The index is alphabetical by surname, and when available, the applicant's county of residence, military unit, and date of application are included. Most of the index data is taken directly from the applications. However, some forms are incomplete or illegible, and supplemental sources were used to create the index entry. These supplemental sources include the two volumes of Tennesseans in the Civil War and additional materials contained in the applicant s file such as letters of recommendation and verification. Many applicants did not fill out their own forms, but instead relied on third parties who may have misread, misheard, or miswritten pertinent data.
Numerous applications give several military units, but the index lists only one.
The criteria for this selection are access and legibility. When viewing the applications index, one should be aware of the possibility of the applicant's service in other units. The applications contain more information than the index. The forms include questions about the applicant s families and birth dates. There are also questions concerning enlistment, wounds, and post war occupation.