African American Civil War Veterans

Pennsylvania Burials by Cemetery

Lincoln Cemetery, Penbrook, Dauphin County

Adams, Horace /"Co ? 45 U.S. Col. Troops / Died July ? 1874 / Aged 46 Years"
Unit: 45th USCT, Company G
Notes: Born circa 1828, according to age at death. NPS records show company G. Film no. M589 roll 1.

Auter, James M.
service: Landsman, USS State of Georgia; landsman, USS Bermuda
Notes: NPS records show Auter was born in Petersburg, Virginia, age 17 at enlistment, occupation: barber; complexion: mulatto; height: 5'8". He enlisted on November 27, 1863 in Philadelphia for a single term. Auter served from December 7, 1863 on the State of Georgia, and on July 27, 1865 was transferred to the Bermuda.
Born circa 1846, Auter, according to historian Calobe Jackson, Jr., "later married Jane Chester's daughter and played Santa Claus at Governor's office. He was commander of GAR Post 527 for many years. He led post in parade at Verbeke's funeral. His house at 154 Balm was recently restored and may be listed on register of historic places." (email, Calobe Jackson, Jr. to Afrolumens Project, March 27, 2005).
Barton, John Henry / Maryland / Pvt 7 U.S. Col. Inf. / Andrews / July 17, 1942
Unit: 7th USCT

Bennet, Horace B. Calobe Jackson notes "M/Sgt Horace Bennett, 54th Mass, fought at Ft. Wagner and was wounded at Millikins Bend." (email, Calobe Jackson, Jr. to Afrolumens Project, March 27, 2005). Bennett's tombstone shows a date of death as January 4, 1905, aged 68 years. This would make his year of birth 1836 or 1837. His reported age at enlistment suggests that his year of birth was 1837 or 1838.
Notes: NPS records show Horace B. Bennett, rank in, private; rank out, sergeant; Company F. Microfilm M589, roll 6. According to muster records, when mustered in, Bennett reported his residence as Middletown, Pennsylvania. He enlisted at age 25 on April 8, 1863. (Thomas L. Doughton, Afroyankees, "Pennsylvania Men in Massachusetts Colored Infantry Units--Enlistees Arranged by Pennsylvania Town Residence," 1999, url: http://www.geocities.com/afroyankees/Military/penn1.html)
The men from Middletown were some of the first to arrive in Boston to enlist in the newly forming 54th Massachusetts. On April 13, 1863, a Harrisburg newspaper, The Pennsylvania Daily Telegraph, ran a story that it copied from the April 9th edition of the Boston Journal, reporting on the appearance of the Middletown men in Boston:
Recruits for the Fifty-fourth Regiment—A party of nineteen colored men just arrived from Middletown, Pa, for the purpose of joining the 54th regiment, were at the State House yesterday, and attracted considerable attention. Many of them were fine looking fellows, and appeared to possess genuine fighting pluck. They had a guitar and violin, with which to while away the leisure hours of life in camp. (Pennsylvania Daily Telegraph, April 13, 1863)
Booth, Robert /"My Beloved Husband / Of My Lord / Died in Harrisburg / April 22, 1887 / He Was a member of the / 1st Reg. U. S. Col. Cavly / Gone but not forgotten"
Unit: 1st U.S. Colored Cavalry
Notes:

Burris, William /"Died May 1, 1909 / Aged 74 years / 123 Reg. Conn. Col. Inf."
Unit: Not positively identified. See notes.
Notes: Could be 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry, or 123rd USCT. NPS records show a Private William Burris in Company B of the 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry. There was no 123rd Connecticut Colored Infantry. According to his age at death, Burris would have been born circa 1835.

Craig, William / "P. Co. H, 32 Reg. Vol. Col. Inf. / 1843 - 1927"
Unit: 32nd USCT, Company H

Cumpton, Jacob T. / Died / Sep. 6, 1905 / Aged 69 Y. / Co. D. 24 Reg. / U.S.C.T.
Unit: 24th USCT, Company D / Also (as "Compton") Independent (Colored) Co. I, Militia, 1864 (record 5-133, Pennsylvania State Archives)
Notes: Cumpton is said to have been the carriage driver who drove Abraham Lincoln in secrecy from his hotel in Harrisburg to a waiting train in Lochiel, south of town. The ruse was part of a plan to get the president-elect safely to Washington in the wake of a plot to assassinate him as he passed through Baltimore. Cumpton was working as a driver for stagecoach line owner Alexander Calder.
NPS records show Cumpton's rank in as private, and rank out as sergeant. (Film M589, roll 21)
Dent, James E. / "Co C 127 Regt. Vol Inf. / Died Apr. 19, 1913"
Unit: 127th USCT

Downey, Samuel /'1839 - 1923 / Pvt. Co. D. 24^th Reg. Inf."
Unit: 24th USCT, Company D

Edwards, James W. / "Co. A 39 [unreadable] / Born March 1, 1818 / Died Jan 2, 1885 / I have [unreadable] at last"
Unit: 39th USCT (unconfirmed), Company A
Notes: Possibly 39th USCT, but not yet confirmed.

Flowers, Harry R. / "Sargt. Co. F. 2 Regt / Feb. 23, 1846 / July 7, 1928"
Unit: 2nd USCT

Gordan, Isaac E. /"1848 GAR 1877 / Co. D. 24^th Reg. U.S. Colored Inf."
Unit: 24th USCT, Company D
Notes: NPS records show surname as Gordon; rank in, private; rank out, private. Film no. M589, roll 33.

Hopkins, Nathan / "P. Co. A, 127, Reg. PA Inf. / Died 1929"
Unit: 127th USCT, Company A
Notes: NPS records show company AB; rank in, private; rank out, private; alternate name, Nathaniel Hopkins. Film no. M589, roll 42.

Johnson, J. W. / "Co. D / 45 Reg U.S.C.T. / Died / June 22, 1909 / Aged / 72 years"
Unit: 45th U.S.C.T., Company D
Notes: Age at death indicates he was born circa 1837. Husband of Betty B. Johnson, 1848 - 1910 (stone next to his)

Jones, Samuel /"Co F 30 Reg. U.S. Colored / Troops / Died July 10, 1880 / Aged 44 Years 2 Months & 3 Days"
Unit: 30th USCT, Company F
Notes: Age at death indicates a birthdate of May 7, 1836.

Jones, William /"Co. D. 32^nd Reg. / U.S. Col. Troops / Died Dec. 30, 1890 / In his 49^th year / GAR / 1861 / 1865"
Unit: 32nd USCT, Company D
Notes: Husband of Laura L. Jones, 1850 - 1895 (stone next to his)

Lee, George J. /"24^th U.S. Colored Vol. / Died March 16, 1898 / Aged / 57 Years 7 Months & 15 / Days"
Unit: 24th USCT, Company C
Notes: Born August 1, 1841. NPS records show Company C. Film no. M589, roll 53.

Lee, William T. / "Co. D. 55 Mass"
Unit: 55th Massachusetts, Company D
Notes: Also listed as being in company H. Born May 20, 1840, died 1898.

Miller, Thomas J. /"Died Oct. 14, 1912 / Aged 69 years / Pr. Co. G. 5 Reg. Mass. Vol."
Unit: 5th Massachusetts Colored Cavalry, Co. C
Notes: For more information on Thomas J. Miller, see our page in the Lincoln Cemetery section.

Montgomery, David /"Co. C. / 24 Regt. / U.S.C.T. Inf. / Died / August 24, 1908 / Aged 65 Years"
Unit: 24th USCT, Company C (or G)
Notes: Born circa 1843, according to age at death. NPS records show company G. Film no. M589, roll 61.

Scott, George R.
Unit: 54th Massachusetts, Company D
Notes: Great grandfather of John Weldon Scott. NPS records show rank in and out as Private. (Film no. M589, roll 77). Muster records show that Scott enlisted on March 25, 1863, reporting his residence as Harrisburg and his occupation as laborer. He reported his age as 20 years old. Son of George Scott of Harrisburg.
Sigler, Henry S. / "1848 - 1916 / Prv. Co. C. 22 Reg. / U.S. Colored Inf."
Unit: 22nd USCT, Company C
Notes: Husband of Mary E. Sigler, 1851 - 1936 (stone next to his)

Slaughter, Ephraim / "1846 - 1943"
Unit: 37th USCI, Company B
Notes: Escaping from slavery in North Carolina in 1863, Slaughter joined Company B of the 3rd N.C. Colored Infantry, which became the 37th U.S.C.T. infantry regiment. He moved to Harrisburg well after the war and joined the local African American G.A.R., David Stevens Post 520. He died on February 17, 1943. Harrisburg American Legion Post 733 is named in his honor.

Stocks, James / "1841 - 1923 / Pvt. Co. D, 45^th Reg. / U.S. Vol. Inf."
Unit: 45th USCT, Company D
Notes: Not in NPS records.

White, William /"1841 - 1920 / Corp. Co. 8? Reg. / U.S.C.T."
Unit: Not positively identified, see notes.
Notes: NPS records show 72 men named William White who served in USCT regiments.

Page Notes:

Photographs of some of the tombstones of Civil War veterans in Lincoln Cemetery were published in the book African Americans of Harrisburg, by John Weldon Scott and Eric Ledell Smith (Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, SC, 2005) pages 22, 28-29.

Sources

National Park Service, "Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System," https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm

Pennsylvania African Americans in the Civil War -- Main Page | Lincoln Cemetery History and Listings

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