The 56th 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 The Bureau of Colored Troops was created by the United States War Department on May 22, 1863, under General Order No. 143, during the American Civil War, Civil War, to handle "all matters relating to the organization of colored troops." Major Char ...

which was created by the United States War Department on May 22, 1863. The regiment was originally organized as the 3rd Arkansas Volunteer Infantry (African Descent) on May 22, 1863.

Organization

The regiment was organized at St. Louis in August 1863 as the 3rd Regiment Arkansas Volunteer Infantry (African Descent) and assigned to the VII Corps (Union Army). The regiment was dispatched to Helena, Arkansas, where it was initially utilized for garrison and guard duty.Encyclopedia of Arkansas History
/ref> The regiment was re-organized at Helena, Arkansas, on March 11, 1864, and re-designated the 56th United States Colored Infantry.''The Civil War Archive''
/ref> The 56th was commanded by Col. Carl Bentzoni, a Prussian born officer who trained the troops for combat.

Service

The 3rd Regiment Arkansas Volunteer Infantry (African Descent) participated in the Expedition from Helena up White River February 4–8, 1864. and up St. Francis River February 13–14. On July 26, 1864, near Wallace's Ferry in Arkansas, the unit (now re-designated as the 56th United States Colored Infantry Regiment), along with the 60th Colored Infantry regiments and Battery E of the 2nd U.S. Colored Artillery were attacked by a superior force of

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between ...

cavalry commanded by Col.

Archibald S. Dobbins Colonel Archibald Stephenson Dobbins () was an officer of the Confederate army who commanded a cavalry regiment in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. Initially refusing to serve under Marmaduke after the Marmaduke-Walke ...

. Supported by about 150 men from the 15th Illinois Cavalry, the infantry regiments organized a fighting retreat and at a crucial moment in the battle made a counter charge into the enemy line. The unit was praised by the commander of Battery E in his after action report:.Christ, Mark, "Re: Battles of Helena and Jenkins Ferry", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 7/25/2006, Accessed 11 Sept 2013, http://www.history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs62x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?md=read;id=13202 Colonel Brooks of the 56th was mortally wounded early in the action and Lieutenant Colonel Moses Reed assumed command. The 56th and the other Union forces made their way back to Helena. Union casualties in the battle were 19 killed, 40 wounded, and four missing. Confederate losses are unknown. General Order No. 14, Department of Arkansas (dated February 1, 1865), from Little Rock, reported the 56th United States Colored Infantry as belonging to the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division of the 7th Army Corps. The 56th Colored Regiment losses during service consisted of: four officers and 21 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded; and two officers and 647 enlisted men by disease; for a total of 674 fatalities. The vast majority of the deaths due to disease occurred during a cholera epidemic that struck in August 1866 while the regiment was waiting to muster out at Jefferson Barracks Military Post near St. Louis. One hundred seventy-five African American enlisted men of the 56th U.S. Colored Infantry are buried together in a mass grave at

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is an American military cemetery located in St. Louis County, Missouri, just on the banks of the Mississippi River. The cemetery was established after the American Civil War in an attempt to put together a for ...

Mustered out of service

Mustered out September 15, 1866.Tabular Analysis of the Records of the U.S. Colored Troops and Their Predecessor Units in the National Archives of the United States. Special List No. 33. National Archives and records Service General Services Administration Washington: 1973. Compiled by Joseph B. Ross. FHL 973 M2rt Film:1036062 Item 21 The U.S. government credits 5,526 men of African descent as having served in the Union Army from the state of Arkansas during the conflict.

Notes

References

*{{Cite book , last = Fletcher, first = Randol B., title = Hidden History of Civil War Oregon, publisher = The History Press, year = 2011, location = Charleston, South Carolina, isbn = 1609494245 * Robertson, Brian K. ''"Will They Fight? Ask the Enemy:" United States Colored Troops at Big Creek, Arkansas, July 26, 1864''; Arkansas Historical Quarterly; Vol. 66; Autumn 2007; Pp 320–332. * https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2010647218/

External links