BLACK SOLDIERS UNION ARMY
BLACK SOLDIERS UNION ARMY
Arkansas' Union soldiers were not limited to white men - some 5,500 black men served in units that began as Arkansas regiments. These units are as follows:
First Arkansas Infantry, A.D.
The A. D. designation meant "African Descent." This unit was organized in Arkansas at large, 1 May 1863, and became the 46th U. S. Colored Troops (U. S. C. T.) 11 May 1864.
Second Arkansas Infantry. A. D.
This unit was organized in Arkansas at large, 4 September 1863, and was changed to the 54th U. S. C. T. 11 March 1864.
Third Arkansas Infantry. A. D.
This unit was organized at St. Louis, MO, 12 August 1863, and changed to the 56th U. S. C. T. 11 March 1864.
This unit was organized at Helena, DeVall's Bluff, and Little Rock, AR, 2 December 1863, and changed to the 57th U.S.C.T. 11 March 1864.
First Battery Arkansas Light Artillery, A.D.
This unit was organized at Pine Bluff, AR, 4 June 1864, and was changed to Battery H, 2nd U. S. Colored Light Artillery, 13 December 1864.
AND MORE
The 5th and 6th Arkansas Infantry Regiments, A. D., became the 112th and 113th U.S.C.T. and were in turn incorporated into the New 113th Infantry Regiment U. S. Colored Volunteers, along with the llth U.S.C.T.
Records of these black soldiers are included in material about units raised directly by the United States, rather than in the State units.
There are a few black men listed in the compiled
service record list of white soldiers. In this book, those few are listed
with the abbreviation "col" after the name, just as they are designated
in the records. Also, a few presumably black servants are listed in the
compiled records with no surname. They, too, are listed in this index just
as found in the compiled records.
If you would like a lookup for your soldier in this publication, I will be happy to do this if you contact me, Jeri Helms Fultz