Troop Returns

This collection is comprised of Troop Returns from the State Archives of North Carolina Military Collection. Troop Returns (1747-1893) include lists, returns, records of prisoners, and records of draftees. Most of this collection is related to the Revolutionary War. Lists are usually pay or muster rolls. Returns are usually field or general returns and report the names of the officers and the number of enlisted men under the commanding officer. Names of individual soldiers are rarely included. Prisoner records may be lists of British prisoners, North Carolina Continental Line officers captured by the British, or lists of the prison guards. Draft and enlistment records give the names of the enlisted men and sometimes include descriptions of individual men: height, age, coloring, etc. Most of the Continental Line records are field returns, general returns, draft records, and enlistment records. These may be organized by military unit or by location. Militia records generally include the names of the officers and soldiers and are typically organized by district or county. Please keep in mind that the locations mentioned in these records are historical, and boundaries lines may have changed.

This collection was last reviewed in February 2024. If you find any errors, please send them to archives@dncr.nc.gov or digital.info@dncr.nc.gov