Black Union soldiers in Shreveport and Louisiana 1865-1877

When Shreveport and its major military headquarters, the Confederate Department of the Trans-Mississippi, surrendered in late May and early June 1865, with Confederate leaders Lt. Gen. E. Kirby Smith, Gov. Henry Watkins Allen and Maj. Gen. Sterling Price leaving the city and issuing orders of varying temper urging citizens to obey the orders of their captors. But Union forces did not immediately appear. They arrived in early June, in the form of troops under the command of Maj. Gen. Francis Jay Herron, who turned administration of the city to Maj. Gen. (brevet) Elias Smith Dennis. Both generals were transferred or relieved within weeks of their arrival, possibly for being too lenient with regard to treatment of the captive population.

They were replaced by Col. Charles Winthrop Lowell, commanding the 80th U.S. Colored Troops, who were to garrison Shreveport and nearby territory the next two years. The 80th USCT had been organized April 4, 1864, from 8th Corps de Afrique Infantry. The unit was attached to the garrison at Port Hudson to April 1864. Then it was at Bonnet Carre to July 1864. Transferred almost immediately to the 79th United States Colored Troops (New), it was reorganized that same month through consolidation of the 90th, 96th and 98th United States Colored Troops. It remained at Bonnet Carre as an Engineer Brigade and then as regular troops through April 1865. It then manned the defenses of New Orleans through June 1865, where it remained until its transfer to Northwest Louisiana.

The 80th USCT garrisoned Shreveport and Alexandria until January 1, 1866, at which time it moved to East Texas and served as garrison at various points until March 1867. The unit mustered out March 1, 1867.

Research — Contact us

The Bailey Camp would love to hear from descendants of soldiers who served in the 80th USCT and would welcome them into its ranks. As much of Shreveport's antebellum and wartime black population left during the war and as the practice of the military at the time was to discharge soldiers in-place, it is highly likely many of the men who served in the unit lived in Northwest Louisiana or East Texas after the war and have descendants here. Below are several documents that could help research into the U.S. Colored Troops presence in Shreveport following the surrender of Confederate forces. Research by Joe Slattery.

1. A brief history of GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Garfield Post 19
2. Burials of military-age men from the Civil War era in Star Cemetery, Shreveport, LA
3. U.S. Colored Troops regiments that served in Louisiana 1865-1877
4. Shreveport Times column on Garfield Post 19, 2015, first page
5. Shreveport Times column on Garfield Post 19, 2015, jump page
6. Full roster of the 80th U.S. Colored Troops
7. Tribute page to C.C. Antoine
8. Researching black soldiers in United States service
9. Reconstruction in the 64 Parishes Project
10. "The Army and Reconstruction, 1865-1877"
11. "Freedom by the Sword: U.S. Colored Troops, 1862-1867"