and regulars served in the infantry. Only in Texas were all the regiments mounted.

Of the approximately 13,000 U.S. soldiers and sailors who died in the Mexican War, only about 2,000 were killed by the enemy or died of battle wounds. The majority of deaths were caused by disease or illness, often the result of poor sanitary conditions in camp. Yellow fever, malaria, measles, and dysentery were the most common ailments. Nearly 10,000 men were given disability discharges before their terms of enlistment expired. Some died before reaching home. About another 10,000 deserted (but only a handful went over to the Mexican side).

Of all the soldiers who died and were buried in Mexico, only 750 were interred in the U.S. National Cemetery in Mexico City. These were primarily casualties of the battles in and around Mexico City in September 1847, as well as soldiers who died during the occupation of the capital. Most U.S. soldiers who died during the Mexican War lie buried in graves that are unmarked and forgotten.

Mexican War veterans with a service-connected disability were eligible for a federal pension of half-pay. For a private, this amounted to $3.50 per month. The widow or orphan of a Mexican War soldier was also eligible for this same amount.

Immediately upon discharge, Mexican War veterans were eligible for a federal bounty land warrant, redeemable for 160 acres of land anywhere in the United States. These warrants were also redeemable for $100 in scrip. Not a few veterans were swindled out of their warrants by unscrupulous land speculators who took unfair advantage of returning veterans ignorant of the warrant's true worth. Many parted with their warrant for $50 or less.

The National Archives in Washington, D.C. keeps records of individual service on file, along with bounty land and pension records.

Some state archives also contain records relating to the Mexican War.

The holdings of some large public libraries, genealogical libraries, and regional branches of the National Archives may include microfilmed indexes of federal records pertaining to individual service in the Mexican War. It is suggested that you contact these before making a special trip, to be sure they have the records you want to examine.

Copies of individual military service records, bounty land records, and pension records may be ordered directly from the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C.