36th United States Colored Infantry Regiment

36th United States Colored Infantry
Active	February 8, 1864 - October 28, 1866
Country	United States
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Infantry
Engagements	Siege of Petersburg ; Battle of Chaffin's Farm ; Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road ; Appomattox Campaign

Last updated October 10, 2019

The 36th United States Colored Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was composed of African American enlisted men commanded by white officers and was authorized by the Bureau of Colored Troops which was created by the United States War Department on May 22, 1863.

Infantry is a military specialization that engages in military combat on foot, distinguished from cavalry, artillery, and tank forces. Also known as foot soldiers or infanteers, infantry traditionally relies on moving by foot between combats as well, but may also use mounts, military vehicles, or other transport. Infantry make up a large portion of all armed forces in most nations, and typically bear the largest brunt in warfare, as measured by casualties, deprivation, or physical and psychological stress.

A regiment is a military unit. Their role and size varies markedly, depending on the country and the arm of service.

During the American Civil War, the Union Army referred to the United States Army, the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. Also known as the Federal Army, it proved essential to the preservation of the United States as a working, viable republic.

Service

The 36th U.S. Colored Infantry was organized February 8, 1864 from the 2nd North Carolina Colored Infantry for three-year service under the command of Colonel Alonzo G. Draper.

In the United States Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force, colonel is the most senior field grade military officer rank, immediately above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general. It is equivalent to the naval rank of captain in the other uniformed services. By law, a colonel must have at least 22 years of cumulative service and a minimum of three years as a lieutenant colonel before being promoted. The pay grade for colonel is O-6.

Alonzo Granville Draper was a volunteer officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War who eventually earned the grade of brevet brigadier general. During his early career, Draper was an outspoken advocate of various social causes, particularly worker's rights. As an officer during the Civil War, Draper was best known as the commander of the 36th United States Colored Troops.

The regiment was attached to U.S. Forces, Norfolk and Portsmouth, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, to April 1864. District of St. Marys, Department of Virginia and North Carolina, to June 1864. Unattached, Army of the James, to August 1864. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XVIII Corps, to December 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, XXV Corps, December 1864. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, XXV Corps, and Department of Texas, to October 1866.

The Department of Virginia and North Carolina was a United States Military department encompassing Union-occupied territory in the Confederate States during the Civil War. In 1863 it was formed by the merging of two previously existing departments: the Department of Virginia and the Department of North Carolina. In 1865 the two departments were once again separated.

The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.

XVIII Corps (Union Army) 1862-1864 Union Army formation

XVIII Corps was a North Carolina corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.

The 36th U.S. Colored Infantry mustered out of service October 28, 1866.

Detailed service

Duty at Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., until April 1864. At Point Lookout, Md., District of St. Marys, guarding prisoners until July 1864. Expedition from Point Lookout to Westmoreland County April 12–14. Expedition from Point Lookout to the Rappahannock River May 11–14, and to Pope's Creek June 11–21. Moved from Point Lookout to Bermuda Hundred, Va., July 1–3. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond, Va., July 3, 1864 to April 2, 1865. Battle of Chaffin's Farm, New Market Heights, September 29–30. Battle of Fair Oaks October 27–28. Dutch Gap November 17. Indiantown, Sandy Creek, N.C., December 18 (detachment). Duty north of the James River before Richmond until March 27, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 27-April 9. Occupation of Richmond April 3. Duty in the Department of Virginia until May. Moved to Texas May 24-June 6. Duty along the Rio Grande, Texas, and at various points in Texas until October 1866.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 224 men during service; 8 officers and 79 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 5 officers and 132 enlisted men died of disease.

Commanders

Colonel Alonzo G. Draper
Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin F. Pratt

In the United States Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force, a lieutenant colonel is a field-grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.

Notable members

Private James Daniel Gardner, Company I - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm
Corporal Miles James, Company B - Medal of Honor recipient for action at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm

James Daniel Gardner, also spelled as Gardiner, was an African American Union Army soldier during the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm.

Medal of Honor United States of Americas highest military honor

The Medal of Honor is the United States of America's highest and most prestigious personal military decoration that may be awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. The medal is normally awarded by the President of the United States in the name of the U.S. Congress. Because the medal is presented "in the name of Congress", it is often referred to informally as the "Congressional Medal of Honor". However, the official name of the current award is "Medal of Honor". Within the United States Code the medal is referred to as the "Medal of Honor", and less frequently as "Congressional Medal of Honor". U.S. awards, including the Medal of Honor, do not have post-nominal titles, and while there is no official abbreviation, the most common abbreviations are "MOH" and "MH".

Miles James United States Army Medal of Honor recipient

Miles James was an African American Union Army soldier during the American Civil War and a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm.

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References

Bryant, James K. The 36th Infantry United States Colored Troops in the Civil War: A History and Roster (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co.), 2012. ISBN 0-7864-6878-5
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908.
Reid, Richard M. Freedom for Themselves: North Carolina's Black Soldiers in the Civil War Era (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press), 2008. ISBN 0-8078-3174-3

Attribution

This article contains text from a text now in the public domain : Dyer, Frederick H. (1908). A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Des Moines, IA: Dyer Publishing Co.

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