CORNERSTONE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESEARCH

OUT OF PRINT

BLACK SOLDIERS - BLACK SAILORS - BLACK INK: RESEARCH GUIDE ON AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN U. S. MILITARY HISTORY, 1526-1900:

List Of Officers

Chronology Of Service

Medal Of Honor Winners

Regimental Service Records

Revolutionary War Enlisted Men

Annapolis And West Point Appointees

Civil War General Orders From Washington

Bibliography Extensively Cross-Referenced By Subject

Confederate Writings On Military Use Of African-Americans

Writings Of Civilian And Military African-American Authors

12,000 African-American Servicemen.

BY Thomas Truxtun Moebs

Chesapeake Bay and Paris. Moebs Publishing Company. 1994. Gilt Stamped Cloth. Fine/Fine. (First Edition). 28-1/2 x 22 cm. (11.25 x 8.75 inches) 1737 pages divided into 4 volumes and 10 appendices with master index, 67 illustrations, single reinforced case binding of coal black cloth with gilt decorated front board and with gilt entitlement of spine, head and foot bands, acid free 50 pound Finch Opaque paper, pictorial end-pages, pictorial dust wrapper, shrunk wrapped, shipped in separate bumper end carton with shipping weight of approximately 12 pounds.

About This Publication

This publication presents a formidable description of and commentary on African-American participation in U. S. military history from 1526 to 1901. Concurrent with its record of military accomplishment, the guide brings out non-military cultural contributions. Here is a survey of its coverage:

Writings of African-American Civilians and Veterans

(Volume 1)

During 1897 Daniel Hale Williams, a surgeon in Chicago and later Spanish-American War colonel, published an account of a pioneering heart operation he had performed. The operation was described in 1897 by the New York Medical Record as “the first successful or unsuccessful case of suture of the pericardium that has ever been recorded.” In 1858 James Roberts, a veteran of service with George Washington in the American Revolution and with Major General Andrew Jackson in the 1814-1815 Battle of New Orleans, wrote an account of his wartime services. In 1855 there appeared William Cooper Nell's The Colored Patriots, which has been recognized as “the first sustained attempt at history-writing by an American Negro.” During 1878 Civil War Lieutenant James Monroe Trotter published the “first historical survey of Negro music.” In 1901 Spanish-American War 1^st Lieutenant Richard E. S. Toomey published a book of poetry which Paul Laurence Dunbar cited as melodiously written and then termed Toomey “the soldier singer.” In 1820 Lemuel Hayes, a veteran of the American Revolution, wrote the first short story by an African-American. Such writings are to be found within this volume of 218 pages which chronicles more than 650 publications authored by African-Americans with pre-1901 military service and by African-American civilians who wrote before 1901 about military matters. The authors encompass the Army private, the Navy powder boy of Revolutionary times, the Navy seaman turned playwright and American diplomat, the Army chaplain, the Civil War recruiting agent, the enlisted man and non-commissioned officer of the Western Indian Wars, the West Point cadet and graduate, the Annapolis midshipman, a lady physician, the first African-American policeman, an African-American preacher to white congregations in the early 1800s, general officers, congressmen, a governor of Louisiana, and veterans of service with the Confederate Army and Navy. Throughout, an objective has been to show both the military and non-military range of veterans' writings. Each writing or group of writings is preceded by a short biographical sketch of the author. Following basic title, publication, and pagination information will be found citations to references and sometimes historical and bibliographical comment. In most cases there is a listing of location or locations for described titles. Compilation of this volume included a physical check of the National Union Catalog and the Library of Congress computer catalog under the name of each of more than 600 officers and commanders in Appendix 1 of this research guide. Additionally, the just named sources were checked for the names of a variety of men and women which appeared during research for the production of the entire research guide. That variety included the names of forty-eight African-Americans who worked with Frederick Douglass in Civil War recruiting activities.

Chronology of Black Soldiers and Sailors

(Volume 2)

A massive compilation, the volume begins with the 1526 resort to arms by African-American members of a Spanish colony at the mouth of the Pee Dee River in South Carolina. The volume's 647 pages include data on some 12,000 African-Americans who saw military service before 1901. Within this volume will be found extensive account of Civil War combat, of the fighting by the Buffalo Soldiers in the Indian Wars of the American West, of Civil War recruiting, and of the slave wars. Here you will find the names of those who served with the 54^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the service of which has been chronicled in the movie Glory. Here will be found the names of the men who served with the two battalions and several separate companies that fought under Andrew Jackson in the 1814-1815 Battle of New Orleans. And, here you will find note of African-American veterans of the Revolutionary War. Each entry in this volume is accompanied at its end by reference to a source or sources. Within each year the chronology is organized by veteran name and applicable subject areas such as combat, Confederate States of America, emancipation, Indian Wars, militia, Philippine Insurrection, Reconstruction Wars, recruiting, regiments, prisoners-of-war, Slave Wars, Spanish-American War, and veteran recognition.

Subject Bibliography

(Volume 3)

Volume 3 provides an extensive 250 page listing of archives, books, and magazine articles which the researcher may consult for detailed background on an area inquiry. The organization of the reference material is alphabetical by subject. Extensive cross referencing has been incorporated. For example, Civil War veteran William Henry Singleton will be found under three listings: [Singleton, William Henry] [Civil War Veteran]; [Civil War Veteran] [Singleton, William Henry]; and [Veteran] [Civil War] [Singleton, William Henry]. African-American regiments are listed under subject [Regiment] and then numerically by designation. Regiments are then cross referenced to appear under arm of service (artillery, cavalry and infantry). They are further crossed referenced by: [Regiment] [name of conflict]. Brief use of this subject bibliography volume will show that it is organized by names of servicemen, State sections, and a distinct set of subject areas. That set includes American Revolution, Annapolis, artillery, battles, Buffalo Soldiers, cavalry, Civil War, combat, Confederate States of America, Indian Wars, infantry, Medal of Honor, officers, Philippine Insurrection, prisoners-of-war, recruiting, regiments, Slave Wars, Spanish-American War, veterans, War of 1812, West Point, and Western States. The subject area of [Veteran] contains a large listing of individual veterans. There will be found references on individuals who served in the Colonial Wars, the Slave Wars, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Confederate Army, the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American War, and the Philippine Insurrection. Accompanying many of the cited references will be found historical notes. For example, an entry for the Battle of Milliken's Bend will cite regiments engaged and casualties. Similar treatment has been given entries for record groups at the National Archives in Washington, D. C. When cited, they are accompanied by discussion of their content. These historical notes, content comment on archives, and the extensive cross referencing make this subject bibliography a very direct and concrete aid.

African-American Unit Histories

(Volume 4)

Volume 4 presents in chronological form the history of several hundred military units manned by African-Americans. The earliest unit dates from 1729. The military units are arranged within chronological periods as follows: 1729-1774, 1775-1811, 1812-1816, 1817-1860, 1861-1900. Units chronicled include American Manned British Units, State Militia, Territorial Militia, Irregular Maroon Units, Unofficial Militia, Regular Army, United States Volunteers, and United States Colored Troops.

African-American Officers Serving Before 1901

(Appendix 1)

Appendix 1 presents the names of some six hundred African-Americans who served as officers or military commanders before 1901. Commander, as used herein, includes guerrilla leaders from the slave wars and masters of vessels associated with military operations. The names are presented alphabetically by last name, alphabetically by unit served in, and alphabetically by rank.

African-Americans At West Point, 1870-1900

(Appendix 2)

During the 19^th Century, twenty-seven African-American were appointed to attend the U. S. Military Academy. The earliest appointment was made on March 7^th, 1870. The last appointment was made on March 2^nd, 1887. Of the twenty-seven appointed, twelve entered West Point and three were graduated. The first graduation took place on June 15^th, 1877. This appendix is in three sections: those appointed; those who served as cadets; and those who were graduated.

African-Americans At Annapolis, 1872-1900

(Appendix 3)

Six African-Americans were appointed to attend the U. S. Naval Academy during the 19^th Century. The first appointment was made in 1872. The last appointment was made in 1897. Three of the six appointed entered and served as midshipmen. This appendix treats those appointed, those who attended, and references for further study.

The Black Brigade of Cincinnati, Ohio

(Appendix 4)

The Black Brigade of Cincinnati was the first Northern unit of African-Americans used for military purposes in the Civil War. This appendix contains an alphabetical roster of the men and the company commanders who served in the Black Brigade's seventeen companies which were organized into three regiments. All but three of the company commanders were African-Americans.

Medal of Honor Winners

(Appendix 5)

During the 19^th Century, 55 African-Americans were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Nation's highest decoration for valor. Organized by Indian Wars and other wars and by service, this appendix provides the name and an account each.

Confederate and Union Circulars and General Orders

(Appendix 6)

Provides complete text or significant extract from the text of thirty-nine circulars and general orders issued by Union and Confederate adjutant generals and the Union Navy. These pieces contain important text for the student of the military employment and arming of African-Americans during the Civil War. Herein will be found the Confederate recruiting regulations for company and special battalion size units of African-Americans which were authorized following the March 13^th, 1865 passage by the Confederate Congress of legislation providing for the arming of African-Americans.

Confederate Publications

(Appendix 7)

During the existence of the Confederate States of America, African-Americans, both free and enslaved, were employed at military tasks such as construction of fortifications, hospital assistance, manufacturing in naval gun works, etc. African-Americans also served in the field with tactical units. Such service is believed in general to have been non-combatant. As they so functioned during the War, there was an active debate over arming them and utilizing them in combat units. An interesting part of the literature of that debate is to be found in the Confederate publications described in this appendix and the Confederate general orders and circulars found in Appendix 6.

African-American Regimental Designations

(Appendix 8)

Some African-American units of the Union Army had two or more designations during the entirety of their service. This was caused by redesignation of units that had initially had State designations and by reorganization and consolidation of units. To facilitate cross identification of such units, this appendix has been prepared. It lists in numerical and then alphabetical order the African-American units that served during the Civil War together with any other designation or designations assigned. The applicable units are also listed under State and Corps d'Afrique sections.

Portraits of Veterans

(Appendix 9)

Alphabetically organized, this appendix describes 257 plus portraits, photographs, prints, paintings, and other pictorial descriptions of individual veterans and of groups of veterans. Each described image includes the rank and historic period of service of the subject.

United States Colored Troops Regimental Records

(Appendix 10)

Provides an inventory from the National Archives in Washington, D. C. of the records there which pertain to the Civil War regiments of the United States Colored troops as well as their predecessor units.

Master Index

200 pages in length, it contains the names of some 12,000 African-American veterans as well as significant sections which not only direct you to applicable pages in the research guide but also provide an outline or summary of history. Consider, by example, the subject of African-American participation in Civil War combat. Within this master index there is a fifteen page section under Civil War Combat and Operations which details actions, assaults, engagements, expeditions, killed, marches, occupations, operating bases, and wounded. A similar section exists for Indian Wars Combat and Operations. Consider the subject of the source of African-American recruits during the Revolutionary War and the units with which they served. This master index includes a section entitled American Revolution Recruits and Veterans. Therein is a listing of towns from which servicemen came and companies and regiments in which they served. A similar and much more extensive section exists for the Civil War under Civil War Recruits and Veterans. These sections are of the utmost interest to local historians for through them geographic locations can be directed to their African-American veterans.

-  -  -  -

“. . . major bibliographic and chronological compendium . . .magnum opus . . .This is a first-rate reference book and a real labor of love.” - College & Research Libraries (American Library Association).

“The significant and often neglected contributions of African Americans to early American military history here receive a comprehensive bibliographic treatment. Moebs has exhaustively extracted, summarized, arranged, and annotated numerous primary and secondary sources on African-American soldiers and sailors before 1900, including armed slave revolts as early as 1526 . . . a valuable asset to all collections of African American history and American military history; the many personal names mentioned would enhance African American genealogical research.” - Choice.

“This is a book we have wanted and waited to find.” - Dr. C. T. Vivian (Martin Luther King, Jr. lieutenant during Civil Rights marches).

New unopened in original publishers shipping box

Out of print, only 460 were produced.

Over Two-Hundred sixty copies are located in Worldcat, (Internet list of Library holdings).

A few of the libraries holding copies of  Black Soldiers - Black Sailors - Black Ink:

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Swem Library, College of William & Mary - Mariners' Museum Library - Hampton University

Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk - Old Dominion University - Norfolk State University

Norfolk Public Library - Library of Virginia - Marine Corps Research Library - Alexandra Library

National Defence University Library - Navy Department Library - University of Virginia

George Mason University - Pentagon Library - George Washington University

Library of Congress - Smithsonian Institution Library - Georgetown University

Bowie State University Library - U. S. Naval Academy - Coppin State University Library

James Madison University - NC State University - Duke University Library

VMI - Washington & Lee University - UNC at Chapel Hill - Gettysburg College

University of Delaware Library - University of Pennsylvania Library

Independence Seaport Museum - U. S. Army, Military History Institute

VA Tech - Princeton University Library - New York Public Library

Columbia University, NYC - Ohio University - SC State Library - Yale University

Cornell University - The Citadel - U. S. Coast Guard Academy - Clemson University

Ohio Historical Society - NY State Library - University of Tennessee - National War College

Brown University - College of Holy Cross - University of Georgia – Boston College

Kentucky Historical Society - Harvard University - Boston Athenaeum - Emory University

New England Historic Genealogical Society - Atlanta History Center - Dartmouth College

University of Michigan - University of Notre Dame - Auburn University – Florida State

Alabama State – Chicago Public Library - Newberry Library - Wisconsin Historical Society

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library - Tulane University - Oklahoma State University

University of Texas - Brigham Young University Library - University of California, San Diego

Pepperdine University Library - University of California, LA - University of Cambridge, UK

The British Library, St. Pancras - University of Hawaii, Manoa - University of Auckland, NZ

University of Otago Library, New Zealand