40th United States Colored Infantry Regiment

Last updated
40th United States Colored Infantry
ActiveFebruary 29, 1864 - April 25, 1866
Country United States
Allegiance Union
Branch Infantry

The 40th 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 military personnel who travel and fight on foot

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.

Regiment Military unit

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

Union Army Land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War

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.

Contents

Service

The 40th U.S. Colored Infantry was organized in Nashville, Tennessee beginning February 29, 1864 for three-year service under the command of Colonel R. K. Crawford.

Tennessee U.S. state in the United States

Tennessee is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th largest and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States. Tennessee is bordered by eight states, with Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, Arkansas to the west, and Missouri to the northwest. The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state, and the Mississippi River forms the state's western border. Nashville is the state's capital and largest city, with a 2017 population of 667,560 and a 2017 metro population of 1,903,045. Tennessee's second largest city is Memphis, which had a population of 652,236 in 2017.

Colonel (United States) Military rank of the United States

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.

The regiment was attached to Defenses of Louisville & Nashville Railroad, Department of the Cumberland, to June 1864. Defenses of Nashville & Northwestern Railroad, Department of the Cumberland, to December 1864. Defenses of Louisville & Nashville Railroad, Department of the Cumberland, to April 1865. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, District of East Tennessee, Department of the Cumberland, to July 1865. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, District of East Tennessee, to August 1865. Department of the Tennessee to April 1866.

The regiment served as railroad guard duty during its entire term of service along the Nashville & Louisville Railroad and Nashville & Northwestern Railroad. It saw action in a skirmish at South Tunnel, Tennessee, on October 10, 1864.

The 40th U.S. Colored Infantry mustered out of service April 25, 1866.

Commanders

See also

United States Colored Troops African American soldiers for the Union in the American Civil War

The United States Colored Troops (USCT) were regiments in the United States Army composed primarily of African-American (colored) soldiers, although members of other minority groups also served with the units. They were first recruited during the American Civil War, and by the end of that war in April 1865, the 175 USCT regiments constituted about one-tenth of the manpower of the Union Army. About 20% of USCT soldiers died, a rate about 35% higher than that for white Union troops. Despite heavy casualties, many fought with distinction, 15 USCT soldiers receiving the Medal of Honor and numerous others receiving other honors.

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References

Attribution

The public domain consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable.

Frederick H. Dyer Soldier, writer

Frederick Henry Dyer served as a drummer boy in the Union Army during the American Civil War. After the war, he wrote A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion – a complete record of every regiment formed under the Union Army, their histories, and the battles they fought in – taking forty years to compile.