USCT Regimental Histories

[Stryker65]

Hi,
Does anyone know of a good site for finding the regimental histories for USCT regiments? Dyer's Compendium is almost useless for such regiments, especially those that weren't part of Ferrero's or Birney's divisions.
If there are any USCT-specific interested people here, feel free to say something!

 

[Bryce]

There is a Facebook group that deals with black Civil War, soldiers and black buffalo soldiers. You can probably find it if you look for it.

I can recommend some books on black regiments and black soldiers if you wish.

 

[Championhilz]

Hi,
Does anyone know of a good site for finding the regimental histories for USCT regiments? Dyer's Compendium is almost useless for such regiments, especially those that weren't part of Ferrero's or Birney's divisions.
If there are any USCT-specific interested people here, feel free to say something!

I don't know if it was done nation-wide, but the chaplains of USCT regiments in the Mississippi valley were required to send in monthly reports that included a history of what the unit had done during the time period. Some of the chaplains really took this requirement to heart, and wrote some very detailed observations about their regiments. Many of these reports are available on Fold3.com.

 

[RedRover]

A notice of USCT units...

Official army register of the volunteer force of the United States army for the years 1861, '62, '63, '64, '65 ... / Published by order of the secretary of war, ... pt.8.

This series has some USCT regimental histories, but they are scattered among the States of origin...

The Union army : a history of military affairs in the loyal states, 1861-65 -- records of the regiments in the Union army -- cyclopedia of battles -- memoirs ... v.3.

 

[Stryker65]

There is a Facebook group that deals with black Civil War, soldiers and black buffalo soldiers. You can probably find it if you look for it.

I can recommend some books on black regiments and black soldiers if you wish.

Sure! On USCT I've only read Trudeau's Like Men Of War so I definitely do need some book recs in that area...

 

[RedRover]

Sure! On USCT I've only read Trudeau's Like Men Of War so I definitely do need some book recs in that area...

Col. George W. Williams' history of USCT's (1888) is online.

A History of the Negro Troops in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865

"A History of the Negro Troops in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 ... by pioneer African American historian George Washington Williams remains a classic text in African American literature and Civil War history. In this powerful narrative, Williams, who served in the U.S. Colored Troops...

www.google.com

 

[Biscoitos]

I don't know if it was done nation-wide, but the chaplains of USCT regiments in the Mississippi valley were required to send in monthly reports that included a history of what the unit had done during the time period. Some of the chaplains really took this requirement to heart, and wrote some very detailed observations about their regiments. Many of these reports are available on Fold3.com.

Jeff,

Where exactly are these found on Fold3 please.

 

[Library Lady]

I was specifically looking for Professor Forstchen's doctoral thesis and ended up spending some time in the on-line catalogue of the Chicago Public Library. They have copies of all of these books and perhaps interlibrary loan can get them for you, but it can be difficult to get items from the Chicago Public Library, even when you live in Illinois. Some of these books are written by participants; some are recent.

A Regiment of Slaves: The 4th United States Colored Infantry, 1863-1866, by Edward G. Longacre
Eagles on Their Buttons: A Black Infantry Regiment in the Civil War by Versalle F. Washington (the 5th USCT, the first Black regiment from Ohio)
Strike the Blow: A Study of the Sixth Regiment of United States Colored Infantry by James Paradis
Record of the Services of the of the Seventh Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops, from September, 1863, to November, 1866, by Joseph Mark Califf
The 28th United States Colored Troops: Indiana's African-Americans Go to War, 1863-1865 by William R. Forstchen
The Black Civil War Soldiers of Illinois: The Story of the Twenty-Ninth U.S. Colored Infantry by Edward A. Miller
Illinois Freedom Fighters: A Civil War Saga of the 29th Infantry, United States Colored Troops by Dorothy L. Drinkard
Honor in Command: Lt. Freeman S. Bowley's Civil War Service in the 30th United States Colored Infantry by Freeman S. Bowley
Army Life in a Black Regiment by Thomas Wentworth Higginson (33rd Regiment USCT)
A Brief Sketch of the Organization and Services of the Fifty-Ninth Regiment of United States Colored Infantry, and Biographical Sketches by Robert Cowden

Some general titles that may offer more sources in the bibliography:

Forged in Battle: The Civil War Alliance of Black Soldiers and White Officers by Joseph T. Glatthaar
The Sable Arm: Black Troops in the Union Army, 1861-1865 by Dudley Taylor Cornish

I hope this is helpful.

 

[Championhilz]

Jeff,

Where exactly are these found on Fold3 please.

You can find them filed under the name of the chaplain here:

US, Letters Received by the Adjutant General, 1861-1870

 

[Championhilz]

Here is an example of a chaplain's report from Fold 3 in US, Letters Received by the Adjutant General, 1861 - 1870. This report was written by Chaplain George N. Carruthers of the 51st United States Colored Infantry:

 

[Gary Morgan]

There's always Luis Emilio's book, A Brave Black Regiment. He fought with them.5

 

[Biscoitos]

You can find them filed under the name of the chaplain here:

US, Letters Received by the Adjutant General, 1861-1870

Thank you

 

[Biscoitos]

You can find them filed under the name of the chaplain here:

US, Letters Received by the Adjutant General, 1861-1870

I hate to bug you and hate to ask what maybe a stupid question but.

Where do I find a list of USCT Chaplains?

As in how did you find did you know exactly where to find the record of Chaplain George N. Carruthers of the 51st United States Colored Infantry?

 

[rpkennedy]

Besides Like Men of War, I'd recommend William A. Dobak's Freedom by the Sword: The U.S. Colored Troops, 1862-1867 and Douglas Egerton's Thunder at the Gates: The Black Civil War Regiments that Redeemed America.

Ryan

 

[Championhilz]

I hate to bug you and hate to ask what maybe a stupid question but.

Where do I find a list of USCT Chaplains?

As in how did you find did you know exactly where to find the record of Chaplain George N. Carruthers of the 51st United States Colored Infantry?

I am researching the chaplains of USCT regiments stationed at Vicksburg during the war. I found the chaplains for those regiments by using Civilwardata.com. Using that website you can bring up a roster of the regiment and then filter it to only show the Field & Staff Officers. Once I find the name of the chaplain, I do a search of Fold3.com to look for the reports that they filed on the history of their regiment.

 

[Stryker65]

Where do I find a list of USCT Chaplains?

The Official Army Register lists every officer (including Chaplain) for every USCT regiment.