I love this photo so much. Company E, 4th U.S. Colored Troops.
The facial expressions are so incredibly eloquent.
Namely, fuck around and find out.
Three men of the regiment earned the Medal of Honor at fighting at Chaffin's Farm in Virginia in 1864
The facial expressions are so incredibly eloquent.
Namely, fuck around and find out.
Three men of the regiment earned the Medal of Honor at fighting at Chaffin's Farm in Virginia in 1864
Alfred Hilton was carrying the national colors as the regiment attacked. As the man carrying the regimental colors was shot down, Hilton grabbed it up, too, but was soon wounded. "Boys, save the colors!" he cried. Sgt Maj Christian Fleetwood and Pvt Charles Veale leapt forward
Carrying the national colors, Fleetwood - an editor of a Black newspaper before the war - advanced to lead the regiment until severe fire forced him and Veale back. They used their ensigns to rally the remainder of the regiment and conduct an orderly withdrawal, under heavy fire
Hilton died of his wounds shortly after. Veale lived until 1874. Fleetwood would rise to be a leader in the Black community in DC, a noted musician and choirmaster (tho his wounds left him nearly deaf). He was also a major in the DC National Guard in the 1880s. He died in 1914.
The astonishing courage of African-Americans in the Civil War never ceases to inspire me, given that they had to battle not only the enemy, but also their own government for equal treatment to their white counterparts. And would do so again in WWI and WWII.
The Battle of Chaffin's Farm and New Market Heights saw incredible courage from USCT units. Of the 18 Medals of Honor awarded to Black soldiers in the Civil War, 14 were from this engagement alone.
Artist Don Troiani captures the 6th USCT here, and three more Medals of Honor
Artist Don Troiani captures the 6th USCT here, and three more Medals of Honor
Raised in Pennsylvania, the regiment went into the fight with colors emblazoned "FREEDOM FOR ALL." Within minutes most of the color guard was down. Lt. Nathan Edgerton, one of the white officers, rushed to seize the fallen colors but found he could not rise, being wounded
Edgerton was from Barnesville, OH, of a strongly abolitionist Quaker family, and was a schoolteacher in West Chester, PA before the war. He served in the PA militia during the Gettysburg campaign and then joined the 6th USCT as the regimental adjutant.
Coming to his rescue was Sgt. Maj. Thomas Hawkins, born in Cincinnati but living in Philadelphia at the time of enlistment. He seized the colors, the staff already cut in half by bullets, and bore it to safety, receiving wounds in the arm, hip, and foot in the process
1st Sergeant Alexander Kelley raced to the national colors. A coal miner from Pennsylvania, Kelley secured the colors and "carried them to rear where I rallied the few remaining men.”
The 6th USCT took 57% casualties that day. But the battles would be a US victory.
The 6th USCT took 57% casualties that day. But the battles would be a US victory.
Edgerton went on into business in Philadelphia after the war and then moved to Oregon to farm, dying there in 1932.
Hawkins was discharged for his wounds and died in 1870.
Hawkins was discharged for his wounds and died in 1870.
Kelly returned to Pennsylvania and his coal mine after his discharge in 1865. He and his wife took in homeless orphans. He was an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the US Army's veterans organization. He died in 1907.
All three men were awarded the Medal of Honor.
Quite often, when Black service is brought up in the Civil War, we only hear about the 54th Massachusetts. It's important to remember that there were over 250,000 Black service members. And they all have stories.
Quite often, when Black service is brought up in the Civil War, we only hear about the 54th Massachusetts. It's important to remember that there were over 250,000 Black service members. And they all have stories.
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