Vigo County Historical Society
Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - August 9, 1998
By Jan Buffington
Vigo County Historical Society

Framed document provides roster, history of Civil War Union Company

Among the artifacts donated to the Vigo County Historical Museum from the Condit estate is a framed document with the roster and history of the 49th Regiment, U.S. Colored Cavalry, Company F.

We have no idea how or why the Condits obtained this document but it gives a detailed history of a very special company that served the Union during the Civil War.

The 49th Regiment, U.S. Colored Infantry originally was the 11th Regiment, Louisiana Volunteers of African Descent. It was recruited and organized from freedmen from Milliken’s Bend, La. Four companies were mustered into service on May 23, 1863. Four more companies were formed on June 4 and one more on Aug. 31. On Aug. 22, 1863, another company was mustered in Transylvania Landing, La.

The most famous battle this regiment was engaged in happened June 7, 1863, at Milliken’s Bend, before the entire regiment had been formed. The 49th fought along with a detachment from the 9th Louisiana Volunteers of African Descent, the 1st Mississippi Volunteers of African Descent and about 300 men from the 23rd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

They numbered about 1,500 and were armed with inferior old Austrian rifled muskets. Their defenses consisted of the river levee and bank.

These raw recruits fought against 2,500 to 3,000 veteran rebel troops under the command of Gen. McCollough , Jr., who underestimated these troops. At the end of their battle, about 114 of the Confederate dead were left on the field of battle for the Colored Infantry troops to bury.

One account states, "No race of men ever more clearly demonstrated their soldierly qualities than did these freedmen on this memorable day, undisciplined and unorganized as they were."

After this battle, the regiment served at Milliken’s Bend, then moved to Transylvania Landing, then to Goodrich’s Landing. Later, they moved to Vicksburg, then on to Port Gibson.

More than 200,000 soldiers and sailors of African descent fought in the Civil War. These brave young men, knowing their uncertain fate, chose to fight to protect the Union. But until 1998, they were virtually unrecognized. A memorial has been erected in Washington, D.C., dedicated to the colored U.S. troops who fought in the Civil War.

This document can be found in the museum’s current display on the Civil War. Come in and see if you have relatives who served in this brave company.

The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.