Muster Roll, 30 June - 31 August 1865; Pay Roll, 31 December 1864 - 31 August 1865, for the 29th Regiment U. S. Colored Troops Detachment serving at Headquarters, 2nd Division, 25th A. C. [Army Corps] under the command of Capt. Wilson Camp, of the 8th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops; certified by the Inspector and Mustering Officer, Maj. A.S. [Abijah S.] Pell, 8th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops; submitted at Ringgold Barracks, near Rio Grande City, Starr County, Texas (31 August 1865). Printed form. 31" x 10.5" 1 item. 1 p. Note: Filed oversized ; document records names, ranks, enlistment data, and service records of a 17-man detachment ; troops were paid $16 per month for periods varying from 8 months to 10 months, 16 days ; established in 1848 as Camp Ringgold, the post was named for Bvt. Maj. Samuel Ringgold, the first American officer to die at the Battle of Palo Alto during the Mexican War ; Ringgold Barracks was renamed Fort Ringgold in 1878 ; Ringgold Barracks had been abandoned by the US Army during the civil war and was only reestablished in 1865 when this detachment of the 29th Regiment US Colored Troops arrived ; the army sold the fort to a local school district in 1944 ; prior to serving at Ringgold Barracks, the 29th Regiment had served as part of the defensive force for Washington DC ; digital copy available ; brittle, fragile, some foxing ; needs conservation.
Muster Roll, 30 June - 31 August 1865; Pay Roll, 31 December 1864 - 31 August 1865, of a Detachment of the 29th Regiment U. S. Colored Troops Serving at Headquarters, 2nd Division, 25 A. C. [Army Corps] under the command of Capt. Wilson Camp, of the 8th Regiment U. S. Colored Troops ; certified by the Inspector and Mustering Officer, Maj. A. S. [Abijah S. ] Pell, 8th Regiment U. S. Colored Troops ; submitted at Ringgold Barracks, near Rio Grande City, Starr County, Texas (31 August 1865).
When the Pay Roll was submitted on 31 August 1865, most of the men had not been paid in 8 months and 1 man had not been paid in 10 months, 6 days. As privates, the men received only $16 per month for their service. The Inspector and Mustering Officer, Maj. Abijah S. Pell, rated the detachment as follows:
•Discipline: Good •Instruction: Good •Military Appearance: Fair •Arms: Good •Accoutrements: Fair •Clothing: Poor
The 29th Regiment U. S. Colored Troops was organized at Quincy, Illinois, 24 April 1864. The regiment reported to Alexandria Virginia where they were attached to the defense of Washington D. C. till 15 June 1864. They were then moved to White House, Virginia and then to Petersburg, Virginia for siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond from 19 June 1864 until 3 April 1865. This group would continue to be used in the DC area until May of 1865. At that point they were moved to Texas and were on duty in the area of the Rio Grande until November. This unit was mustered out or disbanded on 6 November 1865.
During their time as a regiment, the death toll totaled 234 men: 3 officers, 43 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded and 188 were killed by disease. Source: https: //www. nps. gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail. htm?battleUnitCode=UUS0029RI00C
Ringgold Barracks had been an Army Post, guarding the Rio Grande border with Mexico from Indian and Mexican raids. It had been established in 1848 as Camp Ringgold, named for the first American officer to die at the Battle of Palo Alto during the Mexican War. Ringgold Barracks was renamed Fort Ringgold in 1878. Ringgold Barracks had been abandoned by the US Army during the civil war and was only reestablished in 1865 when this detachment of the 29th Regiment US Colored Troops arrived. It remained an active post until the army sold the fort to a local school district in 1944. Prior to serving at Ringgold Barracks, the 29th Regiment had served as part of the defensive force for Washington DC.
The document lists the service records of 17 men in the detachment. Except as noted all enlisted as privates for 3 years service.
Moses Alexander was a member of company E. He was living in Woodriver, Illinois when he enlisted on April 24, 1864. He was mustered out on 6 November 1865 when the regiment mustered out. Robert Brown was a member of Company D. He enlisted In Quincy Illinois on 24 April 1864. When the unit was in Texas and finally disbanded, he was counted absent due to illness.
Joseph Briggs was a member of Company C. He was living in Chicago, Illinois when he enlisted on 31 December 1863. He to made it to the end of the war and was mustered out on November 6, 1865.
Charles Greenwell was a member of Company B. He was a resident of Chicago until 31 December 1863, when he joined this regiment as a private. He was promoted to sergeant during the war. When he was mustered out on 6 November 1865, he was demoted to corporal.
Garret Morris was member of Company F. He gave Alton, Illinois as his residence when he enlisted. He was mustered out 6 November 1865.
Martin Miller was a member of Company I. He was a paid substitute. He joined on 19 December 1864 at Frederick, MD for 1 years service and was mustered out 6 November 1865.
Moses Quickly was a member of Company H. He was a draftee. He mustered into the service on 2 October 1864 for 1 years service. He was mustered out on 6 November 1865.
Robert Smith was a member of Company A. He was a resident of Quincy Illinois. He joined on 24 April 1864 and mustered out in November of 1865.
Andrew Titsworth was a member of Company A, resided in Quincy, Illinois, and enlisted 24 April 1864. Jackson mustered out as a corporal on November 6, 1865.
William Thompson was a member of Company A and resided in Alton, Illinois. He enlisted on 25 October 1864 for 1 years service.
Alfred Willis a member of Company G, he enlisted 16 August 1864. He was from Baltimore, MD and was mustered out when the regiment was disbanded.
Lewis Weber joined company G on 30 August 1864. He was from Evansville, IN. He was mustered out on the final day of regiment's existence.
James Wilson was a member of company A. He was a residence of Peoria, Illinois and joined on 15 November 1864.
Harrison Williams was a member of company A. He was a residence of Quincy, Illinois and joined on 24 April 1864. He was absent due to illness when the regiment was mustered out in Texas in 1865.
There were three soldiers who transferred into the regiment:
Daniel B Underhill was a sergeant in company F. He was a resident of Burke, Wisconsin and enlisted on April 12, 1864. He was discharged on 26 June 1864 due to wounds that occurred in battle.
William Lumpkins was a member of company B. He was a resident of [Minorvill ?] Illinois. He joined 31 August 1864 and was mustered out exactly one year later in 1865.
Thomas J. Shores was also a member of company B. He was a resident of Chicago and joined 5 October 1864. Shores was mustered out 6 November 1865.
Source: http: //civilwar. illinoisgenweb. org/r155/29usc-b-in. html
All information on the individuals comes from this source or the document itself.
This collection consists of a single printed form, recording the service of 17 members of the 29th United States Colored Regiment that were part of a detachment serving at Ringgold Barracks, Texas. Most of the men were from Illinois. The hand writing on the document is preserved well and is very legible. There are some tears on the edges caused from being folded for long periods of time. There are noticeable crease marks on the paper from being folded in storage. It has been moved to oversized storage so that it can be stored flat. The document is brittle, fragile, some foxing; needs conservation.
Purchase (Special Manuscript Fund), Fine Antiquarian Books, LLC, Woodbridge, CT
Processing, container list, finding aid by HIST 5910 student James Burnette, April 20, 2016; revised by Jonathan Dembo, May 10, 2016
Encoded by Mark Custer, March 26, 2008
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.
37th U. S. Colored Infantry Regiment History (#MF0040), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA. See: https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/special/ead/findingaids/MF0040