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. 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 African American 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 K-R
#Edward King, Co. G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died January 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
#William Lane, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*William Lutton, Co. D, 7 United States Infantry, died January 15, 1865
*Lewis Lee, Co. D, 23 United States, died December 24, 1864
*Louis Lee, Co. D, 23 Maryland, died December 22, 1864, of fever
#Irwin Lindey, Co. G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died at Salisbury, N.C.
#Lewis Merrill, Co G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died January 15, 1865,
Salisbury, N.C.
*Louis Merrill, Co. G, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#Robert H. Morris, Co G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died January 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
# John Morris, 7 USCI, taken from Salisbury to Richmond February 25, 1865
*J. Motz, Co. G, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#Charles Nelson, Co. G, 7 USCI, killed in action, September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va.
*C. Nelson, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#James R. Newman, Co. G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died at Salisbury, N.C.
*James R. Newman, Co. G, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#John Nott, Co G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died at Salisbury, N.C.
*Samuel G. Orsay, Co. C, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
see Samuel Dorsey, Co. G, 7 USCI
#Ruley Pills, Co. K, 7 USCI, missing in action, September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va.
*Riley Pitts, Co. C, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#Thomas Rezin, Co. C, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died January 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
^Thomas Resin, Co. C, 7 Md., died December 25, 1864
*T. H. Reeson, Co. C, 7 USCI, died January 15, 1865
*Thomas Resin, Co. C, 7 Maryland, died December 26, 1864, of rheumatism
#John Robins, Co. G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died at Salisbury, N.C.
*John Robbins, Co. C, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
^William H. Rue, Co .C, 29 Ill., died January 1, 1865
*W. H. Rue, Co. C, 29 Illinois, died January 2, 1865, of debility
Black Civil War Soldiers at Salisbury Prison: Last Names S-Z
^Joseph Scott, Co. E, 39 USCI, died February 8, 1865
J*oseph Scott, Co. E, 39 United States, died February 9, 1865, of diarrhea
Confederates captured Scott at the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864. The private died due to “exposure and cruel treatment whilst a prisoner of war.”
He left his wife Ellen, eight-year-old son Philip, and two-year-old twins Martha and Sarah, who lived in Baltimore.
When Scott’s widow applied for a pension, Lewis and Mary Kalbfus provided testimony to support her claims. They stated that the deceased soldier was “formerly a servant in their family” and that they had witnessed his marriage to Ellen Small on August 14, 1856.
#William T. Senney, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*William T. Seeney, Co. D, 7 United States Cavalry, died January 15, 1865
#James Shortwell, Co. G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died at Salisbury, N.C.
#Auther I. Smith, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*Arthur Smith, 7 United States, died January 15, 1865
#Lewis Stafford, Co. C, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died December 14, 1864, Salisbury, N.C.
^Lewis Stafford, Co. C, 7 USCI, died December 29, 1864
*Louis Shafford, Co. C, 7 USCT, died December 30, 1864, of pneumonia
#Stephen Steward, Co. G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va., died at Salisbury, N.C.
#William Suton, Co D., 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died October 5, 1864, at Richmond, Va
He actually died at Salisbury
#William Travis, Co. G, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, Ft. Gilmer, Va, died at Salisbury, N.C.
*William Traverst, Co. D, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
*G. Wallis, Co. B, 7 Maryland, died January 22, 1865, of diarrhea
#Lewis Warfield, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
Johnson Whiting, Co. I, 5 USCI, taken prisoner October 27, 1864, exchanged March 4, 1865, at N.E. Ferry, N.C.
George Wilson, Co. F, 5 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, sent to Salisbury, N.C. November 24, 1864. No further record.
#William Woolford, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died December 25, 1864, Salisbury, N.C.
*H. Worthington, Co. H, 54 Massachusetts, died January 8, 1865, from Int. fever
Henry W. or William H. Worthington, Co. H, 54 Massachusetts, at Florence, S. C.
#James Wright, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
#John Wright, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*John Wright, Co. B, 7 USCT, died January 15, 1865
#Theodore Wright, Co. D, 7 USCI, taken prisoner September 29, 1864, died February 15, 1865, Salisbury, N.C.
*Theodore Wright, Co. D, 7 United States, died December 20, 1864, from catarrh
Black Soldiers sent to Salisbury Prison – Part 1
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!