Gopher Records - Record Retrieval from the National Archives

01/05/2026

January's winner of a free "Civil War Soldier's Bundle" is Sarah Hacker. Congratulations, Sarah!

Remember that once a month - EVERY month - we randomly select a member of our site to receive a gift certificate for our most popular product, the “Civil War Soldier’s Bundle”. This bundle includes digital copies of a Union soldier’s service record, pension record, and medical records, if any, from the National Archives (Retail value=$76.50).

Sarah had never received any records from us but she became eligible for the drawing by merely creating a free account on GopherRecords.com.

Tell your friends! It is one of the great benefits of being a member of Gopher Records. Membership is FREE, includes an automatic 10% discount on every purchase, and you won't get any unwanted marketing emails. There really is no downside.

For more information or to become a member, please visit https://gopherrecords.com/free-records/

Please share with relevant Civil War researchers and groups.

10/28/2025

If you're planning to be at the NERGC conference in New England, this weekend please stop by our booth #107 in the exhibit hall to say hello and receive a free gift while supplies last.

The conference is at the Doubletree Hotel in Manchester, NH, from Thursday, Oct 30 through Saturday, Nov 1. Pre-registration is closed but walk-ins are accepted. The exhibit hall is open to the general public.

New England Regional Genealogical Conference (NERGC) is the largest genealogy conference in New England.

Read about the lectures, workshops, and special events in the conference brochure:

07/21/2025

The latest post from our blog:

We’re often asked whether a soldier’s Civil War records will include information about his parents. The answer is maybe! There are a variety of contexts in which his parents might be found in his records. Here are a few examples: These examples are drawn from the records of Union soldiers but .....

07/01/2025

In the 16th-century, the administration of Charles V, King of Spain, used red ribbon to bind important documents, distinguishing them from mundane records that were tied with ordinary string. The practice spread to England and, by the 19th century, to the U.S. where the government continued to use red tape or ribbon to bind military records.

The term "red tape" came into common usage as Civil War veterans struggled to meet the government's requirements to document their eligibility for pensions. The term is still used today to symbolize bureaucratic obstructions and government inefficiency.

We encounter this "red tape" every day but we know how to navigate through it. Let us help you discover your ancestors' military records!

06/25/2025

NOTICE: If you see chatter online about the National Archives facility in College Park, Maryland being closed to the public, please nip that rumor in the bud. There was such an announcement but it neglected to say that the intended subject of the notice is the PARKING GARAGE at NARA II. Some people may be required to use the "side lot" instead. When the omission was noticed, the announcement was removed. Presumably, a revision will be posted.

I am at NARA in D.C. now and have it on absolute authority of the supervisors that there are no plans to change the rules regarding access to _records_ at NARA II.

06/14/2025

June's winner of a free "Civil War Soldier's Bundle" is Sally Kimbel. Congratulations, Sally!

Remember that once a month - EVERY month - we randomly select a member of our site to receive a gift certificate for our most popular product, the “Civil War Soldier’s Bundle”. This bundle includes digital copies of a Union soldier’s service record, pension record, and medical records, if any, from the National Archives (Retail value=$76.50).

Tell your friends! It is one of the great benefits of being a member of Gopher Records. Membership is FREE, includes an automatic 10% discount on every purchase, and you won't get any unwanted marketing emails. There really is no downside.

For more information or to become a member, please visit https://gopherrecords.com/free-records/