19th United States Colored Troops
Alternate Designations
History
The 19th U.S.C.T. was recruited primarily from Maryland's Easter Shore and southern counties, and was organized at Benedsict, Maryland in December of 1863.
The regiment was assigned to garrison the city of Baltimore on March 1, 1864. On March 22nd a portion of the regiment was ordered to Harper's Ferry, and then to winchester, Virginia. En-route to Winchester the regimetn was attacked by Confederate cavalry at Berryville. After the battle the regiment continued to Winchester and later returned to Harper's Ferry.
In late April the regiment was ordered to join the Army of the Potomac as it inched ever closer to the Confederate capital. The 19th U.S.C.T. joined the AOP in the wilderness in May. The regiment was subsequently assigned to Burnside's 9th Corps, and detailed to guard the supply trains.
The regiment received it's baptism of fire on May 13th when itr was attacked by Hampton's Legion. The inexperieced soldiers held their ground and fought bravely.
The regiment remained witht he 9th Corps through the Wilderness campaign. On November 27th it was transfered to the 25th Corps, and consequnetly participatede in the siege of Richmond. During theintense Battle of Cemetery Hill near Richmond the regiment lost nearly half of it's strength, 12 commissioned officers and 360 men, killed and wounded in a period of thirty minutes. When the Army of Northern Virginia evacuated Richmond in April of 1865 the 19th U.S.C.T. was amongst the first troops to enter the city.
The remainder of the regiment embarked for Brazos, Texas on June 5th, 1865 via steamship. Once in Texas the regiment moved to Brownsville, where it remained until the end of it's term of service in January of 1867.
The 19th U.S.C.T. was actively engaged in the Battles of the Wilderness, Spostylvania, Tolopotomy, Cold Harbor, Old Church Siege of Petersburg and richmond, Weldon Railroad, Cemetery Hill, Hatcher's Run and Bermuda Hundred.
The regiment suffered 3 officers and 47 enlisted men killed or died of their wounds. One officers and 243 enlisted men died of disease
History provided by Gary Baker of the Association of Carroll's Sacred Trust.
Published Sources
James H. Rickard, Service with the Colored Troops in Burnside's Corps, Providence R.I.: Rhode Island Soldiers and Sailor's Historical Society, 1894.
General Henry Goddard Thomas, "The Colored Troops at Petersburg," Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, New York: The Century Co., 1888.
Henry Thomas, "Twenty-two hours a Prisoner of War in Dixie," War Papers (MOLLUS, ME, Vol.1) Portland, ME:Thurston, 1898.
James H. Whyte, "Maryland's Negro Regiments - How, Where they Served," Civil War Times Illustrated, (July 1962).
See the General Sources page for items containing information on all Maryland Units.
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