Henry County’s men of color: rising to the cause

To honor and celebrate Black History Month 2022, Henry County Heritage Trust will share previously published news articles, biographies and obituaries about Henry County’s African Americans.

The following excerpts are taken from an article written by Joy Lynn Conwell (1952-2021), included in the book “Remembering: Civil War Impact on Henry County, Iowa,” published in 2018 by Henry County Heritage Trust. Joy Lynn Conwell loved history and was a passionate, knowledgeable researcher and writer.

In the fall of 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation…word arrived within days and was reported in the local Henry County newspapers to the great jubilation of county residents, especially the numerous African-American residents.

The Emancipation Proclamation cemented a desire among the African-American population with the hope that they might assist and participate in the War.

In early 1863, President Lincoln, recognizing the desire of free blacks, former slaves and even slaves themselves, wrote a letter to Andrew Johnson stating, "The colored population is the great available yet un-availed-of force for restoring the Union”…Finally, two months later on May 22, 1863, the War Department General Order #143 created the USCT, United States Colored Troops and colored units were integrated into the Union Army. By the end of the war, African-Americans accounted for 10% of Union soldiers.

Henry County's African-American men joined their comrades in service. From Salem, New London, Mount Pleasant and outlying townships, these men stepped forward when the call was made for the 1st Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry of African Descent (later known at the U.S. 60th Infantry-CTINF). This unit was organized under special orders from the U.S. War Department on July 27, 1863.

Some Henry County African-American soldiers were also affiliated with the 18th Regiment of U. S. Colored Infantry, which was raised at Benton's Barracks at St. Louis, Missouri. Unlike other African-American units, the 18th U.S. Regiment was mustered directly into the U.S. Army and was not a "state" unit.

HENRY COUNTY, IOWA - CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS OF AFRICAN DESCENT

Adams, National. Age 21. Enlisted August 15, 1863. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865. Unit: First Infantry (Sixtieth U.S.) –CTINF. Died Jan. 31, 1910. Buried Forest Home Cemetery, Mount Pleasant.

Baxter, George. Age 20. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Arkansas. Enlisted Sept. 12, 1863. Mustered Nov. 21, 1863. Died of disease June 7, 1864, Helena, Ark.

Bond, William A. Age 29. Residence Salem, nativity Indiana. Appointed 2nd Lieutenant Oct. 11, 1863. Mustered Oct. 11, 1863. Died of disease July 24, 1864, Helena, Ark. See Company I, Fourth Cavalry. Buried Salem South Cemetery.

Edwards, William. Age 20. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Sept. 30, 1863. Mustered Dec. 8, 1863. Promoted 7th Corporal Feb. 20, 1865, 6th Corporal June 24, 1865. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Ford, Ephraim P. Age 21. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity North Carolina. Enlisted Sept. 9, 1863. Mustered Nov. 21, 1863. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Granville, Padon. Age 21. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Sept. 16, 1863. Mustered Nov. 21, 1863. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Gray, William. Age 20. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Sept. 5, 1863, as 6th Corporal. Mustered Oct. 21, 1863. Promoted 5th Corporal March 25, 1864, 4th Corporal Aug. 13, 1864, 3rd Corporal Aug. 28, 1864. Died of disease Aug. 29, 1864, Helena, Ark.

Gilbert, Sandy. Age 18. Residence Mount Pleasant. Enlisted April 3, 1865. Mustered April 3, 1865. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865. Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Greyson, Henry. Age 21. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Aug. 23, 1863. Mustered Oct. 11, 1863. Died of disease May 24, 1864, Helena, Ark.

Hawkins, William. Age 20. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Aug. 21, 1863, Mustered Oct. 11, 1863. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Holmes, Abram. Age 19. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Sept. 30, 1863. Mustered Nov. 21, 1863. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Howard, George. Age 23. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Oct. 10, 1863, as 3rd Corporal. Mustered Nov. 21, 1863. Promoted 2nd Corporal Aug. 13, 1864, 1st Corporal Aug. 28, 1864. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Johnson, George. Age 20. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Sept. 3, 1863. Mustered Nov. 21, 1863. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Jones, Wesley. Age 30. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Tennessee. Enlisted Sept. 7, 1863. Mustered Nov. 21, 1863. Died of disease Sept. 25, 1864, Helena, Ark.

Kinsellow, Frank. Age 20. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Aug. 22, 1863. Mustered Nov. 21, 1863. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Kinselo, John. Age 18. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Aug. 23, 1863. Mustered Oct. 11, 1863. Promoted 8th Corporal Feb. 1, 1865, 7th Corporal June 8, 1865. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Mason, Alfred. Age 27. Residence Mount Pleasant. Enlisted: Sep. 19, 1863. Mustered out: Oct. 15, 1865. Unit: Fed 60th-CTINF, Company F. Rank: Sargent. Buried at Forest Home Cemetery, Mount Pleasant.

Rice, Alexander F. Age 35. Residence New London, nativity Indiana. Unit: Co. E, 1st Iowa-CTINF. Mustered Oct. 11, 1863. Appointed 2nd Lieutenant, and assigned to Co. K known as Bissell’s Missouri Engineers of the West. Later reassigned to Co. E, 60th U.S.-CTINF. Resigned June 5, 1865. Mustered out Jun. 6, 1865. Buried in the Rice Farm Cemetery, Pulaski County, Arkansas.

Todd, George. Age 33. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Aug. 22, 1863. Mustered Nov. 21, 1863. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

Walker, William. Age 18. Residence Salem, nativity Iowa. Enlisted Aug. 14, 1863. Mustered Oct. 11, 1863. Died of disease May 5, 1864, Helena, Ark.

Wicks, James R. Enlisted: Sep. 12, 1863. Mustered out: Oct. 15,1865. Unit: Fed 60th-CTINF. Rank: Private. Died 1914. Buried in Forest Home Cemetery, Mount Pleasant.

Wright, George A. Age 18. Residence Mount Pleasant, nativity Missouri. Enlisted Sept. 21, 1863. Mustered Nov. 21, 1863. Mustered out Oct. 15, 1865, Devall's Bluff, Ark.

COLORED TROOPS BURIED IN HENRY COUNTY WHO MUSTERED IN MISSOURI:

Alfred M.G. Colson and Harvey Keith. Part of the Federal 18th—CTINF. Buried in Forest Home Cemetery, Mount Pleasant.

Patrick Bartlett, soldier in the 56th U.S.—CTINF is buried in Old City Cemetery, Mount Pleasant.

William Ford, Company E, U.S. 60th—CTINF, mustered originally with the 11th Missouri. Buried in Old City Cemetery, Mount Pleasant.