Prisoners of War
Fort Henderson and Trinity School
“When told that the fort had been surrendered... [the soldiers] could scarcely believe themselves, but with tears demanded that the fight should go on, preferring to die in the fort.” — Lt. Robert McMillan, 110th U.S. Colored Infantry
You now stand near the fort's northwest bastion. Treating them differently than white soldiers who went to prisoner of war camps, General Nathan Bedford Forrest sent many from the 110th United States Colored Troops to Mobile, Alabama. There, Julius and Samuel Redus, George Allen, John Jackson, Doctor Peete, Moses Peete and John Roberts were put to work by General Richard Taylor on the city's fortifications. They remained prisoners for eight months until Taylor surrendered to Union forces. Sadly, not all returned home. Samuel Redus took ill during captivity and passed away in a Nashville hospital on June 24, 1865. Two days later and likely unaware of his brother's passing, Julius died due to complications from a blow to the head inflicted by a guard. Moses Peete, while aboard the Natchez on the Alabama River, fell from the deck and drowned. His body was never recovered. Their comrades, John Jackson, Doctor Peete and John Roberts, returned to the regiment as did George Allen, despite an injury from a magazine explosion. These men served out their
this page online
[Photo captions
Middle: Norton W. Campbell served as a captain in the 110th
U.S. Colored Troops. Campbell briefly commanded
the regiment in the spring of 1864 and surrendered at
Fort Henderson. Unlike enlisted men in his charge,
Campbell was exchanged and returned to duty in
December 1864. Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Right: Edward R.S. Canby graduated from West Point in 1839. Early in the
war, Canby defeated Confederate General Henry Sibley in the New
Mexico Campaign. Appointed to command the Military Division of
WestMississippi, Major General Canby ultimately freed the USCTS
captured at Fort Henderson when he accepted General Richard
Taylor's surrender in May 1865. Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Erected 2020 by American Battlefield Trust & Paul Bryant Jr.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1866.
Location. 34° 47.886′ N, 86° 58.824′ W. Marker is in Athens, Alabama, in Limestone County. It can be reached from Trinity Circle north of Browns Ferry Street (County Road 29), on the left when
Regionally, this marker is in North Alabama and in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Battles of Fort Henderson and Sulphur Creek Trestle (a few steps from this marker); Coleman Hill (within shouting distance of this marker); Reconstruction (within shouting distance of this marker); Trinity School (within shouting distance of this marker); The United State Colored Troops (within shouting distance of this marker); Mary Fletcher Wells (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fort Henderson / Trinity School - 1865-1970 (about 400 feet away); Coleman Family (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Athens.
Also see . . . From USCT Fort to African American School in Athens, Alabama. From the American Battlefield Trust website. (Submitted on October 19, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 19, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 636 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 19, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
