The 6^th Regiment United States Colored Troops Reenactors Inc.

OUR MISSION

We the members of the 6th Regiment United States Colored Troops are a charitable organization, whose purpose is to commemorate the contributions of the United States Colored Troops during the American Civil War. We tell the story using historical reenactments, memorial ceremonies, parades and various educational and social venues.

TELLING THE STORY

Until the movie “Glory”,very few people were aware that African American regiments fought in the Civil War. The history of how free blacks and ex-slaves fought and sacrificed their lives for freedom, has been, largely over-looked in educational circles and the public record. The 6^th Regiment USCT recaptures this proud American heritage by portraying the authentic 6thRegiment United States Colored Infantry, an African-American battle-tested regiment with local historical ties to Trenton and the Delaware Valley. As Civil War reenactors we portray soldiers and civilians related to the historical events, places and personalities associated with the American Civil War. The 6th Regiment USCT is a Living History regiment, which emphasizes education and service as well asre-enacting battles, Civil War era military drilling and a Civil War soldier’s camp life. In 2005 the 6^th Reg. USCT expanded by founding a Revolutionary War unit The 1st Rhode Island Regiment, Reenactors Inc. 

Our activities include the training of the 6^th USCT Cadet Corps and a cadre of musicians, serving as honor guards for ceremonies, marching in parades, and visits to schools, churches, libraries and Senior Centers. The 6^th RegimentUSCT are members of the Camp Olden Civil War Round Table which maintains “The Civil War and Native American Museum” in Veterans Park, Hamilton N.J. that is open to the public.

6^th Regiment United States Colored Troops

&

The 1^st Rhode Island Regiment, Reenactors Inc.

685 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Trenton NJ, 08618

1st Sgt. Frederic Minus - President

Phone (609) 915-7148 Fax (609)396-3350

6THUSCT@GMAIL.COM

6th Regiment United States Colored Troops Reenactors, Inc.

is a IRS 501-C3 designated non-profit Organization

and is registered with New Jersey Charities.

Your contribution is tax deductible.

TRUE FREEDOM FIGTHERS

Approximately 189,000 black men (10% of the Union Army) served as soldiers in the U.S. Army, another 25,000 served in the US Navy. Nearly 40,000 black soldiers became casualties during the course of the Civil War with 30,000 of those dying of disease. Prejudiced attitudes of the time prevented many black units from being used in combat as extensively as they could have been. Nevertheless, the soldiers served with distinction in 339 battles, 34 of which were major battles affecting the outcome of the war. Black infantrymen fought gallantly at Milliken's Bend LA, Port Hudson LA, Petersburg VA, and Nashville TN. The July 1863 assault on Fort Wagner SC, in which the famous 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers lost two-thirds of their officers and half of their troops, was memorably dramatized in the film “Glory”. By the war's end, 24 black soldiers and sailors had been awarded the Medal of Honor for their valor. One Lieutenant and two sergeants of the original 6^th Regiment USCI won Medals of Honor at “The Battle of New Market Heights” at Chaffin’s Farm VA in September 1864. 

In non-combat roles Black soldiers served as carpenters, chaplains, cooks, guards, laborers, nurses, scouts, spies, steamboat pilots, surgeons, and teamsters all contributing to the war cause. There were nearly 80 black Commissioned Officers who served in the Civil War. Although black women could not formally join the Army, nonetheless they served as nurses, spies and scouts. One of the most famous was Harriet Tubman who scouted for the 2nd South Carolina Volunteers and was granted a Colonel’s pension by the US Army. The first Navy nurses were black women on the hospital ship “Red Rover”, which did service on the Mississippi River.

Source:  Bates, Samuel P. History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-1865,Harrisburg, 1868-1871.

Organization:

Organized at Camp William Penn, near Philadelphia, Pa.,
July 28 to September 12, 1863.
Moved from Philadelphia to Fort Monroe, Va., October 14; thence to Yorktown, Va.
Attached to United States Forces, Yorktown. Va.,
Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to January, 1864.
2nd Brigade, United States Forces, Yorktown, Va., 18th Corps,
Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to April, 1864.
2nd Brigade, Hincks' Colored Division, 18th Corps, Army of the James, to June, 1864.
2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps, to August, 1864.
3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 18th Corps, to December, 1864.
2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 25th Corps, to December, 1864.
2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 25th Corps, to March, 1865.
3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to August, 1865.
Dept. of North Carolina to September, 1865.

Service:

Duty at Yorktown till May, 1864.
Wild's Expedition to South Mills and Camden Court House, N. C., December 5-24, 1863.
Wistar's Expedition against Richmond February 2-6, 1864.
Expedition to New Kent Court House in aid of Kilpatrick's Cavalry March 1-4.
New Kent Court House March 2.
Williamsburg March 4.
Expedition into King and Queen County March 9-12.
Expedition into Matthews County March 17-21.
Butler's operations south of the James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-June 15.
Capture of City Point May 4.
Fatigue duty at City Point and building Fort Converse on Appomattox River till June 15.
Attack on Fort Converse May 20.
Before Petersburg June 15-18.
Bailor's Farm June 15.
Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 15 to December 17.
In trenches before Petersburg and fatigue duty at Dutch Gap Canal till August 27.
Moved to Deep Bottom August 27.
Battle of Chaffin's Farm, New Market Heights, September 29- 30.
Fort Harrison September 29.
Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28.
In trenches before Richmond till December.
1st Expedition to Fort Fisher, N. C., December 7-27.
2nd Expedition to Fort Fisher, N. C., January 7-15.
Bombardment of Fort Fisher January 13-15.
Assault and capture of Fort Fisher January 15.
Sugar Loaf Hill January 19.
Sugar Loaf Battery February 11.
Fort Anderson February 18-20.
Capture of Wilmington February 22.
Northeast Ferry February 22. Campaign of the Carolinas March 1-April 26.
Advance on Kinston and Goldsboro March 6-21.
Occupation of Goldsboro March 21.
Cox's Bridge March 23-24.
Advance on Raleigh April 9-14.
Occupation of Raleigh April 14.
Bennett's House April 26.
Surrender of Johnston and his army.
Duty in the Dept. of North Carolina till September.
Mustered out September 20, 1865.

Losses:

Regiment lost during service:
8 Officers and 79 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and
5 Officers and 132 Enlisted men by disease.
Total 224.