United States Colored Troops

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The United States Colored Troops (USCT) were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War which were made up of African-American soldiers. The USCT were the forerunners of the famous Buffalo Soldiers.

Sgt. Major Christian Fleetwood, Medal of Honor recipient.

The United States War Department issued General Order Number 143 on May 22, 1863 establishing a "Bureau of Colored Troops" to facilitate the recruitment of African-American soldiers to fight for the Union Army.

Regiments were recruited from all states of the nation and became known as the United States Colored Troops (USCT). Approximately 175 regiments comprised of over 178,000 free blacks and freed slaves served during the last two years of the war, and bolstered the Union war effort at a critical time. By war's end, the USCT comprised approximately a tenth of all Union troops. 1,715 USCT soldiers were combat casualties during the war.

USCT regiments were led by white officers and rank advancement was limited for black soldiers. For a time black soldiers received less pay than their white counterparts. Famous members of USCT regiments were Martin Robinson Delany, and the sons of Frederick Douglass. Soldiers who fought in the Army of the James were eligible for the Butler Medal, commissioned by that army's commander, Benjamin Butler.

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 Crater during the Siege of Petersburg where regiments of USCT troops suffered heavy casualties attempting to break through Confederate lines. Other notable engagements include Battery Wagner and the Battle of Nashville. USCT soldiers often became victims of battlefield atrocities, most notably, but not exclusively, at Fort Pillow. The prisoner exchange cartel broke down over the Confederacy's position on black P.O.W.'s. Confederate law stated that blacks captured in uniform be tried as slave insurrectionists in civil courts--a capital offence. Although this rarely, if ever happened, it became a stumbling block for prisoner exchange. USCT soldiers were among the first Union forces to enter Richmond, Virginia after its fall in April 1865. The 41st USCT regiment was present at the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox. Following the war, USCT regiments served as occupation troops in former Confederate states.

Sergeant Major Christian Fleetwood was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions with the 4th USCT in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm in Virginia. Fleetwood took up the regimental colors after 11 other USCT soldiers had been shot down while carrying them forward. Many USCT soldiers won some of the nation's highest awards.

US Colored Troops.

After the war many of these USCT veterans struggled for recognition and had difficulty obtaining the pensions due them. 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. Dubois and the subject enjoys a recent surge in literature.

The motion picture Glory starring Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman depicted actions of the African-American soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment during the assault on Battery Wagner.

A national celebration in commemoration of the service of the United States Colored Troops was held in September of 1996. A national museum is located in the Historic U street Corridor in Washington, D.C. at 1200 U Street, NW. The African American Civil War Memorial, featuring Spirit of Freedom by sculptor by Ed Hamilton, is located at the corner of Vermont Avenue and U Street, NW.

The number of "Colored Troops" by State:

	Number
Arkansas	5,526
Alabama	4,969
Connecticut	1,764
Colorado Territory	95
Delaware	954
District of Columbia	3,269
Florida	1,044
Georgia	3,486
Iowa	440
Indiana	1,597
Illinois	1,811
Kansas	2,080
Kentucky	23,703
Louisiana	24,502
Maryland	8,718
Massachusetts	3,966
Michigan	1,387
Mississippi	17,869
Missouri	8,344
Minnesota	104
Maine	104
New Hampshire	125
New York	4,125
New Jersey	1,185
North Carolina	5,035
Ohio	5,092
Pennsylvania	8,612
Rhode Island	1,837
South Carolina	5,462
Texas	47
Tennessee	20,133
Vermont	120
Virginia	5,723
West Virginia	196
Wisconsin	155
At large	733
Not accounted for	5,083
Total	178,895