The
United States Colored Troops (
USCT) were regiments of the
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
that were composed of
African AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
("
coloredColored is a term once widely used in the United States to describe black people and Native Americans...
") soldiers. First recruited in 1863, by the end of the Civil War, the men of the 175 regiments of the USCT constituted approximately one-tenth of the
Union ArmyThe Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
. The men of the USCT were the forerunners of the well-known Buffalo Soldiers, who fought in the
Indian WarsAmerican Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
later in the nineteenth century and received their nickname in the American West.
History
The U.S. Congress passed the Second Confiscation Act in July 1862. It freed slaves of owners in rebellion against the United States, and a
militiaThe term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
act empowered the President to use freed slaves in any capacity in the army. President
Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
was concerned with public opinion in the four
border statesIn the context of the American Civil War, the border states were slave states that did not declare their secession from the United States before April 1861...
that remained in the Union, as they had numerous slaveholders, as well as with northern Democrats who supported the war but were less supportive of abolition than many northern Republicans. Lincoln opposed early efforts to recruit black soldiers, although he accepted the Army's using them as paid workers.
Union ArmyThe Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
setbacks in battles over the summer of 1862 led Lincoln to emancipating all slaves in states at war with the Union. In September 1862 Lincoln issued his preliminary
Emancipation ProclamationThe Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
, announcing that all slaves in rebellious states would be free as of January 1. Recruitment of colored regiments began in full force following the Proclamation of January 1863.
The United States War Department issued General Order Number 143 on May 22, 1863, establishing a "
Bureau of Colored TroopsThe Bureau of Colored Troops was created by the United States War Department on May 22, 1863, under General Orders, No. 143, during the Civil War, to handle "all matters relating to the organization of colored troops." Major Charles W. Foster was chief of the Bureau, which reported to Adjutant...
" to facilitate the recruitment of African-American soldiers to fight for the Union Army. Regiments, including
infantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
,
cavalryCavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
, engineers, light
artilleryOriginally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, and heavy artillery units, were recruited from all states of the Union and became known as the United States Colored Troops (USCT). Approximately 175 regiments composed of more than 178,000 free blacks and freedmen served during the last two years of the war. Their service bolstered the Union war effort at a critical time. By war's end, the men of the USCT composed nearly one tenth of all Union troops. The USCT suffered 2,751 combat casualties during the war, and 68,178 losses from all causes. Disease caused the most fatalities for all troops.
USCT regiments were led by white officers, and rank advancement was limited for black soldiers. The Supervisory Committee for Recruiting Colored Regiments in Philadelphia opened a Free Military Academy for Applicants for the Command of Colored Troops at the end of 1863. For a time, black soldiers received less pay than their white counterparts, but they (and their supporters) lobbied for equal pay. Notable members of USCT regiments included
Martin Robinson DelanyMartin Robinson Delany was an African-American abolitionist, journalist, physician, and writer, arguably the first proponent of American black nationalism. He was one of the first three blacks admitted to Harvard Medical School. He became the first African-American field officer in the United...
, and the sons of
Frederick DouglassFrederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
.
Volunteer Regiments
Before the USCT was formed, several Volunteer regiments were raised from free black men, including freedmen in the South. For instance, freedmen from the Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony, established in 1863 on the island, formed the “first company of the North Carolina Colored Volunteers”. Nearly all of the Volunteer regiments were converted into USCT units.
- Detachment, Quartermaster's Department .
- Pioneer Corps, 1st Division, 16th Army Corps.
- Pioneer Corps, Cavalry Division, 16th Army Corps.
State Volunteers
Four regiments were considered Regular units, rather than auxiliaries, because they were formed from free northern blacks at the start of the war. They got the same pay and benefits as Regular Army or State Militia regiments. Their veteran status allowed them to get valuable federal government jobs after the war, from which African Americans had usually been excluded in earlier years. But, the men received no recognition for honors and awards until the turn of the 20th century.
- 5th Massachusetts (Colored) Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
- 54th Massachusetts (Colored) Volunteer Infantry Regiment
- 55th Massachusetts (Colored) Volunteer Infantry Regiment
- 29th Connecticut (Colored) Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Corps d'Afrique
The
Corps d'Afrique was formed in New Orleans after it was taken by Union forces. It was formed around the Louisiana Native Guards. The Native Guards were Militia units formed from property-owning
free people of colorA free person of color in the context of the history of slavery in the Americas, is a person of full or partial African descent who was not enslaved...
, the group of mixed-race people who had developed as a third class in New Orleans since the colonial years, between the native-born French colonists (called French Créole) and the African slaves. (Today the people of color descended from this group are generally referred to as
Louisiana CreoleLouisiana Creole can refer to:* Louisiana Creole people* Louisiana Creole French language* Louisiana Creole cuisine...
.)
After the United States made the
Louisiana PurchaseThe Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
, many Americans entered New Orleans and ignored the status of the free people of color, grouping them with the mass of blacks, then mostly slaves. The Confederates did not allow the free people of color to serve in their army. For later units of the Corps d'Afrique, the Union recruited freedmen liberated as slaves from nearby plantations. They were treated and paid as auxiliaries although they served with distinction at the Battle of Port Hudson.
Units included:
- 4 Regiments of Louisiana Native Guards (renamed the 1st-4th Corps d'Afrique Infantry, later made into the 73rd-76th US (Colored) Infantry on April 4, 1864).
- 1st and 2nd Brigade Marching Bands, Corps d'Afrique (later made into Nos. 1 and 2 Bands, USCT).
- 1 Regiment of Cavalry (1st Corps d'Afrique Cavalry, later made into the 4th US (Colored) Cavalry).
- 22 Regiments of Infantry (1st-20th, 22nd, and 26th Corps d'Afrique Infantry, later converted into the 77th-79th, 80th-83rd, 84th-88th, and 89th-93rd US (Colored) Infantry on April 4, 1864).
- 5 Regiments of Engineers (1st-5th Corps d'Afrique Engineers, later converted into the 95th-99th US (Colored) Infantry regiments on April 4, 1864).
- 1 Regiment of Heavy Artillery (later converted into the 10th US (Colored Heavy) Artillery on May 21, 1864).
USCT Regiments
- 6 Regiments of Cavalry [1st-6th USC Cavalry]
- 1 Regiment of Light Artillery [2nd USC (Light) Artillery]
- 1 Independent USC (Heavy) Artillery Battery
- 13 Heavy Artillery Regiments [1st and 3rd-14th USC (Heavy) Artillery]
- 1 unassigned Company of Infantry [Company A, US Colored Infantry]
- 1 Independent USC Company of Infantry [Southard's Company, Pennsylvania (Colored) Infantry]
- 1 Independent USC Regiment of Infantry [Powell's Regiment, US Colored Infantry]
- 135 Regiments of Infantry [1st-138th USC Infantry] (The 94th, 105th, and 126th USC Infantry regiments were never fully formed)
- Notes:
- The 2nd USC (Light) Artillery Regiment (USCA) was made up of 9 separate batteries grouped into 3 nominal battalions of three batteries each. The batteries were usually detached.
- I Battalion: A,B & C Batteries.
- II Battalion: D, E & F Batteries.
- III Battalion: G, H & I Batteries.
- The second raising of the 11th USC Infantry (USCI) was created by converting the 7th USC (Heavy) Artillery into an infantry unit.
- The second raising of the 79th USC Infantry (USCI) was formed from the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry.
- The second raising of the 83rd USC Infantry (USCI) was formed from the 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry.
- The second raising of the 87th USCI was formed from merging the first raisings of the 87th and 96th USCI.
- The second raising of the 113th USCI was formed by merging the first raisings of the 11th, 112th, and 113th USCI.
Notable actions
USCT regiments fought in all theaters of the war, but mainly served as garrison troops in rear areas. The most famous USCT action took place at the
Battle of the CraterThe Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade The...
during the
Siege of PetersburgThe Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
. Regiments of USCT suffered heavy casualties attempting to break through
ConfederateThe Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
lines. Other notable engagements include
Fort WagnerFort Wagner was a beachhead fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston harbor...
and the
Battle of NashvilleThe Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under...
. USCT soldiers suffered extra violence at the hands of Confederate soldiers. They were victims of battlefield massacres and atrocities, most notably at
Fort PillowThe Battle of Fort Pillow, also known as the Fort Pillow Massacre, was fought on April 12, 1864, at Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River in Henning, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. The battle ended with a massacre of surrendered Federal black troops by soldiers under the command of...
in Tennessee. They were at risk for murder by Confederate soldiers, rather than being held as prisoners of war.
The prisoner exchange protocol broke down over the Confederacy's position on black
prisoners of warA prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. Confederate law stated that blacks captured in uniform be tried as slave insurrectionists in civil courts—a capital offense with automatic sentence of death. USCT soldiers were often murdered without being taken to court. The law became a stumbling block for prisoner exchange.
USCT soldiers were among the first Union forces to enter
Richmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, after its fall in April 1865. The 41st USCT regiment was present at the surrender of the
Army of Northern VirginiaThe Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
at
AppomattoxThe Appomattox Court House National Historical Park is a National Historical Park of original and reconstructed nineteenth century buildings. It was signed into law August 3, 1935. The village was made a national monument in 1940 and a national historical park in 1954...
. Following the war, USCT regiments served among the occupation troops in former Confederate states.
Awards
Soldiers who fought in the
Army of the JamesThe Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.-History:...
were eligible for the
Butler MedalThe Butler Medal was a military decoration of a unit of the United States Army which was first created on October 11, 1864. The medal was created under the authority of Major General Benjamin Butler and was intended to recognize meritorious or heroic acts of bravery performed by African American...
, commissioned by that army's commander,
Maj. Gen.Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Benjamin ButlerBenjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....
. In 1861 at
Fort MonroeFort Monroe was a military installation in Hampton, Virginia—at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula...
in Virginia, he was the first to declare
refugeeA refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
slaves as
contrabandThe word contraband, reported in English since 1529, from Medieval French contrebande "a smuggling," denotes any item which, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold....
and refused to return them to slaveholders. This became a policy throughout the Union Army.
African-American soldiers won the
Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, the nation's highest award:
- Sergeant William Harvey Carney
William Harvey Carney was an African American soldier during the American Civil War who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Fort Wagner....
of the 54th Massachusetts (Colored) Volunteer Infantry was awarded the Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions at the Battle of Fort Wagner in July 1863. During the advance, Carney was wounded but still went on. When the color-bearer was shot, Carney grabbed the flagstaff and planted it in the parapet, while the rest of his regiment stormed the fortification. When his regiment was forced to retreat, he was wounded two more times while he carried the colors back to Union lines. He did not relinquish it until he handed it to another soldier of the 54th.
- Sergeant Major Christian Fleetwood
Christian Abraham Fleetwood , was a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army, an editor, a musician, and a government official...
was awarded the Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions with the 4th USCT in the Battle of Chaffin's FarmThe Battle of Chaffin's Farm and New Market Heights, also known as Laurel Hill and combats at Forts Harrison, Johnson, and Gilmer, was fought September 29–30, 1864, as part of the Siege of Petersburg in the American Civil War.-Background:...
in Virginia in September 1864, during the campaign to take Petersburg. Fleetwood took up the regimental colors after 11 other USCT soldiers had been shot down while carrying them forward.
Postbellum
The USCT was disbanded in the fall of 1865. In 1867 the Regular Army was set at 10 regiments of cavalry and 45 regiments of infantry. The Army was authorized to raise two regiments of black cavalry (the 9th and 10th (Colored) Cavalry) and four regiments of black infantry (the
38thThe 38th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment.-First 38th Infantry Regiment:The 38th Infantry was first established on July 28, 1866, as part of the Regular Army, one of six segregated, all-black regiments created following the Civil War...
, 39th,
40thThe 40th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army.-Lineage:Constuted 15 May 1917 in the Regular Army as the 40th Infantry. Organized 20 June 1917 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota from personnel of the 36th Infantry. Assigned to the 14th Infantry Division 5 July 1918. Relieved...
, and
41st (Colored) Infantry)The U.S. 41st Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. Its 1st Battalion is currently assigned to the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division...
, who were mostly drawn from USCT veterans. In 1869 the Regular Army was kept at 10 regiments of cavalry but cut to 25 regiments of Infantry, reducing the black complement to two regiments (the
24thThe 24th Infantry Regiment was a unit of the United States Army, active from 1869 until 1951, and again from 1995 until 2006. The regiment is notable for having a colorfully checkered history, with a record of mostly meritorious service and valorous combat performance interspersed with episodes of...
and 25th (Colored) Infantry).
Legacy
After the war many USCT veterans struggled for recognition and had difficulty obtaining the pensions they were due. Since the USCT was considered an auxiliary force, its members were not considered veterans by the Department of War's standards. The Federal government did not address the inequality until 1890, and many of the veterans did not receive service and disability pensions until the early 1900s. The history of the USCT's wartime contribution was kept alive within the black community by historians such as W. E. B. Du Bois. The units and their contributions have been the subject of more books and movies since the 1970s.
They also had difficulty receiving official recognition for achievement and valor. Often recommendations for decorations were filed away and ignored. Another problem was that the government would mail the award certificate and medal to the recipient, who had to pay the postage due (whether he was white or black). Most former USCT recipients had to return them for lack of funds.
The motion picture
Glory, starring
Denzel WashingtonDenzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
,
Morgan FreemanMorgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
and
Matthew BroderickMatthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...
, portrayed the African-American soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment. It showed their training and participation in several battles, including the
second assaultThe Second Battle of Fort Wagner, also known as the Second Assault on Morris Island or the Battle of Fort Wagner, Morris Island, was fought on July 18, 1863, during the American Civil War. Union Army troops commanded by Brig. Gen...
on
Fort WagnerFort Wagner was a beachhead fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston harbor...
on July 18, 1863. Although the 54th was not a USCT regiment, but a Volunteer regiment originally raised from free blacks in Boston, the film portrays the experiences and hardships that African-American troops went through during the Civil War.
Legacy and honors
A national celebration in commemoration of the service of the United States Colored Troops was held in September 1996. The
African American Civil War MemorialThe African American Civil War Memorial, at the corner of Vermont Avenue, 10th St, and U Street NW in Washington, D.C., commemorates the service of 209,145 African-American soldiers and sailors who fought for the Union in the United States Civil War...
(1997), featuring
Spirit of Freedom by sculptor Ed Hamilton, was erected at the corner of Vermont Avenue and U Street, NW. It is administered by the
National Park ServiceThe National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. In 1999 the African American Civil War Museum opened nearby. In July 2011, it celebrated a grand opening of its new museum facility at 1925 Vermont Avenue, just across from the Memorial. It plans four years of related events during the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement, to commemorate African-American contributions under the theme: "From the Civil War to Civil Rights".
Numbers of United States Colored Troops by state, North and South
| Number | | Number |
| Connecticut |
1,764 |
Alabama |
4,969 |
| Colorado Territory |
95 |
Arkansas |
5,526 |
| Delaware |
954 |
Florida |
1,044 |
| District of Columbia |
3,269 |
Georgia |
3,486 |
| Illinois |
1,811 |
Louisiana |
24,502 |
| Indiana |
1,597 |
Mississippi |
17,869 |
| Iowa |
440 |
North Carolina |
5,035 |
| Kansas |
2,080 |
South Carolina |
5,462 |
| Kentucky |
23,703 |
Tennessee |
20,133 |
| Maine |
104 |
Texas |
47 |
| Maryland |
8,718 |
Virginia |
5,723 |
| Massachusetts |
3,966 |
|
|
| Michigan |
1,387 |
Total from the South |
93,796 |
| Minnesota |
104 |
|
|
| Missouri |
8,344 |
At large |
733 |
| New Hampshire |
125 |
Not accounted for |
5,083 |
| New Jersey |
1,185 |
|
|
| New York |
4,125 |
|
|
| Ohio |
5,092 |
|
|
| Pennsylvania |
8,612 |
|
|
| Rhode Island |
1,837 |
|
|
| Vermont |
120 |
|
|
| West Virginia |
196 |
|
|
| Wisconsin |
155 |
|
|
| Total from the North |
79,283 |
|
|
| |
|
Total |
178,895 |
See also
- List of United States Colored Troops Civil War Units
- Marching Song of the First Arkansas
"Marching Song of the First Arkansas Colored Regiment" is one of the few Civil War-era songs inspired by the lyrical structure of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the tune of "John Brown's Body" that is still performed and recorded today...
- Fort Pocahontas
Fort Pocahontas was an earthen fort on the north bank of the James River at Wilson's Wharf, in Charles City County, Virginia which served as a Union supply depot during the American Civil War. The fort was constructed by African-American soldiers of the United States Colored Troops under the...
- 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that saw extensive service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was one of the first official black units in the United States during the Civil War...
- 92nd Infantry Division (United States)
- 93d Infantry Division (United States)
- 366th Infantry Regiment (United States)
- Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. Formally, they were the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps....
- 761st Tank Battalion (United States)
External links