Enslaved to Soldier

67 Black men from Liberty enlisted in the Union army. 26 of these men died during the war and another 4 are believed to buried in Fairview Cemetery, without a headstone. Using the records of the United States Colored Troops, we share their stories and honor their service.

While researching the names for the Legacy Memorial, we came across the Union enlistment records of David Drake (Blue), who is believed to be buried in Fairview Cemetery. This discovery brought up many questions about Black men serving in the Civil War: How many men from Liberty enlisted? How did enslaved men come to be enlisted in the army of the Union? What happened to them after the war? Are any of them buried in unmarked graves like David Drake?

These questions led to the unexpected project of researching Civil War records in the hope of finding the names of all the Black men from Liberty who served. Thanks to the preservation of military records by the National Archives (hosted on Fold3) and the St. Louis County Library Genealogy Department, we were able to track down the descriptive records for 67 Black men who enlisted at the Liberty Recruitment Station of the Union Army. What makes these records especially powerful is that they include a physical description of the man enlisting — his height, skin color, hair color, and eye color. There is also a field that notes the recruit’s occupation, with most of them listed as “farmer” or “laborer”. These men were enslaved, farming the land owned by someone else or laboring in the house of their enslaver. However, this did not change their answer or how they saw themselves. When asked their occupation, they declared they were a farmer, a mechanic, or a laborer, not a slave. We have collected hundreds of records, and this page contains a sample of them, one document for each of the 67 men.

The debate on whether or not Black men should be allowed to enlist in the army was contentious, especially in states like Missouri, which remained a part of the Union while firmly protecting the institution of slavery. While we have records of these 67 men, we unfortunately do not have official record of every man who served. Some men from Liberty may have gone to recruitment stations in other cities or their records may have been lost. Additionally, those who served in roles such as teamsters, cooks, musicians, and blacksmiths were often not officially enlisted with a regiment and therefore do not have military records. This was usually the case for men who were physically unable to join the ranks or boys who were too young to enlist and instead assisted with the horses and making camp. William Slaughter, who served as a teamster and does not have official military records, is buried in Fairview Cemetery. We honor the men and boys who served in any capacity because even though records of their service may not exist, it does not downplay their bravery or sacrifice.

The men from Liberty and the surrounding area were enslaved prior to their enlistment, and found themselves at the recruiting station for different reasons:

1. They received permission from their enslaver to volunteer for service. 

2. They were a Freedom Seeker and sought out the Union army for protection from capture. This is usually noted in their enlistment record as “recruit presented himself”.

3. They were forced to enlist by their enslaver. Enslavers received a $300 compensation if they pledged loyalty to the Union and enlisted the man/men they enslaved. With the growing possibility of emancipation in the state, some enslavers saw this as a last chance to get their money’s worth. 

4. They were taking the place of their enslaver’s draft card.

Upon medical examination, some of the men were discharged for physical disability or illness. Others were turned away because it was discovered the didn’t meet the minimum age requirement. What happened to them after they were dismissed is unknown, but it is most likely they were returned to their enslaver.

Those who were deemed physically fit for service joined the ranks of the 18th, 65th, 67th, and 68th regiments of the United States Colored Troops (USCT). Most were mustered in at the Benton Barracks in St. Louis and then sent to cities throughout the South, including Port Hudson, Morganza, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Nashville, and Memphis. The men were paid $10 a month ($3 less than white recruits) and were required to withhold $3 a month to cover the cost of their supplies. Through military and census records, we were able to trace what happened to some of them during and after the war:

26 are recorded as dying during their term of service, in battle or of disease 

4 are believed to be buried in Fairview Cemetery, without a headstone or veteran’s honor (5 including William Slaughter)

4 are believed to have returned to the area, but are buried elsewhere

2 are recorded as absent from their post shortly after enlistment, seeking freedom in Kansas.

What happened to the rest of the men may forever be unknown. It is possible their death was unrecorded or they were captured by the Confederate army. It’s possible they finished out their term of service and decided to change their name to one of their own choosing and live wherever they wanted. Or perhaps they began the desperate journey of seeking out family members and loved ones separated by the institution of slavery.

Whatever the end to their story, we honor each of these veterans here. Liberty was once their home and this is the land where they would have been laid to rest if war hadn’t taken them. It is with great respect that we acknowledge the bravery of these men, and honor all the African Americans who served.