Brownsville in Haywood County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Fighting for Freedom

Haywood County African American Soldiers

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, March 20, 2022

1. Fighting for Freedom Marker

Inscription.

Fighting for Freedom. Haywood County African American Soldiers. Before President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, black men were forbidden to serve as U.S. soldiers. Eventually, more than 200,000 African Americans enlisted in U.S. Colored Troops regiments during the last two years of the war. Tennessee USCTS numbered 20,133, with only Louisiana (24,502) and Kentucky (23,703) contributing more. At least 200 are known to have resided in Haywood County. Most joined heavy artillery USCT units, but others served in the infantry or cavalry., At first, USCTS were employed mostly as garrison troops, guards, and laborers, but after successfully “fighting for the right to fight,” they experienced combat. Among units with Haywood County men, the 3rd USCT Heavy Artillery was assigned to the defenses of Memphis. The 4th USCT Heavy Artillery served in garrison duty at Fort Halleck, Columbus, Kentucky. The 11th USCT Infantry, organized at Fort Smith, Arkansas, in the autumn of 1863, served at the post. In 1864, the unit fought Confederates and Native Americans in Indian Territory, as well as a Confederate force in Arkansas. The 54th USCT helped defend Helena, Arkansas, against a Confederate attack in 1864. The 55th USCT Infantry served mostly in Tennessee garrisons but also fought in the Battle of Brice's Crossroads (June 10, 1864), Mississippi. Most of the units were mustered out of service by 1866., Captions: , (Left) Sgt. Tom Strawn, Co. B, 3rd USCT Heavy Artillery Courtesy Library of Congress , (Right) 54th USCT Infantry, likely at Helena, Arkansas, ca. 1864 Courtesy Library of Congess, Haywood County African American Soldiers. 54th Massachusetts Infantry Joseph Hallowell , 55th Massachusetts Colored Infantry Henry Stockley , 3rd USCT Cavalry Benjamin Dixon . George Horton , 3rd USCT Heavy Artillery Ed Adams . Ike Adams . James Austin . George Barnes . Willis Bartley . John Boswell . William Branch . Samuel Burden . John Burton . Thomas Burton . Edmond Cannon . Henry Clay . Joseph Clayborn . Isaac Curtis . Samuel Johnson . Egbert Longley . Ned Pender . Simon Peter . Dancy Potter . Anthony Rice . Alex Shepherd . Archer Taliaferro . Charles Thomas . Green Thomas . James Walton . David White , 4th USCT Heavy Artillery Robert Alexander . Henry Allison . Frederick Bailey . Allen Beard . Henry Bonds . Robert Coachman . Tobey Cook . George Coyle . Henry Cultart . Joseph Cultart . Sandy Greves . William Grizzard . John Jackson . Jordan Jones . Levi Jones . Lewis Jones . Andy Kearney . John Lake . Frank Macklin . John Nelson . John Newbern . Frank Nixon . Dick Parker . Peter Parker . David Pearl . David Pears . Lewis Reed . Thomas See . Dublin Shaw . John Stanly . Alexander Thomas . Isaac Tyson . Washington Walker . David Watkins . Raven White . Henry Williams . Wright Williams . Samuel Willingham . James Wills . Richard Wills . Robert Wilson , 5th USCT Heavy Artillery Jackson Bradford . David Coleman . Jacob Lee . Nathan Lunday , 6th USCT Heavy Artillery Stephen Bland , 9th USCT Heavy Artillery Charles Hays , 10th USCT Heavy Artillery George Nixon . Grundison Taylor , 11th USCT Heavy Artillery Austin Miller , 11th USCT Infantry William Boyd . Robert Douglass . Thomas Green . Robert Haskins . Thomas Nelson . Patten Oldham . Henry Pearson . Henry Webb . Peter Young , 13th USCT Infantry David Crockett . James Smith , 15th USCT Infantry William Cole , 16th USCT Infantry Jacob Lee , 29th USCT Infantry Peter Scofield . Joseph Walker , 43rd USCT Infantry Clayborne Anthony . Edmond Tadlock . Alex Tucker , 46th USCT Infantry James Roberts , 48th USCT Infantry Rafe Anderson , 54th USCT Infantry Abram Allison . Wesley Johnson . Dick Jones , 55th USCT Infantry Shelby Campbell . Warren Drake . Benjamin Franklin . Paul Johnson . Cary Powell . George Taylor . Thacker Taylor . William Taylor , 59th USCT Infantry Jerry Harvey

Before President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, black men were forbidden to serve as U.S. soldiers. Eventually, more than 200,000 African Americans enlisted in U.S. Colored Troops regiments during the last two years of the war. Tennessee USCTS numbered 20,133, with only Louisiana (24,502) and Kentucky (23,703) contributing more. At least 200 are known to have resided in Haywood County. Most joined heavy artillery USCT units, but others served in the infantry or cavalry.

At first, USCTS were employed mostly as garrison troops, guards, and laborers, but after successfully “fighting for the right to fight,” they experienced combat. Among units with Haywood County men, the 3rd USCT Heavy Artillery was assigned to the defenses of Memphis. The 4th USCT Heavy Artillery served in garrison duty at Fort Halleck, Columbus, Kentucky. The 11th USCT Infantry, organized at Fort Smith, Arkansas, in the autumn of 1863, served at the post. In 1864, the unit fought Confederates and Native Americans in Indian Territory, as well as a Confederate force in Arkansas. The 54th USCT helped defend Helena, Arkansas, against a Confederate attack in 1864. The 55th USCT Infantry served mostly in Tennessee garrisons but also fought in the Battle of Brice's Crossroads (June 10, 1864), Mississippi. Most of the units were

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mustered out of service by 1866.

Captions:
(Left) Sgt. Tom Strawn, Co. B, 3rd USCT Heavy Artillery Courtesy Library of Congress
(Right) 54th USCT Infantry, likely at Helena, Arkansas, ca. 1864 Courtesy Library of Congess

Haywood County African American Soldiers 54th Massachusetts Infantry Joseph Hallowell
55th Massachusetts Colored Infantry Henry Stockley
3rd USCT Cavalry Benjamin Dixon • George Horton
3rd USCT Heavy Artillery Ed Adams • Ike Adams • James Austin • George Barnes • Willis Bartley • John Boswell • William Branch • Samuel Burden • John Burton • Thomas Burton • Edmond Cannon • Henry Clay • Joseph Clayborn • Isaac Curtis • Samuel Johnson • Egbert Longley • Ned Pender • Simon Peter • Dancy Potter • Anthony Rice • Alex Shepherd • Archer Taliaferro • Charles Thomas • Green Thomas • James Walton • David White
4th USCT Heavy Artillery Robert Alexander • Henry Allison • Frederick Bailey • Allen Beard • Henry Bonds • Robert Coachman • Tobey Cook • George Coyle • Henry Cultart • Joseph Cultart • Sandy Greves • William Grizzard • John Jackson • Jordan Jones • Levi Jones • Lewis Jones • Andy Kearney • John Lake • Frank Macklin • John Nelson • John Newbern • Frank Nixon • Dick Parker • Peter Parker • David Pearl

Fighting for Freedom Marker detail (original) image. Click for full size.

Unknown via Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (public domain), circa 1864

2. Fighting for Freedom Marker detail (original)

Sgt. Tom Strawn of Company B, 3rd U.S. Colored Troops Heavy Artillery Regiment, with a revolver in front of a painted backdrop showing balustrade and landscape.

• David Pears • Lewis Reed • Thomas See • Dublin Shaw • John Stanly • Alexander Thomas • Isaac Tyson • Washington Walker • David Watkins • Raven White • Henry Williams • Wright Williams • Samuel Willingham • James Wills • Richard Wills • Robert Wilson
5th USCT Heavy Artillery Jackson Bradford • David Coleman • Jacob Lee • Nathan Lunday
6th USCT Heavy Artillery Stephen Bland
9th USCT Heavy Artillery Charles Hays
10th USCT Heavy Artillery George Nixon • Grundison Taylor
11th USCT Heavy Artillery Austin Miller
11th USCT Infantry William Boyd • Robert Douglass • Thomas Green • Robert Haskins • Thomas Nelson • Patten Oldham • Henry Pearson • Henry Webb • Peter Young
13th USCT Infantry David Crockett • James Smith
15th USCT Infantry William Cole
16th USCT Infantry Jacob Lee
29th USCT Infantry Peter Scofield • Joseph Walker
43rd USCT Infantry Clayborne Anthony • Edmond Tadlock • Alex Tucker
46th USCT Infantry James Roberts
48th USCT Infantry Rafe Anderson
54th USCT Infantry Abram Allison • Wesley Johnson • Dick Jones
55th USCT Infantry Shelby Campbell • Warren Drake • Benjamin Franklin • Paul Johnson • Cary Powell • George Taylor • Thacker Taylor • William Taylor
59th USCT Infantry Jerry Harvey

Erected by

Unknown via Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (public domain)

3. Fighting for Freedom Marker detail (original)

Lt. Samuel K. Thompson poses with soldiers of Co. C, 54th USCT Infantry.

Tennessee Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is January 1, 1863.

Location. 35° 35.617′ N, 89° 15.719′ W. Marker is in Brownsville, Tennessee, in Haywood County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of South Washington Avenue and East Main Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is in Tamm Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 S Washington Ave, Brownsville TN 38012, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Brownsville Raids (here, next to this marker); Lot Number 1 (a few steps from this marker); Haywood County Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Haywood County Confederate Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Haywood County Courthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Haywood County War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Opera House (within shouting distance of this marker); Brownsville (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brownsville.

Also see . . . The Role of the USCT in the Civil War.

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, March 20, 2022

4. Fighting for Freedom Marker

Featured marker is on the left.

Unable to join the Union army until midway through the Civil War, African American troops were instrumental in the Union's victory, abolishing slavery, and winning equal protection under the law and the right to vote. (Steward Henderson, American Battlefield Trust, posted Oct. 27, 2020) (Submitted on March 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 23, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 295 times since then and 77 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.