Daily AncestorOld Wars pension
An Old Wars pension was a federal pension for death or disability from military service between the Revolution and the Civil War, filed apart from the main war series.
NARA keeps these claims in a series titled for death or disability incurred in service between 1783 and 1861, the "Old Wars" period. Regular Army veterans of that period received disability pensions, and the series also covers Regular Army, Navy and Marine Corps service in the Mexican War.
The way in is the Old War Index to Pension Files, 1815 to 1926 (NARA T316). Federalized militia veterans of the War of 1812 did not receive service pensions until 1871, so look for them in the War of 1812 series instead.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Old Wars pension." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/military/old-wars-pension. Last checked 2026-10-12.