Charles, This is copied from the National Archives and Records Administration website: To order military service records from Washington, D.C., use NATF Form 86 Copies of military pension claim files can now be ordered online for military service from the American Revolution up to before World War I, as well as through NATF Form 85. The website is: http://www.archives.gov/research_room I got pension records from a civil war veteran which had a lot of information. I think when they are available they generally have more information than just the service records alone. But I don't know if pension records are available for war of 1812. When you look over the website, they will probabably make it clear what is avialable. Good luck, Jean