Burials - Black Men in Lincoln Blue

Old John Brown GAR Post #450: Oxford, OH, Black Veterans

In May 1884, Black Civil War veterans in Butler County, Ohio, received a charter for the Old John Brown Post# 450. It is believed to be the second African American Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) post recognized in the state. The William Anderson Post # 244 in Washington Court House, Fayette County, was the first in May 1882.

Over the years, the local press in Butler County recognized African American residents for their military service, their roles in the community after the war, and with announcements of their deaths.

Peter Bruner, 12 USCHA, born in Kentucky, died in April 1938.

U. S. Colored Troops sent to Salisbury Prison: Part 2

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Black Civil War soldiers who died at Salisbury Prison

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. 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.… Read more

U. S. Colored Troops sent to Salisbury Prison: Part 2 Read More »

U. S. Colored Troops sent to Salisbury Prison: Part 1

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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.… Read more

U. S. Colored Troops sent to Salisbury Prison: Part 1 Read More »

USCT in Lawrence County, Ohio

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Over Memorial Day weekend I will be speaking in Lawrence County, Ohio, about the 27th USCI in Ohio. The General William H. Lytle Camp #10 Department of Ohio Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is holding a ceremony to recognize the installation of new government headstones at the W.D. Kelly cemetery in Ironton. The two soldiers, John Evans and Jefferson Finley, served in the 27th USCI, and some of their descendants will be in attendance.

Here is a list of Black men who lived in Lawrence County before, during, and/or after the war. I will continue to update this list.… Read more

USCT in Lawrence County, Ohio Read More »

Rest in Peace Private Lewis Powell, 30th US Colored Infantry

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In July 2019 after a week researching USCT pensions at the National Archives, I spent a Saturday morning at the Hampton National Cemetery in Virginia. The heat was unbearable even at 7:30 a.m., and the sunscreen in my eyes had me frustrated. But I reminded myself to remember where I was and just how much the men there had suffered and sacrificed for our nation.

Headstone of Lewis Powell, 30th US Colored Troops, at Hampton National Cemetery — Photograph by author

Men like Lewis Powell, buried in Hampton Section E. In the spring of 1864, the 30-year-old laborer enrolled in Frederick, Maryland, as a drafted soldier. On June 14, Powell mustered into Company A, 30^th United States Colored Infantry, for a three-year term.… Read more

Rest in Peace Private Lewis Powell, 30th US Colored Infantry Read More »