On March 21, 1865, the New York Tribune published the names of U.S. soldiers who died at the hands of Confederates at Salisbury Prison (North Carolina). The list covers only the period from December 1864-February 1865, and is incomplete. And there are also some errors, especially related to the Black Civil War soldiers who perished while serving in the United States Colored Troops (USCT). For example, some of the regiment identifications are misleading. The men included in the article are marked with a ^ below.
The Roll of Honor, compiled in 1868 by order of the Quartermaster General’s Office, is another valuable source. Volume XIV includes the names of soldiers who died at the prison who are interred at the Salisbury National Cemetery. Unfortunately, like the newspaper article, there are a few errors in this volume as well. The names listed an asterisk * come from this source.
The History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-6, volume 2, notes the Black soldiers and white officers that enemy forces captured and imprisoned. Those referenced in The History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers have a # next to their name below.
All other information comes from the Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served with the United States Colored Troops. They are part of the Records of the Adjutant General’s Office 1780-1917, RG 94. You can find these records on several online sites, or you can visit the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.
June 14, 1862 (from Civil War Era NC)
Black Civil War Soldiers at Salisbury Prison: Last Names A-B
*I. P. Adams, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865 (or J. P. Adams; not in the 7 USCI)
*James Allen, Co. A, 54 Massachusetts, died January 19, 1865, from typhoid fever
Confederates captured James Allen at Fort Wagner on July 18, 1863. According to his military records, Allen died at the prison in Florence, South Carolina.
Henry Artis (James H. Artis), Co. A, 5 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died January 1865, Salisbury, N.C., of starvation.
#John Austin, Co. C, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*J. Austin, Co. C., 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#Peter Bacon, Co. K, 7 USCI, missing in action, September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va.
*P. Bacon, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
Lorenzo Beckett, Co. D, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, paroled at N.E. Ferry, N.C., March 1865
John Bennett, Co. D, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, admitted to hospital in Richmond before sent to Salisbury, paroled at N.E. Ferry, N.C., March 1865
#Hicks Bishop, Co. G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died at Salisbury
*Hicks Bishop, Co D., 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
Cammel Black, Co. D, 23 USCI, captured at Petersburg, Va., July 31, 1864, escaped from Salisbury, April 1865
*Daniel Blackwell, Co. I, 23 USCT, died January 15, 1865
Harry (Jerry) Boston, Co. G, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, September 29, 1864
*Henry Bowers, Co. D, 23 United States, died December 13, 1864, of dysentery; second listing – died December 24, 1864
Arthur Brent, Co. G, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins farm, September 29, 1864, admitted to hospital in Richmond before sent to Salisbury
Abram Briscoe, Co. G, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, paroled at N.E. Ferry, N.C., March 1865
#Daniel Brooks, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865,
Salisbury, N.C.
*Samuel Brooks, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865 (this is actually Daniel)
#Thomas W. Brown, Co. D, 7 USCT, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
^Thomas Brown, Co. D, 7 U.S., died December 30, 1864
*T. Brown, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
Thomas Brown, 7 United States, died December 21, 1864, of diarrhea. Thomas Brown enlisted in the 7th United States Colored Infantry (USCI) in September 1863. The twenty-one-year-old had worked as a ship carpenter in Baltimore. Rebels captured the private on September 29, 1864, at Chaffins Farm (the Battle of New Market Heights) in Virginia.
#William H. Brown, Co. D, 7 USCT, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died October 15, 1864, Richmond, Va.
*William H. Brown, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#John Burk, Co. C, 7 USCI, died December 14, 1864, Salisbury, N.C., while a prisoner of war
^John Burke, Co. C, 7 Md C.I., died January 26, 1865
*J. Burk, Co. C, 7 Maryland, died January 27, 1865, from a wound
Black Civil War Soldiers at Salisbury Prison: Last Names C-D
#Aaron Carr, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died October 25, 1866, New Orleans, La.
#James Carr, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*James Carr, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#John H. Carr, Co. D, 7 USCT, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*John H. Carr, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#John G. Clarke, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
J. Clark, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#Abram Coleman, Co. C, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 1, 1865, Columbia, S.C.
#James Coleman, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died October 5, 1864, Richmond, Va.
*James Coleman, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
Samuel Collier, Co. G, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins farm, September 29, 1864, admitted to hospital in Richmond before sent to Salisbury, paroled March 1865
Emory Cooper, Co. D, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, paroled at N.E. Ferry, N.C., March 1865
Jacob Cooper, Co. D, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, paroled March 1865
#John W. Cornish, Co. D, 7 USCT, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died October 4, 1864, Salisbury, N.C.
*John W. Coolis, Co. D, 7 United States, died January 15, 1865
*James Cornish, Co. I, 23 USCT, died January 15, 1865
*William Cornish, Co. D, 7 Maryland, died December 24, 1864 (this is most likely James in 23 USCI)
#Solomon Cowherd, Co. C, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 1, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*John Dagne, 19 USCT, died December 12, 1864
John Dycus, Co I, 19 USCI
*Nehemiah Davis, 1 United States col. inf., died December 15, 1864 from diarrhea
*William Dean, Co. K, 1 USCT, died January 8, 1865 from chronic diarrhea
Aaron Dennis, Co. G, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, returned to his enslaver, Samuel King, before rejoining the regiment
#William Dickerson, Co. K, 7 USCT, died taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, died December 16, 1864
*William Dickson, Co. K, 7 USCT, died December 16, 1864
*William Dickerson, Co. K, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#Samuel Dorsey, Co. G, 7 USCI , killed in action, September 29, Ft. Gilmer, Va.
– see Samuel G. Orsay
^Edward Dyer, Co. A, 29 USCI, died January 21, 1865
*Edmund Dyer, Co. A, 29 USCT, died February 1, 1865, of diarrhea
Black Civil War Soldiers at Salisbury Prison: Last Names E-G
#Charles H. Elbert, Co. C, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 18, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*C. Elbert, Co. C, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
*H. Elbert, Co. H, 7 Maryland, died December 27, 1864
William Ewing, Co. C, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, sent to hospital in Richmond before sent to Salisbury, paroled March 1865
*Robert Flether, Co. I, 23 USCT, died January 15, 1865
*D. K. Forlinberg, Co. B, 10 USCT, died January 6, 1865, of a gunshot wound
David K. Fortenberry, Co. B, 5 USCI
#Emory Forman, Co. C, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 1, 1865
*E. Forman, Co C., 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
*Samuel Furgerson, Co. K, 19 USCI, died January 15, 1865
Jacob Gilbert, Co D., 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865
*Phillip Gross, Co. G, 7 Maryland, died January 15, 1865
Black Civil War Soldiers at Salisbury Prison: Last Names H-J
#John Hackett, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
(no record found of his imprisonment)
Carr Handy, Co. G, 7 USCI, captured at Ft. Harrison, Va.,September 29, 1864, paroled at N.E. Ferry, N.C., March 1865
#George Havens, Co G, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died at Salisbury, N.C., January 15, 1865
*George Habin, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865, of diarrhea
#Alexander Hazleton, Co. C, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 7, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*Alexander Haysellton, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
Alexandr Hazelton, Co. D, 7 USCI
#Isaac Hinson, Co. C, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*Isaac Hintzel, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
Samuel Hollis, Co. D, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, paroled
William H. Hudson, Co. D, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, paroled at N.E. Ferry, N.C., March 1864
^Perry Jackson, Co. D, 7 USCI, died December 29, 1864
*Perry Jackson, Co. D, 7 USCT, died December 30, 1864, of diarrhea
Arthur Jenkins, Co. C, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, paroled
#Alexander Johnson, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*A. Johnson, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
*Alexander Johnson, Co. D, 7 Maryland, died December 27, 1864
#Charles Johnson, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died December 24, 1864, Salisbury, N.C.
*Charles Johnson, Co. H, 14 USCT, died November 25, 1864, of diarrhea (no one by this name in 14 USCI)
#Emanuel Johnson, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died December 25, 1864, Salisbury, N.C.
no prison records found
#Lewis Johnson, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*Lewis Johnson, Co. D, 7 Maryland, died December 24, 1864
Nathan Johnson, Co. D, 7 USCI, captured at Chafins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864, paroled at Cox’s Wharf, Va., March 1865
*William Johnson, 37 USCT, died December 24, 1864, of diarrhea
#Richard Jones, Co. G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, died January 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
Black Soldiers sent to Salisbury Prison – Part 2
To learn more about the 7th United States Colored Troops, the Archives of Maryland Online provides access to the History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-6, Volume 2.
Do you know of any other African American soldiers who died at Salisbury Prison? I would appreciate the opportunity to add them to this list. You can send me a message through the Contact Me page. Thank you!