Hello everybody, I was wondering if someone could tell me what was the most well-known or famous black Union cavalry unit in the war and if they had any pictures of them, regarding whether they normally wore the cavalry shell jacket or the plain fatigue blouse or whatever. I'm thinking I've heard of a Kansas cavalry unit that was African-American during the war but I'm not sure. Any help would be greatly appreciated and many thanks in advance.
well-known or famous black Union cavalry
Not sure about the answer to your question. The 5th Cavalry were prominent in my area of the upper southeast :
Fifth U. S. Colored Cavalry
Organized at Camp Nelson, Ky., October 24, 1864. Attached to 1st Division, District of
Kentucky, Dept. of Ohio, to February, 1865. Military District of Kentucky and Dept. of
Arkansas, to March, 1866.
SERVICE.—Participated in Burbridge's Raid from Kentucky into Southwestern Virginia
September 20-October 17, 1864. Action at Saltsville, Va., October 2. At Lexington, Ky.,
October 19. Harrodsburg, Ky., October 21. Stoneman's Raid Into Southwestern Virginia
December 10-29. Near Marion December 17-18. Capture of Saltsville and destruction of
salt works December 20-21. Duty at Ghent, Paducah, LaGrange, Crab 'Orchard and Camp
Nelson till August, 1865, and in the Dept. of Arkansas till March, 1866. Mustered out
March 20, 1866.
Regiment lost during service 35 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer
and 151 Enlisted men by disease, Total 187.
Frederick A. Dyer "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" vol. 3
********************************************************************
Report of Col. James S. Brisbin, Fifth U. S. Colored
Cavalry, of the part taken by a detachment of the Fifth U. S. Colored
Cavalry, under the command of Col. James F. Wade, Sixth U. S.
Colored Cavalry, at Saltville.
HDQRS. U. S. COLORED TROOPS,
Lexington, Ky., October 20, 1864.
GEN.: I have the honor to forward herewith a report of the
operations of a detachment of the Fifth U. S. Colored Cavalry during
the late operations in Western Virginia against the salt-works.
After the main body of the forces had moved, Gen. Burbridge,
commanding district, was informed I had some mounted recruits
belonging to the Fifth U. S. Colored Cavalry, then organizing at Camp
Nelson, and
he at once directed me to send them forward. They were mounted on
horses that had been only partly recruited and that had been drawn with
the intention of using them only for the purpose of drilling. Six hundred
of the best horses were picket out, mounted, and Col. James F.
Wade, Sixth U. S. Colored Cavalry, was ordered to take command of
the detachment. The detachment came up with the main body at
Prestonburg, Ky., and was assigned to the brigade commanded by
Col. R. W. Ratliff, Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. On the march
the colored soldiers as well as their white officers, were made the
subject of much ridicule and many insulting remarks by the white
troops, and in some instances petty outrages, such as the pulling off
the caps of colored soldiers, stealing their horses, &c., were practiced
by the white officers, were made the subject of much ridicule and many
insulting remarks by the white troops, and in some instances petty
outrages, such as the pulling off the caps of colored soldiers, stealing
their horses, &c., we practiced by the white soldiers. The insults, as
well as the jeers and taunts that they would not fight, were borne by the
colored soldier patiently or punished with dignity by their officers, but
in no instance did I hear colored soldiers make any reply to insulting
language used toward [them] by the white troops. On the 2d of
October the forces reached the vicinity of the salt-works, and finding
the enemy in force preparations were made for battle. Col. Ratliff's
brigade was assigned to the left of the line, and the brigade
(dismounted) was disposed as follows: Fifth U. S. Colored Cavalry on
the left, Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry in the center, and Eleventh
Michigan Cavalry on the right. The point to be attacked was the side of
a high mountain, the rebels being posted about half way up behind
rifle-pits made of logs and stones to the height of three feet. All being
in readiness, the brigade moved to the attack. The rebels opened upon
them a terrific fire, but the line pressed steadily forward up the steep
side of the mountain until they found themselves within fifty yards of
the enemy. Here Col. Wade ordered his force to charge, and the
negroes rushed upon the works with a yell, and after a desperate,
struggle carried the entire line, killing and wounding a large number of
the enemy and capturing some prisoners. There were 400 black soldiers
engaged in the battle, 100 having been left behind sick and with
broken-down horses on the march, and 100 having been left in the
valley to hold horses. Out of the 400 engaged 114 men and 4 officers
fell killed or wounded. Of this fight I can only say that the men could
not have behaved more bravely. I have seen white troops fight in
twenty-seven battles and I never saw any fight better. At dusk the
colored troops were withdrawn from the enemy's works which they had
held for over two hours with scarcely a round of ammunition in their
cartridge-boxes. On the return of the forces those who had scoffed at the
colored troops on the march out were silent. Nearly all the wounded
were brought off, though we had not an ambulance in the command.
The negro soldiers preferred present suffering to being murdered at the
hands of a cruel enemy. I saw one man riding with his arm off, another
shot through the lungs, and another shot through both hips. Such of the
colored soldiers as fell into the hands of the enemy during the battle
were brutally murdered. The negroes did not retaliate, but treated the
rebel wounded with great kindness; carrying them water in their
canteens and doing all they could to alleviate the sufferings of those
whom the fortunes of war had placed in their hands.
Col. Wade handled his command with skill, bravery, and good
judgment, evincing, his capacity to command a much larger force.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES S. BRISBIN,
Col. and Supt. Organization U. S. Colored Troops.
Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS Adjutant-Gen. U. S. Army.
Source: Official Records
PAGE 556-77 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. [CHAP. LI.
[Series I. Vol. 39. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 77.]
Medal Of Honor Recipient
First Sergeant Powhatan Beaty,
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