Civil War - US Colored Troops - John Greene
Hello,
I am an antique document dealer and collector and recently purchased a very interesting item. It is an original Civil War muster roll/pay document for Company B of the 51st US Colored Troops, Captain Alfred J. Webber's Company under the Command of Colonel A. Watson Webber. This group was also known as the 1st Mississippi Infantry, African Descent The muster roll is paying the troops for the period June 30, 1864 - 8/30/64. At the time of the preparation of this document the company was stationed at Goodrich's Landing, Louisiana. The documents lists 3 Officers, 13 Sergeants, Corporals and Musicians and 46 Private soldiers. Each listing indicates rank, place and date of enlistment, amounts of pay due, etc. as well as information about the soldiers as to who died, deserted, was discharged, or was on special duty. There are also interesting notes regarding stops in pay due to purchases of haversacks, canteens and other equipment. Four deaths are noted and one soldier is being discharged on surgeon's certificate of disability. One of the privates is John Greene.
The First Mississippi Volunteer Infantry of African Descent was organized in May, 1863 at Milliken's Bend, LA and Vicksburg, Mississippi under the command of Colonel A. Watson Webber. It was redesignated the 51st United States Colored Infantry Regiment on March 11, 1864 as per Orders Number 7, signed by Adjutant General L. Thomas, by order of the Secretary of War. As recruits, the regiment participated in the Battle of Milliken's Bend June 5-7, 1863. It was subsequently assigned to the Post of Goodrich Landing, District of Vicksburg, Mississippi until December, 1864. Assigend to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, United States Colored Troops, District of Vicksburg, Miss., until February, 1865. Reassigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Steele's Command, Military District of West Mississippi until June, 1865. The regiment's last assignment was to the Department of the Gulf until mustered out of Federal service in June, 1866.
The National Park Service offers the service record of the 51st as follows:
SERVICE.- At Lake Providence till May, 1864. Post and garrison duty at Goodrich Landing, La., till December, 1864. Action at Langley's Plantation, Issaqueena County, March 22, 1864. Flod, La., July 2. Waterford August 16-17. Duty at Vicksburg, Miss., till February, 1865. Moved to Algiers, La., February 26; thence to Barrancas, Fla. March from Pensacoloa, Fla., to Blakely, Ala., March 20-April 1. Siege of Fort Blakely April 1-9. Assault and capture of Ft. Blakely April 9. Occupation of Mobile April 12. March to Montgomery April 13-25. Duty there and at Mobile till June. Ordered to New Orleans, thence to Texas. Duty on the Rio Grande and at various points in Texas till June, 1866. Mustered out June 16. 1866.
For identification purposes - all of the officers listed below would have been white and all of the privates black. Alternative spellings as are recorded on the National Park Service Site are indicated by parenthesis
The entire contents on the muster roll are as follows:
Alfred L. (T.) Webber - Captain
John B. (G.) Bouerlein (Bonerlein) - 1st Lieutenant
Samuel Shannessy (Shawnessy, Shaunessey, Shonnessey) - 2nd Lieutenant
Henry Stubbs - 2nd Sergenat
William Ally - 3rd Sergeant
Harvey Lewis - 4th Sergeant
Lewis Woods - 5th Sergeant
Joseph Matthews (Mathews) - 1st Captain
William Williams - 2nd Captain
Wiley Thompson - 3rd Captain
Nathan Hill - 4th Captain
John Edminson - 5th Captain
Barney Williams - 6th Captain
Henry Woods - 7th Captain
Nelson Glass - Musician
Daniel Been (Bean) - Musician
Privates:
Charles Buckner
William Brown
Harvey (Harry) Baty
Jonas Brown
Borland Bay
Johnson Daniels
Alfred Dorkins
Silas Flaming
Henry Franklin
Pleasant Fraction
Grannison (Granison) Fields (indicated as being detailed as a teamster)
Lewis Finley
Sidney Gibson
Calhoun Gibson
John Greene
Benjamin Heath
Ambrose Holmes
Charles Hinds
Harrison Hinds (Hines)
Clayborne Harris
William Jones
Charles Jones
Richard Jordan (Jordon)
Andrew Jackson
William Key (Kee)
Mattison Knight
Albert Lewis
Thomas Logan
Henry Morrison
Frank McClarns
John Philips
Burrell (Burrill) Richardson
Israel Ross
Peter Robinson
Daniel Ruffen (Ruffin)
Josephus Smith
Milton Smith
George Smith
Israel Stanly (Stanley)
Euben (Reuben) Sanderson
Daniel Shepard
Spencer Thomas or Thomas Spencer
Moses Waller
Archibald Walker
Robert Waller
Pillow West
Thomas Miner - Discharged on surgeon's certificate of disability
Died:
Charles Hicks - died in regimental hospital at Goodrich Landing
Isaac J. Lerrido (Jarrido, Jerrido) - died in regimental hospital at Goodrich Landing
Johnson Williams - died in regimental hospital at Goodrich Landing
James Washington - died in regimental hospital at Goodrich Landing
Deserted:
Nelson Robinson
I am interested in corresponding with descendants of these USCT soldiers. Please contact me directly at [email protected]
Thanks,
Joy Shivar
JustaJoy Historical Treasures
www.JustaJoy.com